Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-12-21
CHAPTER II.

bLUE led the way straight to the
u low, dirt rooted stable of logs and
stopped with his nose against the
closed door. Billy Louise herself was
deceived by the whirl of snow and
would have missed the stable entirely
If the leadership had been hers. She
patted Blue gratefully on the shoulder
when she unsaddled him. She CROPPED
with her fingers for the wooden peg in
the wall where the saddle should hang,
failed to find it and so laid the saddle
down against the logs and covered 1t
with the blanket.
"Just turn your horse In loose" she
directed the man shortly. BLUE won't
fight, and 1 think the rest of the horses
are in the other part. And come on to
the house,"
It pleased her a little to see that he
obeyed her without protest, but she
was not so pleased at his silence, and
she led the way rather Indignantly to-
ward the winking eye which was the
cabins window.
At the sound of their feet on the
wide doorstep her mother pulled open
the door and stood fair In the light,
looking out with an anxious look.
'Is that you, Billy Louise? Oh, amt
Peter Howling Dog with you? What
makes you SO terrible late, Billy
Louise? Come right In, stranger. I
don't know your name, but I don't
need to know it. A storm like this Is
all the Introduction a fellow needs, I
guess"
"What about Peter?" Billy Louise
asked. isn't he here?"
"No, and he amt been since an hour
or so after you left. He saddled up
and rode off down the river, to the res
ervation, I reckon"
"Then the chores aren't done, I sup
pose." Billy Louise went over and
took a lantern down from it's nail,
turning up the wick so that she could
light it with the candle. go up to
the fire and thaw out" she invited the
man. "We'l have supper in a few
minutes"
Instead he reached out and took the
lantern from her as soon as she had
lighted it. "You go to the fire your
Self" he said. 'In do what's neces-
sary outside"
"Why-y"- Billy Louise, her fingers
still clinging to the lantern, looked up
at him. He was staring down at her
with that intent look she had objected
to ON the trail, but she saw his mouth
and the little smile that hid just back
of his lips. She smiled back without
knowing it. "Il have to go along,
anyway. There are cows to milk, and
you couldn't very well find the cow
stable alone"
''Think not?"
Together they went out again into
the storm they had left SO eagerly.
Billy Louise showed him where was
the pitchfork and the hay and then
did the milking while he piled full the
managers. After that they went to-
gether and turned the shivering work
horses into the stable from the corral
where they huddled, rumps to the
storm, and the man lifted great fork
fuls Of hay and carried it into their
stalls, while Billy Louise held the Ian
tern high over her head like a western
Liberty. They did not talk much, ex-
cept when there was need for speech,
but they were beginning to feel a lit
tie glow of companionship by the time
they were ready to fight their way
against the blizzard to the house, Billy
Louise going before with the lantern,
while the man followed close behind,
carrying the two pals of milk that
was already freezing in little crystals
to the tin.
II didn't quite catch your name, mis-
ter" Mrs. Macdonald said after they
had begun the meal. "But take an
other biscuit, anyway"
Warren is my name," returned the
man, with that hidden smile because
she had never before given him any
opportunity to tell it-"Ward Warren.
I've got a claim over on Mill creek"
Billy Louise gave a little gasp and
distractedly poured two %spoonfuls Of