Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-12-18


before-or | oughtn't to have come
But she was worrying about you, Mar
thy. She hadn't seen or heard of you
for month, and she was afraid you
might be sick or something. Why
don't you get some one to stay with
you? think you ought to-" She look
ed toward the door. which Jase had
closed upon his departure. IF Jase
should-get sick or anything
"Jase amt goin to git sick" Mar
thy retorted glumly. "Yuh don't want
to let him worry yuh. Billy Louise. II
I'd worried every time he yowled
around about being sick I'd be dead or
crazy by now. / dunno but maybe
III have somebody to help with the
work, though" she added after pause.
during which she had swiped the dish
rag around the sides of the pan once
or twice and had opened the door and
thrown the water out beyond the door
step like the sloven she was. 81 got
nephew that wants TO come out. He's
been in bank, but he's quit and wants
to git on to ranch. | dunno but III
have him come in the spring."
DO" urged Billy Louise, perfectly
unconscious of the potentialities of the
future. Il hate to think of you two
down here alone. don't suppose any
one ever comes down here except me
and that isn't often"
! "Nobody's got any call to come
down." said Marthy stolidly. ''They
sure amt going to come for our com
p'ny, and there amt nothing else to
bring EN-
well, there aren't many to come,
you know" laughed Billy Louise, shak-
ing out the dish towel and spreading
it over two nails, as she did at home
Pm your nearest neighbor. and I've
got six miles to ride-against the wind
at that. think I'd better start. We've
| got half breed doing chores for Us,
but he has to be looked after or he
neglects things. I'll not get another
chance to come very soon, I'm afraid
Mommie hates to have me ride around
much in the winter. You send for that
nephew right away, why don't you.
Marthy?" 1t was like Billy Louise to
mix command and entreaty together
Really, don't think Jase looks a bit
we'll"
"a good strong steepin of sage IL
fix him all right, only he amt sick, as
l see. You take this shawl"
Billy Louise refused the shawl and
ran down the. twisted path fringed
with long, reaching fingers of the bare
berry bushes. At the stable she stop
ped for an aimless dialogue with Jase
and then rode away, past the orchard
whose leafless branches gave glimpses
of the low, sod rooted cabin, with
Marthy standing rather disconsolately
on the rough doorstep watching her go
Blue was climbing steadily out of
| the gorge, twitching an ear backward
with fattering attention whenever his
lady spoke. The horse went on, calm
ly stepping over this rock and around
that as if it were the simplest thing in
the world to find sure footing and car
ry his lady smoothly up that trail. He
| threw up his head so suddenly that
Billy Louise was startled out of her
aimless dreamings and pointed nose
and ears toward the. little creek bot
tom above, where Marthy had lighted
her campfire long and long ago.
| A few steps farther and Blue stop-
ped short in the trail to look and lis
ten. Billy Louise could see the nery-
Gus twitchings of his muscles under
the skin of neck and shoulders. and she
smiled to herself. Nothing could ever
come upon her unaware when she rode
hunting dog was not more keenly alive
| to his surroundings
go on, Blue" she commanded after
minute IF it's a bear or anything
like that you can make run for it,;
I if it's ,Tolf I'll shoot it. You needn't
stand here all night, anyway"
Blue went on, out from behind the
willow growth that hid the open. He
returned to his calm, picking a smooth
trail through the scattered rocks and
tiny washouts. 1t was the girls turn
to stare and speculate. She did not
know this horseman who sat negligent
" in the saddle and looked up at the
cedar grown bluff beyond while his
horse stood knee deep in the little
stream. She did not know him, and
there were not so many travellers In
the land that strangers were a matter
of indifference.
Blue welcomed the horse with a DEM
ocratic nicker and went forward brisk
! "! And the rider turned his head.
eyed the girl sharply as she came up
and nodded a cursory greeting. His
horse lifted its head to look. decided
that it wanted smother swallow or two
and lowered its muzzle again to the
water.
Billy Louise could not form any opin-
ion of the mans age or personality, for
he was encased In a wolfskin coat
which covered him completely from
hat brim to ankles. She got an impress
sion Of thin, dark face and a sharp
glance from eyes that seemed dark
! also. There was thin, high nose. and
beyond that Billy Louise did not look
| IL she had the mouth must certainly
have reaSsured her somewhat
Blue stepped nonchalantly down into
!
/ and went across without stopping TO
/ drink. The strange horse moved on
/ also. as if that were the natural thing
/ TO do-which it was, since chance sent
1 them travelling the same trail Billy
/ Louise set her teeth together with the
| queer little vicious click that had al
/ ways been her habit when she felt
/ fhuuo rod apd oonSfroinad 20 r;ola -
circumstances and Strengthened herself
In the saddle.
Looks like a storm" the fur coated
| one observed, with perfectly trans
parent attempt to tighten the awk-
/ wa-dneSs.
/ Billy Louise tilted her chin upward
and gaZed at tie gray sweep of clouds
moving sullenly toward the mountains
/ at her back. She glanced at the man
= T.