The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-12-21

THAT fellow is as straight as a
string. Don't you suppose it's some
sang over on the river, Floyd? I'd
look around over there, l believe, and
try to get line on the unaccountables.
There's lot of new settlers come In
just in the last year or two. and there
might be some tough ones scattered
through the bunch. Better see if there
has been any cattle shipped or driven
through that way, don't you thinkY'
1--WE can try" Floyd assented with
out eagerness. But as near as we
can figure it's too much of a drib drab
proposition for that. A cow and calf
here and there, and so on. We got
wind of it first when we went out to
bring in a gentle COW that the deacon
wanted on the ranch. We knew where
she was, only she wasn't there when
we went after her. We hunted the
hills for a week and couldn't find a
sign of her or her calf. And she had
stuck down in the creek bottom all the
spring so it looked kind a funny"
He twisted in the saddle and looked
back at the pine clotted ridge.
There's a Y6 calf up there that's a
dead ringer for the one we've been
hunting" he observed, "but it's run
ming with a COW that carries Junkins'
old brand So He looked apOloget-
ically into the calm eyes of Billy
Louise. "Of course 1 don't mean to
say there's anything wrong up there"
he hastily assured her. But that's
the reason thought I'd ask you about
that fellow
"Oh it's perfectly right to make sure
of everybody smiled Billy Louise.
I'D do the same thing myself. But
you'll find everything's all straight up
there We know all about him and
how and where he got his few head Of
stock and everything. But of course
you could ask Junkins if you have any
doubt"
''Oh, Wen take your word for it.
just wanted to know. He's a stranger
to our outfit. I've seen him a few
times. What's his name? Us boys
call him Noisy. It's like pulling a wis
dom tooth to get any kind talk out
of him"
He is awful quiet" assented Billy
Louise earelessly. But he's real
steady to work"
Them quiet fellows generally are"
put in Mr.. Birken you run stock in
here, too do you, Miss MacDonald?"
"The big Ds," answered Billy Louise
and smiled family. 1--WE been range
herding them back here in these foot
hills this summer. Do you want to
look through the bunch?"
Mr.. Birken blushed. "Oh, no, not at
all! I was wondering if you had lost
any"
Nobody would rustic cattle from
lady, 1 hope. At any rate, l haven't
missed any yet The folks down in the
Cove have, though"
Yes, l heard they had That breed
rode over to see if he could get line
on them. It's hard luck. That Charlie
Fox seems fine, hard working boy,
don't you think?"
"Yess," said Billy Louise shyly, "he
seems real nice" She looked away
and bit her lip self consciously as she
spoke.
The two men swallowed the bait like
a hungry fish. They glanced at each
other and winled knowingly Billy
Louise saw them from the tail of her
lowncast eye and permitted herself
little sigh of relief They would be
the more ready now to accept at its
face value her statement concernin;e
Ward, unless they credited her with
he feat Of being in love with the two
men at the same time.
We'll, I'm sorry Charlie Fox has
been tapped off too. He's mighty |
ine chap" declared Floyd, with trans |
parent heartiness, his round eyes
lwelling curiously upon the face of
Billy Louise
Yes, ] must be going" said that /
'oung woman seG-consciously. 'Tre .
lutte a circle to ride yet l hope you
ocate the rustlers. and if there's any
hing | can do-if | see or hear any
hing that seems to he a clew-I'u let
'ou know right away. I've been keep
ng my eyes open for some trace of
hem, and so has Char-NIr. Fox"
Then she blushed and told them good
~ very hastily and loped off up the
idge.
Bark up that tree for awhile, you
woT she said, with a twist of her
lps, when she was well away from
hem. "Nou-you darned idiots, to go
around Wards place, just as
f. Wardll take shot at them if
le catches them nosing through his
tockW She scowled at a big d COW
hat thrust her head out of an alder
hicket and sent Blue in after her.
she watched the animal 20
down the hill toward the
Wolverine. Just because he's a stran-
'er and doesn't mix with people and
minds his own business and is trying