The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-12-20

cn0ngeU INTO the nOrtn, n l tnOugnl
mebby you wouldn't want 'em out.
Jase turned back aimlessly to the door
His voice was getting cracked anC
husky, and the deprecating note dom
mated pathetically all that he said
you'll have to face the wind goin
home" be said to Billy Louise. "More'r
likely you'll be facln' snow too Look
had Off that way"
You go on and turn them calve!
out!' Marthy commanded him harshly
BILLY Louise amt goin' home II i
storms. l sh'd think. you'd know
enough to know that"
"Oh, but I'll have to go anyway,
the girl interrupted "Mommie can
be there alone; she'd worry herself t.
death If | didn't show up by dark
She worries about every little thing
since daddy died. ought to have gont
before-Or l oughtn't to have come
But she was worrying about you, Mar
thy. She hadn't seen or heard of yor
for month, and she was afraid yOl
might be sick or something. Why
don't you get some one to stay witt
you? l think you ought to-" She look
ed toward the door, which Jase ha(
closed upon his departure. "If Jast
should-get sick or anything
"Jase amt goin' to git sick" Mar
thy retOrted glumly. "Yuh don't wan
to let him worry yuh, Billy Louise. II
I'd worried every time he yowled
around about being sick I'd be dead OF
crazy by now. l dunno but maybe
I'll have somebody to help with the
work, though" she added after a 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. II got d
nephew thar wants to come out He's
been in a bank, but he's quit and wants
to git on to ranch. dunno but I'll
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." sai6 Marthy stolidly. "They
sure amt going to come for our com
pny, 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
1t over two nails, as she did at home.
I'm your nearest neighbor, and I've
got six miles to ride-against the wind
at that. think I'd better start. We've
got a 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, l don't think Jase looks a bit
we'll"
"A good strong steepin' of sage II
fix him all right, only he amt sick. as
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 awav, past the orchard
whose leafess branches gave glimpses
Of the low, sod rooted cabin, with
Marthy standing rather disconsolateIy
on the rough doorstep watching her 20
Blue was climbing steadily out Of
the gorge, twitching an ear backward
with flattering 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 thar
Billy Louise was startled out of her
aimless jrs3pings and pointed nose
and ears tOwsr5 :Se little creek bot
tom above, where Na-tny had lighted
'ler campfire long and long 4Ea-
A few steps farther and BtIa stop
ped short in the trail to look and lls.
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 eve,
come upon her unaware when she rode
alone so long as shC rode Blue. A
hunting dog was not more keenly alive
to his surroundings.
GO on, Blue" she commanded after
u minute IF it's ')ear or anything
like that you can make a run for it:
if it's a wO'f I'll shoot it. You needn't
stand here all night, anyway"
Blue wont 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.
ly 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 dem.
Ocratic nlcker and went forward brisk
". And the rider turned his head,
eyed the girl sharply rs she came up
and nodded ; cursOry greeting. His
horse lifted ika head 70 loOk. decided