The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-11-30

! MIN, lie Cuu IOOl me-
Jase maundered in at that moment,
and Marthy turned and glared at Jase
with what Billy Louise considered
perfectly uncaled for animosity. III
reality, Marthy was covertly looking
for visible symptoms of the all-gone-
ness. She shut her harsh lips together
tightly at what she saw. Jase certain
ly was puffy under his watery, pink
trimmed eyes, and the withered cheeks
above his thin graying beard really did
have pasty gray look.
"D'you turn them calves out into the
corral?" she demanded, her voice hard
er because Of her secret uneasiness.
81 was goin' to, but the winds
changed into the north, n l thought
mebby you wouldn't want 'em out"
Jase turned back aimlessly to the door.
His voice was getting cracked and
husky, and the deprecating note dom
mated pathetically all that he said.
you'll have to face the wind goin'
home" he said to Billy Louise. "More'n
likely you'll be facin snow too. Looks
bad off that way"
you go on and turn them calves
OUT! Marthy commanded him harshly.
BILLY Louise amt goin' home If it
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't
be there alone; she'd worry herself to
death If | didn't show up by dark.
She worries about every little thing
since daddy died. I ought to have gone
| before-or | oughtn't to have come
But she was worrying about you, Mar
thy. She hadn't seen OF 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. If
I'd worried every time he yowled
around about being sick I'd be dead or
crazy by now. | 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. 81 got
nephew that wants to come out. He's
been in bank, but he's quit and wants
to git on to a 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. l 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 |
1t over two nails, as she did at home. |
"Im> 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 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 away, past the orchard
whose leafiess branches gave glimpses
of the low, sod rooted cabin. with
Marthy standing rather disconsolately
on the rough doorstep watching her 90
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 1t were the simplest thing in
the world to find sure footing and car
ry his lady smoothly up that trail. He
4 braVU hic hno6
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 I
come upon her unaware when she rode
alone so long as she rode Blue. A
hunting dog was not more keenly alive {
to his surroundings.
go on, Blue" she commanded after [
4 minute. If it's bear or anything ]
ike that you can make run for it; '
c it's wolf I'll shoot it. You needn't J.
stand here all night, anyway" c
Blue went on, out from behind the L
willow growth that hid the open. He
to his calm, picking a smooth T
rail through the scattered rocks and t
my washouts. 1t was the girls turn
o stare and speculate. She did not L