The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-15

around at her inquiringly, reproacf
fully. Billy Louise sent him slowl
, forward and stirred up the hOddle
) little bunch. She read the brand o.
each one; read the story they shoute
at her, of bungling theft.
Finally she swung Blue on the down
stream side and shouted the rang
cattle cry. The animals turned awk
wardly and went upstream, as the.
had been going before Billy Louis
stopped them. Blue followed watch
fully after, content with the game HI
was playing. Where the bluffs drew
close again to the river, the cattle
climbed to narrow, shelving trai
picking their way carefully along the
bluff. Below them it fell sheer to the
river; above them it rose steeply, q
| blackened tumble. save where the snow
of the last storm lay drifted.
| Billy Louise had never known there
was trail up this gorge. She eyed 1t
| critically and saw where boulders had
its passage possible. Her lips were
set close together and they still bore
the imprint of her contempt.
She thought of Ward. Mentally she
abased herself before him because Of
her doubts. How she had dared think
him thief? Her brave buckaroo |!
And she had dared think he would
steal cattle! Her very remorse was
whip to lash her anger against the
guilty. She hurried the cattle along
the dangerous trail, impatient of their
cautious pace.
Since she had closed up on the
cattle and had read on their sides the
shameful story of theft, Billy Louise
had known that she would eventually
come out at the lower end of the Cove;
and that in spite of the fact that the
Cove was not supposed to have any
egresS save through the gorge. What
surprised her was the short distance;
she had not realized that the bluff
and the upland formed a wide curve,
and that she had cut the distance al
most in half by riding next the river
She seemed in no doubt as to what
she would do when she arrived. Billy
Louise was not much given to indie
cision at any time. She drove the
cattle into the corral farthest from the
house, rode on to the stable, and
stopped Blue with his nose against the
fence there and with his reins drag
ging. Then. tight-lipped still, she
walked determinedly along the path to
the gate that led through the berry
jungle to the cabin.
She opened the gate and stepped
through, closing it after her. She had
not gone twenty feet when there was
A rush from the nearest thicket, and |
Surbus, his hair ruffed out along his |
neck, growled and made a leap at her
with barred fangs.
Billy Louise had forgotten about
Surbus. She jumped back, startled,
md the dog missed landing. When
he sprang again he met .30-caliber
juliet from Billy LOuise's gun and
lropped back. 1t had been snap shot,
without any particular aiming; Billy
louise retreated a few steps farther
the dog suspiciously. He
gathered himself slowly and prepared
o spring at her again, This time Billy
4ouise, being on the watch for such
move, aimed carefully before she fired,
'urbus dropped again, limply-a good
log forever more.
Billy Louise heard a shrill whistle
nd the sound of feet running. She
raited, gun in hand, ready for what
yer might come.
'Hey! Charlie Somebody's come;
he bell, she don't reeng." Peter
Iowling Dog, pistol in his hand,
anne running down the path from the
abin. He saw Billy Louise and stopped
bruptly, his mouth half open.
From a shed near the stable came
harlie, also running. Billy Louise
aited beside the gate. He did not
,e her until he was close, for a tam
ed gooseberry bush stood between
lem.f
"What was it, Peter? Somebody in
lie Cove? Or was 1t you"
"No, it wasn't Peter; it was me-"
lily Louise informed him calmly and
iSI duuindtiSdiiy. oHOl kouTDuS,
ats ALL"
"Oh! Why, Miss Louise, you nearly
we me heart failureI How are you?
"You thought somebody had gotten
to the Cove without your knowing it.
ell, somebody did. / rode up from
low, along the river"
"Oh-er-did you? Pretty rough
ing, wasn't it? didn't think it could
done. Come in; Aunt Martha will
-
II don't think she'll be overjoyed to :
e me-" Billy Louise stood still be-
lie the gooseberry bush, and she had 4
rgotten to put away her gun. 81 .
owe up those cattle you had down be- n
Y. You're awfully careless, Charlie
should think Peter or Marthy would
We told you better. When a man br
ais cattle by working over the tn
inds, it's very bad form to keep M
I'm right on his ranch in plain sight. tn
isn't done by the best people, you be
ow." Her voice stung with the con- If
apt she managed to put into it. And &c
ugh she smiled. it was such a smile
one seldom saw upon the face of hi
ly Louise. gr
What's all this? Worked brands TIL