Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-05-03


nat bOttomed canyon, looking for an
easy way across, when Blue threw up
his head, listened with his ears thrust
forward and shifted with widened nos
trils. From his manne almost any
thing might lie ahead OF them. And
because certain Of the possibilities
would call for quick action IL any Of
them became a certainty Billy Louise
twisted her gun belt around SO that her
six shooter swung within easy reach
Of her hand. With her fingers she made
ster and kicked Blue mildly as q hint
to go on and see what 1t was all about.
Blue went forward, stepping easily
on the soft side hill. In rough country
whatever 0 want to see Is nearly al
ways around a sharp bend; you read 1t
80 In the stories and books OF travels
and when you ride out In the hills you
find 1t SO in reality. Billy Louise rode
for three or four minutes before she
received any inkling of what lay ahead,
though Blues behavior during that in
terval had served to reassure her some
what. He was interested still in what
lay just out Of sight beyond a shoulder
Of the hill, but ne did not appear to be
In the least alarmed. Therefore Billy
Louise knew 1t couldn't be q bear, at
any rate.
They came to the point Of the hills
shoulder and Billy Louise frightened the
reins instinctively while she stared at
what lay revealed beneath. The head
Of the gulch vas blocked with q corral
small, high, hidden from view on all
sides save where she stood, by the
jagged walls Of rock and heavy aspen
thickets beyond.
The corral was but the setting for
what Billy Louise stared at so unbe-
lovingly. A horseman had ridden out
Of the corral just as she came into
sight, had turned a sharp corner and
had disappeared by riding up the same
slope she occupied, but farther along
and in a shallow depression which hid
him completely after that one brief
glimpse.
OF course the gulch was dusky with
deep shadows, and she had had only a
glimpse. But the horse was 4 dark bay
uliu tHC tEuGA was In auO tuiA 0A'u
wore a gray hat. The heart Of Billy
Louise paused a moment from its steady
beating and then sank heavily under a
great weight. She was range born and
range bred. She had sat wide eyed on
her daddy's knees and heard him tell Of
losses In cattle and horses and of cor
rails found hidden away In strange
places and of unknown riders who dis
appeared mysteriously into the hills.
were a part Of the stage setting for
wild dramas of the West.
With q white line showing around
her close pressed lips and 4 horror In
her wide eyed glance she rode quietly
along the side of the bluff toward
where she had seen the hOrseman dis
appear. He was riding a dark bay and
he wore a gray hat and dark coat, and
he was slim and tall. Billy Louise
made q sound that was close to a grOan
and set her teeth hard together after
ward.
She reached the hillside Just above
the corral. There were cattle down
there, moving uneasily about in the
shadows. OF the horseman there was,
Of course, no sign-just the corral and
a few restless cattle shut inside-and
on the hilltops a soft, rose violet glow
and In the sky beyond a blend of pur-
pie and deep crimson to show where
the sun had been. Close beside her as
she stood looking down a little, gray
bird twittered wistfully.
Billy Louise took a deep breath and
rode on, angling slightly up the bluff
SO that she could cross at the head of
the gulch. 1t was very quiet, very
peaceful and wildly beautiful, this jum-
BILE Of hills and deep gashed canyons.
But Billy Louise felt as though some.
thing precious had died. She should
have gone down ans investigated and
turned those cattle loose-that Is, IL
she dared. Well, she dared: it was not
fear hat held her to the upper slopes.
She did not want to know what brand
they bore or whether an iron had scar
ell fresh marks.
"Oh, God! I" she said once aloud, n
curse and a question all In those two
words.
So trouble-trouble that sickened her
very soul and chOked her into dumb
ness and squeezed her heart SO that
the ache OF 1t was agony-came and
rode with her through the brooding
dusk of the canyons and over the
brighter hilltops.
Billy Louise did not remember any,
thing much about that ride except that
she was glad the way was long. Blue
carried her steadily on and or and
needed no guiding. and though Wolyer-
inc canyon was black dark in most
places she liked it so.
John Pringle was standing by the
gate waiting for her. which was UNI
usual. if Billy Louise had been normal
enough to notice it. He came forward
and took Blue by the bride when she
d~ismounted, which was still more un-
usual, for Billy Louise always cared
for her own horse both from habit and
preference.
"Yor mommie. she's SICK" he an
nounced stOlidly. "She's worry you