Meade County news., 1918-02-07
CHAPTER II-cOntinued.


p
"Then the chores aren't done, sup
pose" Billy Louise went over ana
took a lantern down from its nail,
turning up the wick 80 that she could
tight It with the candle. "Go up to
the fire and thaw out" she invited the
man. wen have supper In few
minutes"
Instead he reached out and took the
lantern from her as soon as she mad
lighted It. "You go to the fire your
self" he said. "I'n do what's neces-
sary outside"
"Why-y'- Billy Louise, her fingers
still clinging to the lantern, looked up
at him. he was staring down at her
with that intent look she had objected
to on the trail, but she saw his mouth
and the little smile that hid just back
of HIS lips. She smiled back without
knowing it. "I'n have to go along,
anyway. There are cows to milk, ana
you couldn't very well find the co"
stable alone"
'4Think not?"
Together they went out again into
the storm they had left 80 eagerly
Rillv Louise showed him where was
the pitchfork and the hay and then
did the milking while he piled full the
mangers. After that they went to-
eether and turned the shivering work
horses into the stable from the corral
where they huddled, rumps to the
storm and the man lifted great FORK
fuls of hay and carried 1t into their
stalls, while Billy Louise held the Ian
tern high over her head like western
Liberty. They did not talk much, ex-
cent when there was need for speech
but they were beginning to feel lit
tie glow Of companionship by the time
they were ready to fight their way
against the blizzard to the house, Billy
Louise going before with the lantern
while the man followed close behind
carrying the two pals Of milk that
was already freezing in little crystals
to the tin.
az didn't quite catch your mans, mis-
TER" Mrs. Macdonald said after they
had begun the meal. "But take an
other biscuit, anyway"
"Warren Is my name," returned the
man, with that hidden smile because
she had never before given him any
opportunity to tell it-"Ward Warren.
I've got a claim over on Mill creek"
Billy Louise gave a little gasp and
distractedly poured two spoonfuls Of
sugar in her tea, although she hated it
Sweetened.
I've got to tell you why even at the
price Of depression. Long ago, when
Billy Louise was twelve or 30 and
lived largely in a dream world of her
own, she had one day chanced upon a
paragraph In a paper that had come
from town wrapped around a package
of matches. 1t was all about Ward
Warren. The name caught her fancy,
and the text Of the paragraph seized
upon her imagination. Until school
filled her mind with other things she
had built adventures without end in
which Ward Warren was the central
figure. Sometimes, when she rode in
the hills, Ward Warren abducted her
and led her into strange places, where
she tried to shiver in honest dread
Often and often, however, Ward War
ren was fugitive who came to her
for help. Then she would take him to
a cave and hide him, perhaps, or she
would mount her horse and lead him
by devious ways to safety, and upon
some hilltop from which she could
point out the route he must follow she
would bid him a touching adieu and
beseech him in the impossible Ian
guage of some old romancer to go and
lead blameless life.
"Jase has got all gone feelings now,
mommie," Billy Louise remarked irrel-
evantly during brief pause and re-
lapsed into silence again. She knew
that was good for at least FIVE minutes
of straight .monolOgue with her mother
In that talking mood. She finished her
supper while Warren listened abstract
edly to a complete biography of the
Mcilkes and earned all about Marthy's
energy and Eases shiftlessness.
Ward Warrenv' Billy Louise was
saying to herself. Ward Warren!
There couldn't possibly be two Ward
WaFrens; it's such an odd name.
WeIl"
Then she went mentally over that
paragraph. She wished she did not
remember every single word of It, but
she did. And she was afraid to look
at him after that. and she wanted to
dreadfully. She felt as though he be-
longed to her. Why, he was her old
playmatel And she had saved his life
hundreds of times at immense risk to
hers. and be bad always been her de-