Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-02-12
CHAPTER xII.-continued.

Billy Louises faith had compromised
definitely with her doubts of him.
Guilty or innocent, she would be his
friend always. That was the condition
her faith had laid down challengingly
ssefore her doubts. But unless he were
innocent and proved it to her she
would never marry him, no matter
how much she loved him. That was
the concession her faith had made to
her doubts.
Billy Louise had wise little brain
for all she idealized life and her sur.
rOundings out of all proportion to real
fty. She told herself that If she mar
ried Ward with her doubts alive her
misery would be far greater than If
OF course her ideals stepped in there
with an impracticable compromise.
She brought back the Ward Warren of
her pretend life. She dreamed of
him as a mutely adOring friend who
stood and worshiped her from afar
and because of his sins could not cross
the line of friendship.
him and save him, if that were posi-
BILE. He would love her always-Billy
Louise could not conceive of Ward
transferring his affections to another
less exacting woman-and he would
be grateful for her friendship. She
could build long, lovely scenes where
friendliness was put to the front brave
iy, while love hid behind the mask and
only peeped out through the eyes now
and then. She did not, of course, plan
all this in sober reason; she just
dreamed it with her eyes open.
Some one came upon the doorstep
and stood there for a moment, stamp
ing snow off his feet. Billy Louise
caught her breath and waited her eyes
yelled with her lashes and shining ex-
pectantly. A little color came into her
cheeks. Ward had been delayed some
how, but he was coming now because
she needed him and he wanted her
1t was only John Pringle, heavy bod
led, heavy minded, who came in and
squeaked the door shut behind him.
Billy Louise gave him a glance and
dropped her head back on the red
cushion. Hello, Johnv she greeted
tOnelessly.
John grinned, embarrassed between
his pleasure at seeing Billy Louise and
his pity for her trouble. His white
teeth showed little under his scraggy,
breath-frOSted mustache.
Hello! You got back, hey? She's
purity cold again. Seems like it's goin'
storm some more" He pulled OF his
mittens and tugged at the ice dangling
at the corners of his lips. You come
on stage, hey? 1 bet you freeze" He
went over and stood with his back to
the fire, his leathery brown hands
clasped behind him, his face still I'M
decided as to the most suitable emotion
to reveal well, how you like town,
hey? No good, l guess. You got plen-
ty trouble now. Phoebe and me, we
stick by you long as you want us to-
II know you will, John" Billy
Louise bit her lips against a sudden
impulse to tears. 1t was not Ward,
but the crude sympathy of this old
halfbreed was more to her than all
the expensive flowers that had been
stacked upon mOmmie's coffin.
She picked up the two letters she
had written Ward, brushed off the dust
and eyed them hesitatingly. 1t GER
tainly was queer that Ward had not
ridden down for some word from her
She hesitated, then threw the thin let
ter into the fire. Its message was no
longer of urgent, poignant need. Billy
Louise drew a long breath when the
grief laden lines crumbled quickly and
went flying up the wide throat of the
chimney. The other letter she pinched
between her thumbs and fingers She
smiled little to herself. Ward would
like to get that. She had a swift vision
of him standing over there by the win
dow and reading it with those swift,
shutting glances. She remembered
how she had begun it-"Brave Bucka-
roO'-and ner cheeks turned pink. He
should have it when he came. Some
thing had kept him away. He would
come just as soon as he could. She
laid the letter back upon the mantel
and set a china COW on it TO keep IL
safe there. Then she turned brightly
and began to set the table for Phoebe
and John and herself and came near
setting fourth place for Ward. she
was so sure he would come as soon a.
he could. Mommie used to saw that
If you set place for person that
person would come and eat with you
in spirit if not in reality.
Phoebe glanced at her pityingiy when
she saw her hesitating with the fourth
plate in her hands. Phoebe thought
that Billy Louise had unconsciously
brought 1t for mommie. Phoebe did
not know that love is stronger even
than grief. for at that moment Billy
Louise was not thinking of mommie
az all