The Monticellonian., 1918-03-08


 see them in mans corral. with his brand on them-I believe that's the way it's done out here-and even then"
 Where have you looked 2" There were reasons why this particular sub ject was painful to Billy Louise And are you sure they didn't get out of that pasture and wander on down the Cove among all those willows? It's a perfect jungle away down. Are you sure they aren't with the rest of the cattle? I don't see how they could leave the Cove unless they were driv- en out"
 Yes, l thought of that-strange as it may seem." Charities voice was unof- tended. On the contrary. he seemed glad that she took so keen an interest ill his affairs. Tt has been a week. you know, since they flew the coop. did hunt every foot of that Cove twice over l drove every hoof of stock up and cOrfaled them and made sure these four were not in the herd. Then hunted through every inch of that will lOA JdASlG dll1A all dIOlIA lne blul dHd the river Miss Louise, l put in three days at 1t, from sunrise till it was too dark to see Then I began riding out side. There isn't trace of them any where. l had just bought them from Seabeck, you know. I drove them home, and because they were tired, and so was l, l just left them in that .Is T gorge l hadn't branded them yet. l. 1 know I've made an awful botch of the thing, Miss Lonise," he confessed, turning toward her with an honest dis tress and a self-flaying humility in his eyes that wiped from Billy Louise's mind any ineipient tendency toward contempt. But you see I'm green at this ranch game. And 1 never dreamed those calves weren't perfectly safe in there. The fence was new and strong, and the bars are absolutely bars to any stock larger than rabbit.
 T hate to bother you with this. and I don't want you to think I have come whining for sympathy" he said after a minute of moody silence But, see ing they were not branded yet-with our brandt thought perhaps you had run across them and paid no attention, thinking they belonged to Seabeck."
 Billy Louise smiled a little to herself. If he had not been quite so green at the ranch game" he would have men toned brands at first as the most i'm portant point instead of tacking on the information casually after ten minutes of other less vital details
 Were they vented?" she asked. SUD- pressing the smile so that it was mere ly twitch of the lips which might mean anything.
 "I-yes, l think they were That's what you call it when the former own CT puts his brand in a different place to show that his ownership has ceased isn't it? Seabeck puts his brand up- side down
 Il know Seabecks vent.' Billy Louise cut in. There was no need of letting such fine fellow display more ig- norance on the subject And l should have noticed it if I had seen four calves vented fresh and not rebranded Why in the world didn't you stick your brand on at the same time?" Billy Louise was losing patience with his greenness.
 Il didn't have my branding iron with me-, Charlie answered humbly. 1T have done that before when I bought those other cows and calves. I-'
 You'd better pack your iron next time,' she retorted If you can't get a little bunch of calves ten miles with out losing them"
 But you must understand I did. took them home and turned them into the Cove. l know-Tm an awful chump at this"
 The calves may not be absolutely lost, you know. Why, I lost a big steer last spring and never found him till l was going to sell a few head. Then he turned up the biggest and fat test one in the bunch. You can't tell. They get themselves in queer places sometimes. I'll come over tomorrow If can and take look at that pasture and all around. And I'll keep a good lookout for the calves"
 Many men would have objected to the unconscious patronage of her tone. That Charlie Fox did not, but accept ed the spirit of helpfulness in her words, lifted him out of the small na- tured class.
 Its awfully good of you" he said. You know lot more about the bovine nature than do. for all l put in every spare minute studying the subject I'm taking four different stock journals now, Miss Louise I'll bet I know a lot more about the different strains of va rious breeds than you do, Miss Cattle Queen. But I'm beginning to see that We only know what we learn by ex- perience. I've a new book on the sub ject of heredity of the cattle. I'm go- ing home and see if Seabeck hasn't stumbled upon strain that can be traced back to your native mountain sheep"
 Billy Louise laughed and said good by and stood leaning over the gate watching him as he zigzagged up the hill, stopping his horse often to breathe. She began to wonder, then, about those calves. Vented and not rebranded. they would be easy game for any man who first got his own brand on them. She meant to get description of them when she saw Charlie again-it was like his innocence to forget the most essential details-and she meant to keep her eyes open. If Charlie were