American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-05-17

knOwed what he was. l let MN go
ahead, an / set IN the house with a
white apurn tied on me an Thought l
was havin' an easy time. / set here
and let him rob my nelghbors that
amt never harmed or cheated out or
a cent. and sOOn's he thought he was
found out. he-left ole Marthy TO look
after herself. Never so much as fed
the hogs or done the milkin' first
Looky here, Senbeckl You'll Kit paid
back. an III take your hggers fer what
1 owe. but II you git after Charlie,
Tll-kill yuh. You let I'm go. I'm the
one he hurt most-and ! Amt goin'-"
She laid her frowsy old head on her
arms, like one who Is utterly crushed
and dumb.
ooh, Marthyr" Billy Louise knelt
and threw her arms around Marthy's
shoulders.
Marthy's chin began TO culver. Her
lips sagged with the pull OF her aching
heart. For the third time In her life
Billy Louise saw big. slow tears gather
IN Marthy's hard blue eyes and slide
down the leathery seams In her cheeks.
Billy Louise looked, found her vision
blurrlng with her own tears, and
turned from the room.
seabeck was gone somewhere on his
horse. Billy Louise guessed shrewdly
that he was down In the meadows,
looking over the cattle and trying to
estimate the extent OF the thlevery.
She put Blue In the stable and fed
him. with that half-mechanical habit
OF attending to the needs OF ones
mount which becomes second nature to
the range bred. She would not go on
20 the Wolverine; that needed no de-
clsion she accepted II at once as a
fact. Marthy needed her now more
than nyone More even than Ward,
though Billy Louise hated to think
Of him there alone and practically
helpless. But Marthy must have her
tonight. Marthy was facing her bit
terest sorrow since Minervey died, and
Mnrthy was old. Ward, Billy Louise
reminded herself sternly. was not old.
and he was facing happiness-sO far
~ he or anyone knew. She wanted
very much 20 be with Ward, hut she
could not delude her conscience int
believing that he needed her more
than did Marthy.
Seabeck returned after n while, ant
Billy Louise, who was watching from
the doorway, met him at the little gate
as he was coming up to the house
"well. how bad Is II, Mr.. SeabeckT
she asked sharply. just because sh'
felt the imperative need OF facts-sh'
who had struggled so long In the quick
sands OF suspicion and doubts ant
I fears and suspense.
"Hmmm-mm-how bad Is tin thu
house3n he cOuntered. 1.-THE real Grim,
has been committed there. II seems 4
! me. A few head OF cattle, more or less
don't count for much against the bro
ken heart OF an old woman"
"Ohl~ Billy Louise, her hand
clenched upon the gate. stared n
wide-eyed into his face. And this wa
. the real Seabeck. whom she had know
J. impersonnlly all her life This wa
the real man OF him. whom she ha'
never known II fawless diamond OF
a / Soul UNlllu liiNnf UiAknA Ahf Nltn AA
that pointed. graylng beard poet, phi.
losopher, gentleman TO the bone. "Oh
You saw that. too And they're you
cattle that were stolen You say It
Oh. you're-you're-"
"Hmm-mm-a human being, | hope
Miss Macdonald, as well as a mer
> cattleman."
Mnrthy did not attempt tn rise whe
!, Seaheck followed BILLY Louise into IN
/. sitting room. She caught up her apro
J, and wiped her eyes. After that st
- faced Seabeck with harsh composuT
aud waited for the settlement.
"Hmm-mml l have been lookiu
A.. over the cattle" he began, sitting O
e, the edge OF a chair and turning h
black hat absently round and round
. the brim. "YOu-mm-mm-you &C.
y, sme there were seven head Of grow
stock"
d. "rhat they shot and throwed in Il
river. with the brands cut out" Int
polated Marthy stolidly. 81 heard 'eI
" say thnts how they would Kit rid
~ 'em. an l heard EN- shootin' dow
there"
=, "Hmm-mm-yesi DO you know ju.
~ what"
y give dry cows N two steers-lor
"A ~two-ycar-oles, l lodged 'em to be
Marthy was certainly prompt enoul
=, and explicit enough. And her lips wei
"a grim. and her faded blue eyes haI
- and steady upon the face OF Seabec
" "Hmm-mm-yesi | find also"
went on In his somewhat precise vote
that had earned him the nickname
deacon" among his punchers, 9TH
IN there are more young stock vented m
r~cbrandcd than l. sold yol
nephew. Fourteen head, 10 be EXIT
With the cattle YOU tell me while
were-mm-m-disposed OF last nigi
y, that would make twcnty-one head
stock FOR which-mm-mm-I take