New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-04-26

"Iim-mm," Rumors had reached
Srabeck, thanks to Billy Louise
dropped Iashes upon II certain occa
sion, which caused him to believe HI
saw further light.
"And if you're going to be horrld-
"Will the-lady he wants Ito MARI!
give him another chanceT"
Don't you think she ought to-
She l-loves him?" Billy Louise studied
the skyline upon the side farthes'
from Seabeck.
you say he wants to pay for the
cattle and"
Hell do anything he can to make
amends" said Billy Louise, with con
viction. Hell take his medicine and
go to Jail If you insist" she added sor
rowfully. at will ruin his whole life
of course, and break II couple of WON
ems hearts, but"
"It's "A bad thing, n mighty bad
thing. when II maj tries to get ahead
too fast"
ITS II good thing when he learns
the lesson without having to pay for II
with his whole future" Billy Louise
amended the statement.
Senheck smiled Il r'tle behind his
fingers that kept Juggling AT his wills
kers.
did Charlie Fox send Miss Por-
tia"
"IIc doesn't know l had any inten-
ti,n ,f ,,,,inr, DILL. I n,ira n-EiraI
him quickly and with perfect truth.
"TApym both be awfuIly surprised
when they find it out"-which was also
perfectly true-"and when they see
you ride up, they'll think you've got
the sheriff ut your back. ! haven't Il
doubt they"
"There are n few points I'd like
to clear up, If you can help me-" Sea-
beck interrupted. "All this rustling
that has been going on for the past
year and a half: are Fox and the
Meilke woman mixed up in that? |
want" he said, "tO help the young
mainland her. But If they have been
operating on large scale, I'm
afraid"
81 believe Charlie must have been
influenced in some ways by bad ac-
quaintances,' Billy Louise answered
more steadily than she felt. "But his
-rustling-has been of a petty kind.
| won't apologize for him. Mr.. Seabeck.
l think It's perfectly awful, what he
has done. But ! think it would be
more awful still not to give him a
chance. The other rustling Is some
outside gang, I'm sure. If Charlie
was mixed up with them, it's very
slightly-iust enough to damn him ut
lie isn't n natural criminal. He's just
weak. And he's learned his lesson.
It's up to you, Mr.. Seabeck, to say
whether he shall have Il chance to
profit by the lesson. And there's poor
old Marthy In 1t, too. She just wOr-
ships Charlie and would do anything
even steal for him."
Seabeck meditated for n while, and
Billy Louise watched him ~uneasily
from the tail OF her eye. To tell the
plain truth. she was in a panic Of fear
at what she had done.
Last night, when she lay curled up
by the stove under Wards wolf-skin
coat, this seemed the only possible
way out To tell Seabeck and trust to
his kindness and generosity to refrain
from pushing the case. To have Char
lie Fox give back what he had stolen
or pay for it-anything that would sat
isfy Seabeck's n of Justlce-and
let him start honestly. She had
thought that Seabeck would be merci-
full, If she told him In the right way;
but now, when she stole a glance at
his bent, brOoding face, she was fright.
ened. He did not look merciful, but
and angry. She remembered
then that stealing cattle is the one
crime a cattleman finds 1t hard to for
give.
Billy Louise might have spared her
self some mental anguish II she could
have known that Seabeck was brood |
ing over the wonder Of a wOman's love
hat pardons and cOndOnes a mans
sins.
I'm glad you came and told me
his" he said at last. "Very glad, in
Iced, Miss Macdonald. Certain steps
been taken lately to push this
wipe out this rustllng and general law
essness. and If you had not told me,
I'm afraid the mills of justice would
ground yOur-friends. OF course
he law would be merciful 10 Mrs.
No jury would send an old
woman like that BY the way, that
freed they have had working for
hem-he is in on the deal, too, I take
t."
"Yes, Of course. They had to have
TO help. Marthy can't do any
"Hm-mm-do you know, Miss Mac
Donald. whether there was my init
macy between-yOur friends-and the
nan we had for stock inspector, Mr..
"I-can't say as to that" Billy Lou
Sc, you see, did not know much about
but the little she did know
made her hedge.
There's a queer story about Olney.
'ou know he has left the country,
ont you? II seems he rode very hur-
iedly up to the depot at Wilmer to
axe the train. Just as he stepped on,
fellow who knew him by sight no.
iced a piece of paper pinned on the
ack Of his coat. He jerked 1t loose.
tent for a man to be wearing on his
ack." Seabeck pulled at his whis-
ers. but it was not pulling which
uirked the of his lips. 1.-THE
ian said Olney seemed greatly upset