The Arizona copper camp. [volume] (Ray, Ariz.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-09

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Her Voice stung With the Contempt
She Put Into u.
didn't you let Peter do 1t, or Marthy?
You could have done better job than
that, couldn't you, MarthyY
Poor old Marthy, with her rheumatic
knees and a gray hardness in her
leathery face, had come down the path
and stood squarely before Billy Lou
Use, her hands knuckling her fiabby
hips, her hair blowing in gray, stray
Cling wisps about her bullet head.
Better than what2 Come in, Billy
Louise. I'm right glad to see We back
and lookin' so well, even If yuh do
How's yer maw?"
Billy Louise gasped and went white.
'tMommie's dead" she said. "She died
the ninth" She drew another gasping
breath, pulled herself together and
went on before the others could begin
the set speeches Of sympathy which
the announcement seemed to demand.
"Never mind about that, now. I'm
talking about those Seabeck cattle you
folks stole. was telling Charlie how
horribly careless he is, Marthy. Did
you know he let them drift down the
river? And blind man could tell
mile off the brands have been worked !"
Billy Louise's tone was positively ven
omous in it's contempt. "Why didn't
you make Charlie practice on cow
hide for while frst?'' she asked Mar
thy cuttingly.
Marthy ignored the sarcasm. Per-
haps it did not penetrate her stolid
mind at all. Charlie never worked
any brands, Billy Louise" she stated
with her glum directness.
"Oh, I beg his pardon, I'm surei
Did you?''
.sNo I never done such a thing, nei-
ther. don't know what you're talkin'
about
''Well, who did, then?" Billy Louise
faced the old woman pitilessly.
II d'no." Marthy lifted her hand and
made futile effort to tuck in few Of
the longest wisps of hair.
'Well, of all the" The stern gray
eyes of Billy Louise flew wide open at
the effrontery of the words. If they
expected her to believe thatl
That's it, Miss Louise. That's the
point we'd like to settle, ourselves. I
know 1t sounds outrageous, but it's a
fact. Peter and found those cattle
up in the hills, with our brand worked
over the v. On my word of honor, not
one of us knows who did it."
but you've got them down here"
swell" Charlie threw out hand
helplessly. His eyes met hers with ap-
| pealing frankness. eve couldn't rub
out the brands; what else could we
do? / figured that somebody else
would see them if we left them out in
the hills, and it might be rather hard
to convince a man; you see, we can't
even convince you! But, so help me,
not one of us branded those cattle,
Miss Louise. believe that whoever
has been rustling stock around here
deliberately tried to fix evidence
against us. I'm stranger in the coun-
try, and I don't know the game very
well; I'm an easy mark"
eyes, you're that, all right enough -
Billy Louise spoke with blunt disfavor,
bat her contemptQous certainty Of his
guilt was plainly wavering. "To go
and bring stolen cattle right down
| here"
ut seemed to me they'd be safer here
than anywhere else," Charlie observed
naively. Nobody ever comes down
here, unknown to us. I had it sized up
that the fellow who worked those
brands would never dream we'd bring
the stock right into the Cove. Why,
Miss Louise, even would know better
than to put our brand on top Of Sea-
beck's and expect it to pass inspection.
If wanted to steal cattle, wouldn't
go at it that way!"
Billy Louise glanced uncertainty at
him and then at Marthy, facing her
grimly. She did not know what to
think, and she showed it.
"How do you mean-the real rus
tiers" she began hesitatingly; and
hesitation was not by any means a
mental habit with Billy Louise.
II mean just what I said" Char
lies manner was becoming more nat
nral, more confident "Tve been rid
ing through the hills good deal, and
I've seen few things. And I've an
idea the fellow got a little uneasy"
He saw her vince little at the word
fellow" and he went on, with an
Impulsive burst of confidence: Miss
Louise, have you ever, in your riding
around up above Jones canyon, in all
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