The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-03-16


that will make a man be more than
square a bigness that will let him see
all around a thing and Judge II from
a bigger viewpoint than mere jus
tice-"
"Hm-mm-if you could trust me
enough to-"
"Tm going to. Mr.. Seabeck. I'm GO
ing to take 1t for granted you're big
ger than your own squareness. And IL
you're Motif you're just a selfish,
weak, letter-perfect, honest man, III
feel hke-thrashing you" Without a
doubt that was the Billy Of her which
spoke.
"r1l take the thrashing II you think
l iced It." he promised, looking at her
with something more than admiration.
what have you done, Miss MacDon-
aldf II 1 can help you hide the
body"
"Theref" Billy Louise dared to
wrinkle her nos at him-and / done
know which Of her did IL. II knew
you'd play up like a good sport. But
what IL II isn't a body? What if
what If you found some of your cattle
with-with a big Drum over your
brandt" She had a perfectly white
line around her mouth and nostrils
then. but she faced him sQuarely.
"Hm-mm !" Seabeck gave her a
quick. sidewise glance and pulled
thoughtfully at the grazing whispers
that pointed his chin. 81 would have
been glad to lend you money. oil help
you in any way"
Eyes, l know" Billy Louise snapped
her reins impatiently. But what
would you do about the-cattleT"
"What could l do? What would you
want me to dor I should do whatever
would help you. / would"
would you-be as ready to help
somebody else? Somebody Thought
a-lot-of2"
Seabeck evidently saw light. He
cleared his throat and spat gravely
into a bush. 81 see you don't trust me,
after all" he said.
81 do. I've got to; I mean, I'd have
TO whether / did or not. It's like this,
Mr.. Seabeck. 1t isn't the big ID brand I:
| " NOuKSt yOu hucW IL NOuiun L Dcs Out
1t isn't yours. either. Some M vas
tempted and was weak. They're sorry
now. They want to do the right thing,
and ii rests with you whether they
al do 1t. You can shut them up In
Jail If you like; you have a perfect
right to do 1t. Some men would do
that and be able to sleep after 1t. /
CunnACa nn% L ha1ta12 ~yort~a hta.or
than that. / believe you're big enough
to see that If a person goes wrong and
then sees the mistake and wants to
pull back into the straight trail, a
man-eveni the one who has been
wronged-would be committing a moral
crime to prevent 1t. To take a person
who wants to make a fresh, honest
start, and shut that person up amongst
criminals and brand him as a criminal,
seems to me a worse wrong than to
steal a few head of cattle; don't you
think so. Mr.. Seabeck?'
What Mr.. Seabeck thought did not
Immediately appear in speech. He was
pulling a little harder at his whiskers
and staring 1t the ears of his horse.
"That would depend on the person.
he said at last. "Some men are born
criminals"
"Oh, we aren't talking about that
kind of a man. Surely to goodness
you don't call Charlie Fox a born
criminal, or Marthy Meilke?'
Charlie Fox! Is that the person
you mean, who has been"
"Yes, 1t Is And he is horribly sorry,
and 20 is Marthy. and they'll pay you
for the cattle. And If you do any
thing mean about it, 1t will simply kill
poor old Marthy. You couldn't send
her to the pen, Mr.. Seabeck. Think
how she's worked there In the Cove /;
and Charlie has worked like a perfect
slave; and he was trying to get a
start so he-could-get married."
"Hm-mmi - Rumors had reached
Seabeck, thanks to Billy Louise's
dropped lashes upon a certain occa-
sion, which caused him to believe he
saw further light.
"And If you're going to be horrid-"
"Wm the-lady he wants to marry
give him another chance?"
DOu l fOu llluh ShC Ou6ht w
she l-loves him?" Billy Louise studied
the skyline upon the side farthest
from Seabeck.
"You say he rants 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 a couple of wom-
ems hearts, but"
"It's a bad thing, a mighty bad
thing, when a man tries TO get ahead
too fast"
"It's a good thing when he learns
the lesson without having to pay for IL
with his whole future" Billy Louise
amended the statement.