The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-08
Phoebe put that letter on the mante1
over the fireplace the day after Christ

! Phoebe put that letter on the manteI
over the fireplace the day after Christ
mas.
Billy Louise refrained from expect
ing any reply until after New Years;
| then she began to look for a letter,
and when the days passed and brought
her no word her moods changed often
er than the weather.
| Wards literary efforts along about
that time consisted of cutting notches
in the window sill beside his bunk.
On the day when the stage driver
gave Billy Louise's letter to Phoebe
Ward cut deeper, wider notch, think
ing that day was Christmas. Under
the notch he scratched a word with
the point of his knife. 1t had four
letters, and it told eloquently OF the
state of mind he was in.
The letter gathered dust upon the
mantel down at the Wolverine. When
the postmark was more than two
weeks old another letter came, and
Phoebe laid it on the first one with
fingers that trembled a little. Phoebe
had letter of her own that day Both
were thin, and the addresses were more
scrawly than usual. Phoebe's Indian
instinct warned her that something
was amiss.
This was Wards letter:
oh. God, Ward, mommie's dead. She
died last night. 1 thought she was asleep
till the nurse came in at 5 o'clock I'm
all alone and l don't know what to do
wish you could come but if you don't get
this right away, I'll see you at the ranch.
I'm coming home as soon as 1 can. Oh,
Ward. hate life and everything.
BILLY LOUISE.
Please Ward, stay at the ranch till /
come. l want to see you. l feel as If
you're the only friend I've got left, now
mommie's gone. She looked - peaceful
when they took her away-and so strange.
didn't belong to her any more. 1 felt
as if l didn't know her at all-and there
is such an awful gap in my life-maybe
you'll understand. You always do.
The day that letter was written |
Ward drew a plan of the house he |
meant to build some day, with wide |
porch on the front, where a hammock |
would swing comfortably.
He had no presentiment of Billy's |
need of him, which was just as well,
since he was absolutely powerless to
help her.
Billy Louise, having arrived unex-
on the stage, pulled off her
fur lined mittens and put her chilled
hands before the swapping blaze in the
fireplace. Her eyes were tired and
sunken, and her mouth dropped pitt
fully at the corners, but aside from
that she did not seem much changed
from the girl who had left the ranch
two months and more before. +
'I'll take a cup Of tea, Phoebe, but
I'm not bit hungry" she said. 81
ite just before I left town. How have
rou been, PhoebeT'
I'VE been fine. We been so sorry |
or you {
"Never mind that now, Phoebe. I'd I
'ather not talk about it. Has anybody {
,een here lately?"
Charlie Fox, he come las week. |
nebby week before las. Marthy, she 1
'ot rheumatis in her knee. Charlie,
e say she been pretty bad one night. t
guess she's better now. l tol' | wash t
or her if he brings me clo'es, but he t
avs he wash them clo'es hisself. i Ii
uess Charlie pretty good to that old a
ldy. He's awful p'lite, that Teller is" n
Yes, he is. I'll go up and see her s
hen 1 get rested little. / feel tired W
, death somehow. Has Ward been S
round lately?" n
Ward, he amt been here for long
me. l guess mebbe it's been six
eeks l amt seen him. Las time he
as here he wrote that letter. He b
MT come no more" Il
Billy Louise in the last few months 4
i'd tried to picture herself alone. with a.
ommie gone. Her Imagination was