Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-30
firm footing on the ripened grass Of

Ut uull-Suukeu TOChs lucy HUI uOue
something new, those two; they hat
reached a place where neither had evel
been before, and Blue acted as If hi
knew 1t and gloried in the escapadt
quite as much as did his lady.
The cattle spied them and went trot
ting away up the river, and Blue quick
ened his stride little and followed
after. Billy Louise left the reins upor
his neck. Blue could handle cattle
alone quite as skillfully as with 6
rider, if he chose.
The cattle began to swerve away
from them, closer to the river. Blue
pulled ahead little, swerving also,
and as Billy Louise frightened the
reins, he slowed and circled them craft
lily until they huddled on the. steep
bank, uncertain which way to 60. Billy
Louise pulled Blue down to walk as
she drew near and eyed the cattle
sharply. They did not look like any of
hers, after all. There were five dry
COWS and two steers.
One Of the steers stood brOadside
to Billy Louise. The brand stared out
from his dingy red side, the most con-
spicuous thing about him. Billy Lou
Use caught her breath. There was no
faintest line that failed to drive its
message into her range-trained brain.
She stared and stared. Blue looked
around at her inquiringly, reproach-
fully. Billy Louise sent him slowly
forward and stirred up the hoddled
little bunch. She read the brand on
each one; read the story they shouted
at her, Of bungling theft. .
Finally she swung Blue on the down.
stream side and shouted the range
cattle cry. The animals turned awk-
wardly and went upstream. as they
had been going before Billy Louise
stopped them. Blue followed watch
fully after, content with the game he
was playing. Where the bluffs drew
close again to the river, the cattle
climbed to- a narrow, shelving trail
picking their way carefully along the
bluff. Below them 1t fell sheer to the
river; above them it rose steeply. q
blackened tumble, save where the snow
Of the last storm lay drifted.
Billy Louise had never known there
was a trail up this gorge. She eyed II
critically and saw where boulders had
been moved here and there to make
its passage possible. Her lips were
set close together and they still bore
the imprint of her contempt.
She thought of Ward. Mentally she
abased herself before him because OF
her doubts. How she had dared think
him a theft Her brave buckaroo
And she had dared think he would
steal cattlel Her very remorse was
a whip to lash her anger against the
guilty. She hurried the cattle along
the dangerous trail, impatient Of their
cautious pace.
J Since she had closed up on the
cattle and had read on their sides the
shameful story Of theft, Billy Louise
had known that she would eventually
come out at the lower end Of the Cove
and that in spite Of the fact that the
Cove was not supposed to have any
egress save through the gorge. VIVA,
surprised her was the short distance
she had not realized that the bluff
and the upland formed wide curve
and that she had cut the distance al
most in half by riding next the river
She seemed in no doubt as to what
she would do when she arrived. Billy
Louise was not much given to indie
cision at any time. She drove the
cattle into the corral farthest from the
house, rode, on to the stable, and
stopped Blue with his nose against the
fence there and with his reins drag
cling. Then, tight-lipped still, she
walked determinedly along the path t
the gate that led through the berry
jungle to the cabin.
She opened the gate and stepped
through, closing 1t after her. She hat
not gone twenty feet when there was
a rush from the nearest thicket, ant
Surbus, his hair ruffed out along his
neck, growled and made leap at hel
with barred fangs.
Billy Louise had forgotten about
Surbus. She jumped back, startled
and the dog missed landing. Wher
he sprang again he met .30-calibel
bullet from Billy Louise's gun anG
dropped back. It had been a snap shot
without any particular aiming; Billy
Louise retreated a few steps farther
watching the dog susplciously. HI
gathered himself slowly and prepared
to spring at her again. This time Billy
Louise, being on the watch for such {
move, aimed carefully before she fired
Surbus dropped again, limply-a goot
dog forever more.
Billy Louise heard shrill whistle
and the sound Of feet running. Sht
waited, gun in hand, ready for what
ever might come.
"Hey! Charlie! Somebody's come
the bell, she don't reeng." Petel
Howling Dog, pistol in his hand
came running down the path from TIL
cabin. He saw Billy Louise and stopped
abruptly, his mouth half open.
From a shed near the stable came
Charlie, also running. Billy Louise
waited beside the gate. He did mo-
see her until he was close, for tan
gled gooseberry bush stood between
t:sm. 10y
Us II " s.tsl rs = y IT.