Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-02-22
CHAPTER XIV.


and Suspicions had suddenly de
seioaed into black certainty just when
she had thought them dead forever
Billy Louise rode up the narrow.
rocky gorge. She had come TO have n
vagne comprehension Of the tempta-
Moo Ward must have felt She had
come 70 accept plfyingly the possibility
that the canker of old Influences had
eaten more deeply than appeared on
the surface. She had set herself
sianchiy beside him AZ his friend. who
would help him win back his self
respect she felt sure that he must
suffer terribly with that keen. analyti.
cal miad 81 bis. when be stopped 10
think al all. lie had no warped ethics
whercwith 70 ease his conscience She
knew bis idess Of right and wrong
were ~ Incorporating a. her own
aud n be stole cattle. he did II with
his eyes Wide open 10 the wrong he
wss doing. Add yet
That's bad enough, but 20 try and
fasten evidence on someone else 4"
Billy Louise ertted her teeth over the
trrachery u H. She believed he had
done that very thing How could she
help ~ She had seen the corral and
had seen Ward ride away from Il la
The dusk 81 the evening: or she be.
ileyrd she had seen him. which was
the same thing And she knew what
lay behind him. Was HIS version OF
ne past after all tho correct one7
Might not the paragraph she had
burned been nothing more than the
TRUTH
Billy Louise fought Tor him; fought
with her stern. youthful judgment
which was 10 incorporating II takes
years OF close contact With life 70
give one a sure understanding Of hu-
ann We 1rsH and human endeayOr
Al ths 4d. when Blue would have
crossed aud taken the trail home. Billy
Louise refined him impuisiveiy the
other way. Until that Instant she had
not Intended 10 seek Ward. but once
her fingers had twifchcd the reins
against Blues neck. she dld not hest !
tate: she ana not even argue with her q
self She just glanced up NJ the sun. $
saw that Il was not yst noon~-so much
may happen Ia tive or three hours - :
and sent Blue up the bin at lope. 6
She did not know what she would
a. or whnt she would say when she
saw Ward
The two mares fed dlsplrltcdly At !,
he lowest corner Of the field. their I
hair rough With exposure 10 the win y
ter winds hnd the storms. their ribs !,
showing. With all the hay he had put :, I"
ap Ward might az least keep his !"
horses IA better shape. Rlily Louise .
censured, as she passed them by. !.
Farther along. Bllly Louise heard !,
welcoming nicker aud turned her head
Her. enme Rather. thln-hsnkeG and ;,
rourh-coafed. trottins down a shallow =,
guiiey 10 meet blue. The two horses
rfammed together whenever Ward 2
WIS AZ the Wolverine Billy Louise 4
pulled up and waited I'm Rather h
reached her. lie and Blue rubbed 4
noses aud Hue laid back bis ears and
shook his head with teeth barred, In
playful pretense u anger. Rather
kicked up HIS heels Ia disdain 81 the
hrcui aud trotted alongside them. 81
Billy Louise rode with puckered eye
'roes Ward nslghi neglect his stock. y
lut he would never neglect Rather =
Ike this And be must be az home, +
ince here was hts horse. or else
She struck Blue suddenly with her
rln. ends aud went gathering up the u
rail where the snow lay ln shaded Z.
rusty patches trimmed with dirt. Tho ,
rail- was uulraeked save by the loose .
eoes. Whore was ward1 What had +
% hlmi She looked agaiu
{ Rather There was no siga of re- =
mt saddle marks along his side no
riltsie imprinf Of The cinch under his
ely. where was wnrdf 81
Blind. unressonlnx terror illed Biliy e
cuise sac struck Hue again and rs
iunxea inio The iey creek crossing Is
ear the stabiy She stopped there
ust ionE enough 10 see how empty
% desoists q, WIS ans how shc
orscs and cattle ha4 haddled against L
= ahrifeying wall cur Of the biting
'iDds. and bow the door vas shot
"a fastened 80 that they could not We
u In. she opened Il sid looked In. old
"a shut K again Then she turned last
~ ran. white.faccd 20 the cabin. cd
gtere was ward1 what had hap hin
enrd % wardf Thief or honest man kicl
-eachsrous or true-what had hsp- rop
enet % hlm1 car
Billy Louise saw the doorstep banked alcl
yer with old. crnsted SNOW. Her NE.
cart guye jump and stopped still eac
be ssif her knees shake under her. hin
Ter face seemed 10 pinch together. the | "
esh Silaging close 10 the bones. Her Jun
hole being seemed to contract with end
BE deadly fear that Erippcd her. II bus
AS Ike that chill morning when she Z"
al crept out OF her cot and gone over Thi
, roonmlcs bed and had lifted mon- Fox
ICES hand that wus hanging down. j.. was
she came 10 herself She was rum Sea
Ing Up The creek. away from the sou
abin. Running and stumbling over thel
nckx aud grfflnr trimmed with her huw