The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-01-25

tue gorge, tWltCnlng an ear backward |
with hattering attention whenever his |
lady spoke. The horse went on, calm |
ly stepping over this rock and around |
that as If 1t were the simplest thing In |
the world to find sure footing and car
ry his lady smoothly up that trail. He
threw up his head so suddenly that
Billy Louise WAS startled out of her
ai'nless dreamings and pointed nose
aid ears toward the little creek bot
tom above. where Marthy had lighted
her campfire long and long ago.
A few steps farther and Blue stop
ped short In the trail to look and lis
ten. Billy Louise COLD see the nery-
Gus twitchings of his muscles under
the skin Of neck and shoulders and she
smiled to herself. Nothing could ever
come upon her unaware when she rode
alone SO long as she rode Blue. A
hunting dog was not more keenly alive
to his surroundings
go on, Blue" she commanded after
a minute III it's bear or anything
like that you can make a run for it;
IL It's wolf I'll shoot it. You needn't
stand here all night, anyway"
Blue went on, out from behind the
willow growth that hid the open. He
returned to his calm, picking smooth
trail through the scattered rocks and
tiny washouts. 1t was the girls turn
to stare and speculate. She did not
know this horseman who sat negligent
ly in the saddle and looked up at the
cedar grown blur beyond while his
horse stood knee deep in the little
stream. She did not know him, and
there were not so many travellers In
the land that strangers were a matter
of indifference.
Blue welcomed the horse with a dem
ocratic nicker and went forward brisk
ly. And the rider turned his head.
eyed the girl sharply as she came up
and nodded cursory greeting. His
horse lifted its head to look, decided
that 1t wanted another swallow or two
and lowered It's muzzle again to the
water.
Billy Louise could not form any opin-
lon Of the mans age or personality for
he was encased In 4 wolfskin coat
which covered him completely from
hat brim to ankles. She got an impress
sion OF thin, dark face and a sharp
glance from eyes that seemed dark
also. There was thin, high nose, and
beyond that Billy Louise did not look
II abe had the mouth must certainly
have treasured her somewhat.
Blue stepped nonchalantly down into
the stream beside the strange horse
and went across without stopping to
drink. The strange horse moved on
also, ~ II that were the natural thing
to do-which 1t was, since chance sent
them travelling the same trail Billy
Louise set her teeth together with the
queer little vicious click that had al
ways been her habit when she felt
thwarted and constrained to yield to
circumstances and Strengthened herself
in the saddle.
Looks like 4 storm" the fur coated
one observed, with a perfectly trans
parent attempt to tighten the awk-
wardness.
Billy Louise tilted her chin upward
and gazed at the gray sweep OF clouds
moving sullenly toward the mountains
at her back. She glanced at the man
and caught him looking intently at her
face.
He did not look away Immediately,
as he should have done, and Billy Lou
ise felt little heat wave Of embar-
rassment, emphasized by resentment.
Are you going far?" he queried in
the same tone he had employed before
six miles, she answered shortly,
though she tried to be decently civil.
1--WE about eighteen" he said.
Looks like Wen both get caught out
In q blizzard"
Certainly he had a pleasant enough
voice, and, after all, It was not his
fault that he happened to be at the
crossing when she rode out of the
gorge Billy Louise, In common Jus
tice, laid aside her resentment and
looked at him with a hint Of a smile
at the corners Of her lips.
THAT'S what we have to expect when
we travel In this country in the win
ter" she replied. Eighteen miles will
take you long after dark"
well, / was sort Of figuring on put
tAu8 uP ~ boIut IhutH IL ROL 100 Q60
There's a ranch somewhere ahead on
the Wolverine, isn't there7"
Yes" Billy Louise bit her lip, but
hospitality is an unwritten law of the
West, law not to be lightly broken.
THAT'S where I live. Wen be glad to
have you stop there OF course"
The stranger must have felt and ad-
mired the unconscious dignity of her
tone and words, for he thanked her
simply and RETAINED from looking too
intently at her face.
Fine siftings of snow, like meal flung
down from gigantic sieve, swept into
their faces as they rode on. The man
turned his face toward her after a long
silence. She was riding with bowed
head and face half turned from him
and the wind alike.
You'd better ride on ahead and get
In. out OF this" he said CURLY. Your
horse is fresh. It's going to be worse
and more of II before long. This
csyuse OF mine has had thirty miles
OK 80 of rough going"
II think I'd better walt for you" she