Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-02-22

opportunity for argument. He was too
awkward with his crutches to keep up
with her, and she managed to be on
the move most of the time.
When she had helped Ward upon
Blue-and that was not easy, either,
considering that he only had one leg
fit to stand on-and had gone to the
cabin for her bag of nuggets and
Wards roll of money which he had for
gotten, and had exhausted every other
excuse for delay, she picked up Rat
tiers reins and wound her fingers In
his name, and took hold of the stirrup
as nonchalantly as If she were mount
ing Blue.
snow we're all right and comfy" she
announced breathlessly, when the first
fight was over and Rather, like his
master, had yielded to the inevitable.
"And we know who's boss, and we're
all of US squindieiously happy, because
we're headed for home. Aren't we,
~buckaroo?"
IT suppose so," Ward mumbled
doubtingly, for a moment cycling her
sidelong.
sand say, ~buckaroo!" Billy Louise
refined close, so that she could reach
out and pinch his arm a little bit.
"Soon as your leg is all well, and you're
every speck over the hookin'-cough,
why-you can be the bossl"
"Can II"
Honest, you car. Pve"-Billy Lou
Use had the grace to blush a little
i've always thought I'd love to have
somebody bully me and boss me and
'buse me. And +" Her lips twitched
a little 81 think you can qualify"
They came to the gate, and Billy
Louise freed her hand from his clasp
and ~dismounted, since it was a wire
gate and could not be opened on horse
back. She closed 1t after him, looked
to her cinch, frightened it a little, pat
ted Rather on the neck, caught the
horn with one hand and the stirrup
with the other, and went up quite like
a man, while Ward watched her In
tently.
"'In sooth, l know not why you are
so sa-ad," murmured Billy Louise,
when she swung alongside in the trail.
Ward caught her hand again and did
not let go so they rode hand in hand
down the narrow valley.
81 was wondering" he hesitated,
drawing in a corner of his lip, biting
1t, and letting it go. "Wilhemina, if
old Lady Fortune takes a notion to
give me another kick or two, just when
life looks so good to me-"
"Why, We'll kick back just as hard
as she does" threatened Billy Louise
c~ourageously. "Don't let happiness get
on your nerves, Ward"
"If I wasn't crippled, it wouldn't.
But when a mans down and out, he
thinks q lot. The last three days, I've
lived a whole lifetime, lady-girl. Every
thing seems to be coming my way, all
at once. And I'm afraid; what If !
can't make 5000 L ] can't make yen
happy"-he squeezed her fingers so
that Billy Louise had to grit her teeth
to- keep from in~terrupting him-"or if
anything should happen to you-Lord p
you've got nerves, buckaroo. You've
been shut up there alone so long you
see things all distorted. We're going
to be happy, because We'll be together,
and we've so much to do and so much
to think of. You must realize, Ward,
that we've got three places to take care
of, and you and me and poor old Mar
thy. She hasn't anybody, Ward, but
II @ Ard chotc ohonnod cO-00f 81 old
just In the last few days. I never
knew a person could change so much
in such q little while. She's just let go
all holds and kind of sagged down,
mentally and physically. Well have to
take care of her, Ward, as long as she
lives. That's why I'm taking you there
so we can look after her. She won't
leave the Cove. II was hoping" she
added shyly, that we could sit in
front Of our own fireplace, Ward, and
nave nice coy evenings; but-well,
there always seems to be something
for me to do for somebody, Ward"
"Oh, you Wilhemina !" Ward slipped
his arm around her, to the disgust of
Rather and Blue, and made shift to
kiss her twice. Long as you live,
you'll always be doing something for
somebody that's the way you're made.
And nobody's been doing things for
you but if the Lord lets me live, that's
going to be my job from now on"
He said a great deal more, of
course. They had nearly fifteen miles
to go, and they rode at a walk and a
man and a maid can say a good deal
at such a time. But I don't think they
would like to have 1t all repeated.
Their thoughts ranged far back over
the past and far into the future, and
chung close to the miracle of love that
had brought them together. There is
one thing which Billy Louise, even In
her most. s~elf-revealing mood, did not
tell Ward, and that is her doubts of
him. Never once did he dream that
she had suspected him and wrung her