The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-03-19

even steal for him."
Seabeck meditated for a while, and
Billy Louise watched him uneasily
from the tail of her eye. To tell the
plain truth, she was In a panic of fear
at what she had done.
Last night, when she lay curled up
by the stove under Wards wolf-skin
coat, this seemed the only possible
way out: To tell Seabeck and trust to
his kindness and generosity to refrain
from pushing the case. To have Char
lie Fox give back what he had stolen
or pay for it-anything that would sat
Isfy Seabeck's sense of justice-and
let him start honestly. She had
thought that Seabeck would be merci-
full, II she told him in the right way
but now, when she stole a glance at
his bent. brooding face, she was fright
ened. He did not look merciful, but
stern and angry. She remembered
then that stealing cattle is the n
crime a cattleman finds 1t hard to for
give.
Billy Louise might have spared her
self some mental anguish IL she could
have known that Seabeck was brood
ing over the wonder of a woman's love
that pardons and condones a mans
sins.
I'm glad you came and told me
this" he said at last. every glad, in
deed, Miss Macdonald. Certain steps
have been taken lately to push this
wipe out this rustling and general law
lessness, and If you had not told me.
I'm afraid the mills of justice would
have ground your-friends. OF course
the law would be merciful to Mrs.
Meilke. No jury would send al old
woman like that BY the way. that
breed they have had working for
them-he is In on the deal, too, / take
It,"
Eyes, of course. They had to have
someone to help. Marthy can't do any
riding"
"Hm-mm-do you know, Miss Mac
Donald, whether there was any init
macy between-your friends-and the
man we had for stock Inspector, Mr..
Olney7"
"I-can't say as to that" Billy Lou
Use, you see, did not know much about
details. but the little she did know
made her hedge.
There's a queer story about Olney.
You know he has left the country,
don't your 1t seems he rode very hur-
riedly up to the depot at Wilmer to
take the train. Just as he stepped on,
a fellow who knew him by sight no.
ticed a piece of paper pinned on the
back Of his Dat He ierked it loose.
1t was a-m-m-very peculiar docu-
ment for a man to be wearing on his
back" Seabeck pulled at his whis-
kers, but Ii was not pulling which
quirked the corners of his lips. '"The
man said Olney seemed greatly upset
over something and had evidently for
gotten the paper until he felt 1t being
pulled loose. He said Olney looked
back then, and he was the color of a
pork-rlnd. The train was pulling out.
The man took the paper over to a
saloon and let several others read 1t.
They-mm-mm-decided that 1t should
be placed In the hands of the authori-
ties. MISREPRESENTATION ever
mentioned the matter to your"
mo-" said Billy Louise, and her eyes
were wide.
"Hm-mml We must discover, If we
can, Miss Macdonald, whether they
r In any way implicated with this
man Olney. 1 believe that this is at
present more important than the re-
covery of any-m-m-cattle of mine
which they may have appropriated"
Billy Louise looked at him for a min
ute. "Mr. Seabeck, you're awfully dear
about thisl" she told him. 81 haven't
been as square is you and I've been
Listen here, Mr.. Seabeck / don't love
Charlie Fox a bit. / love somebody
else. and I'm going to marry him. He's
so square, I'd hate 10 have him think
/ ever let you believe something that
wasn't true. It's Marthy I'm thinking
of, Mr.. Seabeck. l was afraid you
wouldn't let Charlie off just for her
sake, but | thought maybe If you just
thought WANTED you TO do 1t for
mine, why, maybe-with two women to
be sorry for, you'd be kind Of"
"Hm-mm :" Seabeck sent her a keen,
blue, twinkling glance that made Billy
Louise turn hot all over with shame
and penitence. "Hm-mm !" he said
again-if one can call that a saying
and pulled at his grazing whiskers.
"Hm-mmm !"