The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-02-16

you been educating your musical taste
In the last week, Miss William Louise7"
Ward stopped his horse before her and
with his hands still clasped over the
saddle horn looked down at her with
that hidden ~smile-and something else.
mo, / haven't. / don't have to edu-
cate myself to the point where / know
the Chisholm Trail isn't a proper kind
of funeral hymn, Ward Warren" Billy
Louise glanced over her shoulder and
lowered her voice instinctively, as we
all do when death has come close and
stopped. "Jase died last night; that's
his grave up there. Isn't it perfectly
pitiful? Poor old Marthy was here all
solitary alone with him. Awkward,
she dug that grave her ownself and
took him up and buried him And,
Ward, she-she wheeled him up in the
-wheelbarrowl She had to, of course
She couldn't carry him. But isn't 1t
awfulT" Her hands were up, patting
and smoothing the neck of his horse,
and her face was bent to hide the tears
that stood In her eyes and the culver
of her mouth.
Several minutes they stood there
talking, while Billy Louise patted the
horse absently, and Ward looked down
at her and did not miss one little light
or shadow in her face.
"You saw mommie, of course. You
came from homer"
mo, / did not. / got as far as the
creek and saw Blues tracks coming
down, so / just sort of trailed along,
seeing it was mommie's daughter / felt
most like talking to-"
"Mommie's daughter" laughed a lit
tie and instinctively made a change in
the subject.
1--we got to go in and wash the
Dishes" she said, stepping back from
him. "Of course nothing was done in
the cabin, and I've been doing a little
housekeeping. l guess the dishwater
is hot by this time-if it hasn't all
boiled away"
Ward, as a matter of course. tied his
horse to the fence and went into the
cabin with her. He also asked her to
stake him to a dish towel, which she
did after a good deal Of rummaging.
He stood with his hat on the back Of
his head, a cigarette between his lips,
and wiped the dishes with much APP
parent enjoyment. He objected strong
ly TO Billy Louise's assertion that she
meant to scrub the floor, but when he
found her quite obdurate he changed
his method without in the least degree
yielding his point, though for diplomat
ic reasons he appeared to yield.
He carried water from the creek and
filled the teakettle, the big iron pot and
both pals. Then, when Billy Louise
had turned her back upon him while
she looked in a dark corner for the
mop, he suddenly seized her under the
arms and lifted her upon the table, and
before she had finished her astonished
gaspings he caught up a pail of water
and sloshed it upon the floor under her.
Then he grinned in his triumph.
Billy Louise gave a squeal Of conster-
nation and then sat absolutely still,
staring round eyed through the door
way. Ward stepped back-eyen his
composure was slightly jarred-and
twisted his lips amusedly.
Hello" he said after a few blank
seconds. you missed some of it, didn't
your" His tone was mildly commiser-
ating. "Will you come in?"
Moo, thank you, l don't believe l
will" The speaker looked in, however,
saw Billy Louise perched upon the ia
BILE and took off his hat. He was well
%plastered with dirty water that ran
down and left streaks of mud behind.
II must have got off the road" be said.
I'm looking for Jason Meilke's ranch"
Billy Louise tucked her feet farther
under her skirts and continued to stare
dumbly. Ward, glancing at her from
the corner of his eyes, stepped consid-
bWTFTTT- -T-WTT TmT Z