The Dolores star., 1918-02-15
CHAPTER W-censinssd.

CHAPTER vl-centinusd.
-"
Tell John to saddle mp and 60 for
she doctor. Phoebe. and don't let NOM
Hie know whatever you do. This isn't
her lumbago at all don't know what
it u. ! wonder II Q hot turpentine
cloth wouldn't be better than this? I've
q good mind to try It; her eyes are
glassy with fever and her skin In cold
a. . ash. You tell John to hurry up.
He can ride Boxer. Tell him I want
him to get doctor here BY tomorrow
noon II he has to kill his horse do
ing Il"
That night took its toll of Billy
louise and left scared place in her
memory. It was Q night Of swapping
fire In the cook stove that hot water
might be always ready; Of 'tireless
struggle with the pain that came and
tortured, retired sullenly from Billy
Louiss's stubborn fighting with poul-
ticss and turpentine cloths and every
homely remedy she had ever heard OF,
and came again Just when she thought
she had won the fight.
There vas NO time to give thought to
ths trouble that had ridden home with
her. though its presence was like q
black shadow behind her while she
worked and went to and fro between
bedroom and kitchen and fought that
tsaring pain.
She met the dawn hollow eyed and
% tired she could mot worry very much
about anything. Her mother slept I'M
easily to prove that the battle had mot
gone altogether against tie girl who
bad fought the night through. She had
her reward In full measure when the
doctor came, In the heat Of noon, and
after terrible minutes Of suspense for
Billy Louise while he counted pulse
and took temperature and studied
symptoms, told her that she had done
well and that she and her homely poul-
tees had held back tragedy from that
house.
BILLY Louise lay down upon the couch
out On the back porch and slept heav-
ny for three hours, while Phoebe and
tie doctor watched over her mother.
She woke with start. She had been
dreaming, and the dream had taken
from her cheeks what little color her
night vigil had left. She had dreamed
that Ward was in danger, that men
were hunting him for what he had done
ct that corral. The corral seemed the
center Of fight between Ward and the
men. She dreamed that he came to
her and that she must hide him away
and save him. But though she took
him to q cave, which was secret enough
for her purpose, yet she could not fee
that he was safe even there. There
was something some menace.
Billy Louise went softly into the
house, tiptoed to the door Of her moth
er's room and saw that she lay quiet
with her eyes closed. Beside the win
dow the doctor sat with his spectaclef
fAr down toward the end Of his nose
reading q pale green pamphlet that hs
must have brought in his pocket. Phoe
be was down by the creek washing
clothes In the shade OF willow clump.
She went into her own room, stfl
walking on her toes. In her trunk wal
Q blue plush box Of the kind that Il
given to one at Christmas. It was fad
ed and the clasp was showing brassy
at the edges. Sitting upon her bed will
the box In her lap Billy Louise paved
hastily In the tumble Of keepsakes Il
held; an eagles claw which she mean
some time to have mounted for q
brooch; three or four arrowheads o.
the shiny, black stuff which the Indian
were said to have brought from Yel
lowstone park; q knot Of green ribbon
which she had worn to a st. Patrick
day dance I'm Boise; rattlesnAke rattlel
a al sizes; several folded clipping
verses that had caught her fancy ant
had been put away and forgotten; n
amber bead she had found once. Sh,
turned the boz upside down In her laI
and shook It It must be there-th,
thing she sought the thing that hai
troubled her most In her dream; th,
thing that was q menace while It ex
1Dted. It was at the very bottom q
tie box, caught In q corner. She tool
# out with fingers that trembled, crum
paed Il into little ball 20 that sht
could not read what It said, straight
ened It Immediately and read Il re
lnctantly from the beginning to the enc
s where the Last word was clipped shor,
with hasty SCISSORS. A paragraph cul
4rcm . newspaper It was; yellow and
eeayed from contact with other objects
oezling oe thing
Btlly Louise bit her lips until fheJ
Aurt, but sko could not keep hack thu
Aoass tAat cans hot and stingins whila