The Monticellonian., 1918-04-19

guilty. She hurried the cattle along the dangerous trail, impatient of their cautious pace.
 Since she had closed up on the cattle and had read on their sides the shameful story of theft, Billy Louise had known that she would eventually come out at the lower end of the Cove and that in spite of the fact that the Cove was not supposed to have any egress save through the gorge. What surprised her was the short distance; she had not realized that the bluff and the upland formed q wide curve, and that she had cut the distance al- most in half by riding next the river.
 She seemed in no doubt as to what she would do when she arrived. Billy Louise was not much given to inde- cision at any time. She drove the cattle into the corral farthest from the stopped Blue with his nose against the fence there and with his reins drag ging. Then, tight-lipped still, she walked determinedly along the path to the gate that led through the berry jungle to the cabin.
 She opened the gate and stepped through. closing 1t after her. She had not gone twenty feet when there was rush from the nearest thicket, and Surbus, his hair ruffed out along his neck, growled and made leap at her with bared fangs.
 Billy Louise had forgotten about Surbus. She jumped back, startled and the dog missed landing. When he sprang again he met a 30-caliber bullet from Billy Louises gun and dropped back. It had been a snap shot without any particular aiming; Billy Louise retreated a few steps farther watching the dog suspiciously. He gathered himself slowly and prepared to spring at her again. This time Billy Louise. being on the watch for such q move, aimed carefully before she fred Surbus dropped again, limply-a good dog forever more.
 Billy Louise heard a shrill whistle and the sound of feet running She waited. gun in hand, ready for what ever might come.
 Hey Charlie! Somebody's come i; the bell, she don't reeng.' Peter Rowling Dog pistol in his hand, came running down the path from the cabin He saw Billy Louise and stopped abruptly, his mouth half open. From a shed near the stable came Charlie, also running. Billy Louise waited beside the gate. He did not see her until he was close, for a tan gled gooseberry bush stood between them.
 What was 1t, Peter? Somebody in the Cove? Or was it you"
 No, it wasn't Peter; it was me-" Billy Louise informed him calmly and ungrammatically. T shot Surbus that's all"
 "On! Why, Miss Louise, you nearly gave me heart failure How are you? thought"
 You thought somebody had gotten into the Cove without your knowing it. We'll, somebody did. I rode up from below. along the river"
 "Oh-er-did you? Pretty rough going. wasn't 1t? I didn't think it could be done. Come in; Aunt Martha will be-"
 "I don't think she'll be overjoyed to see me-" Billy Louise stood still be- side the gooseberry bush, and she had forgotten to put away her gun. 'I drove up those cattle you had down be- low. You're awfully careless, Charlie 1! should think Peter or Marthy would have told you better When man steals cattle by working over the brands, it's very bad form to keep them right on his ranch in plain sight It-isn't done by the best people, you know" Her voice stung with the con- tempt she managed to put into it. And though she smiled, 1t was such smile as one seldom saw upon the face of Billy Louise.
 What's all this? Worked brands Why, Miss Louise, IT wouldn't know how to-"
 'I know. You did an awful punk job. A person could tell in the dark it was the work of q greenhorn. Why didn't you let Peter do 1t, or Marthy? You could have done better job than that, couldn't you, Marthy?"
 Poor old Marthy, with her rheumatic knees and a gray hardness in her leathery face, had come down the path and stood squarely before Billy Lou ise, her hands knuckling her flabby hips. her hair blowing in gray, strag- sling wisps about her bullet head.
 Better than what? Come in. Billy Louise I'm right glad to see ye back and lookin' so well, even if yuh do pear to be in one of your tantrums. How's yer maw?"
 Billy Louise gasped and went white "Mommie's dead" she said "Shc died the ninth" She drew another gasping breath, pulled herself together, and went on before the others could begin the set speeches of sympathy which the announcement seemed to demand.
 "Never mind about that, now. I'm talking about those Seabeck cattle you folks stole. I was telling Charlie how horribly careless he is, Marthy.t Did you know he let them drift down the river? And blind man could tell mile off the brands have been worked ,e Billy Louise's tone was positively ven omous in its contempt. "Why didn't YOU make Charlie practice on cow hide for while first?" she asked Mar thy cuttingly.
 Marthy ignored the sarcasm. Per haps it did not penetrate her stolid