The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-01-03

before I'd accuse any one Of stealing
those calves. Miss Louise. I'D have to
see them In q mans corral, with his
brand on them-I believe that's the
way it's done out here-and even
then"
"Where have you loOkedT There
we're reasons why this particular sub
Ject was painful to Billy Louise. "And
are you sure they didn't get out of
that pasture and wander on down the
Cove, among all those willows? It's Il
perfect jungle away down. Are you
sure they aren't with the rest Of the
cattle? | don't see how they could
leave the Cove unless they were drlv-
en- out"
"Yes. thought of that-strange as II
may SEEM" Charles voice was unOf-
Tended On the contrary, he seemed
glad that she took SO keen an interest
In his affairs. "It has been week,
you know, since they hew the coop. l
did hunt every foot Of that Cove twice
over. l drove every hoOf Of stock up
and corraled them and made sure these
four were not In the herd. Then |
hunted through every inch Of that will
low jungle and all along the bluff and
the river. Miss Louise, l put In three
days at 1t, from sunrise till 1t was too
dark to see. Then | began riding out
side. There isn't trace of them any
where. | had just bought them from
Seabeck, you know. drove them
home, and because they were tired,
aud so was I, just left them In that
upper meadow as | came down the
gorge. hadn't branded them yet. l.
l know I've made an awful botch of
the thing, Miss Louise" he confessed,
turning toward her with an honest dis
tress and self-tlaying humility in his
eyes that wiped from Billy Louise's
mind any incipient tendency toward
contempt. But you see I'm green at
this ranch game. And | never dreamed
those calves weren't perfectly safe In
there. The fence was new and strong,
and the bars are absolutely bars to any
stock larger than a rabbit.
II hate to bother you with this, and
| don't want you to think have come
whining for sympathy" he said after
minute Of moody silence But, see-
ing they were not branded yet-with
our brandt thought perhaps you had
run across them and paid no attention,
thinking they belonged to Seabeck."
Billy Louise smiled little to herself.
II he had not been quite so green at
the ranch game" he would have men-
toned brands at first as the most i'm
portant point instead of tacking on the
informal tion casually after ten minutes
of other less vital details.
"Were they vented?" she asked. sup
pressing the smile so that 1t was mere
ly twitch Of the lips which might
mean anything.
"I-yes, think they were. That's
what you call 1t when the former OWL
er puts his brand In different place
to show that his ownership has ceased,
isn't it? Seabeck puts his brand up
side down.
II know Seabeck's vent" Billy Louise
cut in. There was no need of letting
such fine fellow display more ig-
norance on the subject. "And should
have noticed it If had seen four
calves vented fresh and not rebranded.
Why in the world didn't you stick your
brand on at the same time?" Billy
Louise was losing patience with his
greenness.
II didn't have my branding iron with
me-" Charlie answered humbly. II
have done that before, when bought
those other COWS and calves. /"
You'd better pack your iron next
time," she retortcd. IF you can't get
little bunch of calves ten miles with
out losing them"
But you must understand did.
tool; them home and turned them iuto
the Cove. know--I'm an awful chump
OF this"
"The calves may not be absolutely
lost, you know. Why. lost a big
steer last spring and never found him
ill was going to sell a few head.
Then he turned up, the biggest and fat
test one in the bunch. You can't tell.
They get themselves in queer places
sometimes. I'll come over tomorrow
If can and take look at.that pasture
and all around. And I'll keep good
lookout for the calves"
Many men would have objected to
the unconscious patronage of her tone
That Charlie Fox did not, but accept.
ed the spirit of helpfulness in her
words, lifted him out of the small ma
tured class.
"It's awfully good Of you," he said
You know lot more about the bovine
nature than do. for all put in every
spare minute studying the subject. I'm
taking four different stock journals
now, Miss Louise. Ill bet know lOI
more about the different strains of va
rlOus breeds than you do. Miss Cattlt
Queen. But I'm beginning to see tha'
We only know what we learn by ex
perience. I've new book ON the sub
ject Of heredity Of the cattle. I'm so
ing home and see II Seabeck hasn't
stumbled upon a strain that can b,
traced back to your native mountain
sheep"
Billy Louise LAUGHED and said good
by and stood leaning over the gait
watching him as he zigzaGged up th'
hill. stopping his horse often to breathe
She began to wonder then. about thos'
calves. Vented and not rebranded
they would be easy game for any mat
who first got his own brand on them
She meant to get description of then
when she saw Charlie again-it wa
like his innocence to forget the mos
essential details-and she meant t
keep her eyes open. II Charlie wer
right about the calves not being any
where in the core, then they had bee
driven out OF It. stolen. Billy Louis
turned dejectedly away from the fehc
and went down to q shady nook by IN