The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-02-15
CHAPTER xVIl-contlnued.

~ 'A' NNaAAAAa VIZ w AhN hoh'N
"Well, how bad is IL, Mr.. SeabcckT'
she asked sharply, just because she
felt the imperative need Of facts-she
who had struggled so long in the quick
sands of suspicion and doubts and
fears and suspense.
"IImmm-mm--hOw bad Is it-ln the
house?" he countercd. "The real crime
has been committed there, II seems Ia
me. A few head of cattle, more or less,
don't count for much against the bro
ken heart Of an old woman"
oh" Billy Louise. her hands
clenchcd upon the gate, stared up
wide-eyed into his face. And this was
the real Seabeck. whom she had known
lmpersonally all her life! THIS was
the real man Gf MIN, whom she had
never known; I1awless diamond of n
soul behind those bright blue eyes and
that pointed, graying beard; poet, phi
losopher, gentleman to the bone. "0h
You saw that, tool And they're your
cattle that were stolen! You say it
oh, you're-you're-"
'IImm-mm-a human beirg / hope,
Miss Macdonald, rs well as mere
cattleman."
Marthy did not attempt to rise when
Seabeck followed Billy Louise into the
sitting room. She caught up her apron
and wiped her eyes. After that she
faced Seabeck with harsh cOmposure
and waited for the settlement.
"Hmm-mm! 1 have been looking
over the cattle" he began, sitting on
the edge of chair and turning his
black hat absently round and round by
the brim. "YOu-mm-mm-yOu tell
me there were seven head of grown
stock"
''That they shot and throwed in the
river with the brands cut out" inter-
polated Marthy stolidly. 81 heard 'em
say that's how they would git rid Of
'em, an heard 'em shootin' down
there
"Hmm-mm-yes! Do you know just
what"
give dry cows n two steers-long
twO-year-oles, jedged 'em to be-"
Marthy was certainly prompt enough
and explicit enough. And her lips were
grim, and her faded blue eyes hard
and steady upon the face of Seabeck.
"Hmm-mm-yes! l find also" he
went on in his somewhat precise voice
that had earned him the nickname of
Deacon" among his punchers, that
there are more young stock vented ard
rebranded than I-er- sold your
nephew. Fourteen head, to be exact
with the cattle you tell me which
were-mm-m-dispo of last night,
that would make twenty-One head of
stock for which-mm-mm-I take it
you are willing to pay"
81 amt got the money nOw," Marthy
stated, too apathetic to be either de-
fiant or placating. "YOu en- fix up the
papers t. suit yourself. I'll sign any
thing yuh want"
"Hmm-mm-yes A note covering
the amount, with legal rate of interest,
will be-quite satisfactory, Mrs. Neil
Ike. l shall make lump sum at the
going price for mixed stock. If you
have blank note, L"
"You kin look in that desk over
there" permitted Marthy. "If yuh don't
find any there, there amt none no.
where"
Seabeck did not find any blank notes.
He found an eloquent confusion Of
jumbled letters and accounts and pa
pers, and guessed that the owner had
done some hasty sorting and straight
ening of his affairs. He sighed, and
his blue eyes hardened for a minute.
Then Billy Louise moved from the door
and went over to kneel cOmfOrtingly
beside Marthy, and Seabeck looked at
the two and sighed again, though his
eyes were no longer stern. He |
pulled a sheet of paper toward him |
and wrote steadily in prim, upright |
chirography that had never flourish /
anywhere, but carefully crossed t's and
carefully dotted is and punctuation
marks of beautiful, eXactness.
"YOu will pleace sign here, Mrs.
Mcille," he said calmly, coming over |
to them with the sheet of paper laid |
smoothly upon last-yeSrs best-seller |
and with Charities fountain pen in his |
other hand. "And If Miss Macdonald
will also sign, as an indorser, l think |
I can safely do away with any mort
gage or other legal security"
Billy Louise stood up and gave him |
one look-which Seabeck did not ap-
prcciatc, because he did not see it.
I'D ruthcr give Il mortgage" Marthy |
said uneasiIy, sitting up suddenly and
looking from one to the other. II don't |
want Billy Louise to git tangled up in
my troubles. Shes got plenty of her
own, Her maw's Just died, Mr.. Sea-,
beck And I'll bet there was hos
pital N doctors bill bigger'n this cat
tie note, TO be paid. l don't want to,
pile on"
"NOw, Marthy, you be still. I'm per-
rectly willing to sign this note with
you. If it will satisfy Mr.. Seabeck,
I'm sure it's the very best we can do
or-expect" Billy Louise, bless her
heart, was trying very hard to be CRATE
full to Seabeck in spite of the slump
he had suffered in her estimation.
swell, I'll want your written word
that yuh won't prosecute Charlle nor
help nobody else prosecute him, stipu-
lated Marthy, with sudden shrewdness
'If men Billy Louise signs this note
Wen pay it; and we want some per-
lection from you, fer Charlie"
"Hmmm-mm-I see" He turned and
went back to the Uttered desk and
wrote carefully again upon another
sheet Of paper. 81 think this will be
quite satisfactory" he said, and hand