Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-01-18

ier SO TAR OH the main TOhu. IN Una
case he would go down and put tina
! Wolverine place In shape. He had N
squeamishness about living ON hel
ranch instead OF his own II she want
ed IL that way. He meant to be bet
ter hooked up" financially than SHE
was and have more cattle when he pu
the gold ring on her finger Then hi
would do whatever she wanted him tC
do, and he would not have to cruelty
his pride doing 1t.
You see, they could not have quar-
relied, since Ward carried castles as
| well as the blues. In fact, their part
Ing had given Ward an uneven pulse
for mile, for Billy Louise had gone
with him as usual as far as the corral
when he started home. And when
Ward had picked up his reins and turn.
ed to put his toe In the stirrup Billy
Louise had come close-to his very
shoulder Ward had turned his face
toward her, and Billy Louise-Billy
Louise had impulsively taken his head
between her two hands, had looked
deep into his eyes and then had kissed
/ iilLl WlrlAuhJ On lhO ups. htn ohC
had turned and fed up the path, way
ing him away up the trail And, though
Ward never guessed that to her that
kiss was a penitent vow of loyalty to
their friendship and slap In the face
OF the doubt devils that still pursued
her weaker moments, Ii set him plan
ming harder than ever for that stake
he must win before he dared urge her
further toward matrlmony.
It's wonder that the kiss did not
wipe out completely the somber mood
that held him. That 1t did not, but
served merely to tangle his thoughts In
n most hopeless manner, perhaps
proves how greatly the inner life of
Billy Louise had changed her in those
two weeks.
She changed still more in the next two
months, however. There was the strain
of her mother precarious health
which kept Billy Louise always on the
alert and always trying to hide her
fears. She must be quick to detect the
first symptoms of a return attack of
the Illness, and she must not let her
mother suspect that there was danger
of return. That much the doctor had
made plain to her.
Besides that, there was an undercur-
rent of gossip and rumors Of cattle
stealing whenever a man stopped at
the ranch. 1t worried Billy Louise In
spite of her rebuilt belief in Ward
Doubt would seize her sometimes in
spite of herself. and she did not see
Ward often enough to let his PERSONAL
just once In the next two months and |
then only for an hour or so.
A man rode up one night and stayed |
with them until morning, after the |
open handed custom Of the range land
Billy Louise did not talk with him very |
much. He had shifty eyes and a |
coarse, loose Tipped mouth and thick
neck, and, girl-like. she took a violent |
dislike to him But John Pringle told |
her afterward that he was Buck Olney,
the new stock inspector, and that he
was prowling around to see IL he could
find out anything.
Billy Louise worried n good deal aft
pr that. Once she rode out early with
the intention of going to Wards claim
TO warn him. But three miles of saner
thought changed her purpose. She
dared not leave her mother all day, for
one thing, and for another she could
scarcely warn Ward without letting
him see that she felt he needed warn
ng, and even Billy Louise shrank from
what might follow.
The stock inspector stopped again on
ais way back to the railroad Billy
Louise was 80 anxious that she smoth-
red her dislike and treated him nice
v, which thawed the man to an alarm
ng amiabillty. She questioned him art
'ully-trust Billy Louise for that-and
The decided that the stock inspector
vas either very poor detective or a
Tery good actor. He did not, for in
tance, mention any corral hidden in a
hind canyon away back in the hills,
md Billy Louise did not mention it,
'ither. He had not found any worked
'rands. he said And he did not appear
o know anything further about Ward
han the mere fact of bis existence.
There's fellow holding down
lain away over on Min creek" he
lad remarked. "Ill look him up when
come back. though Seabeck says he's
li'rlght."
Ward Is all right" asserted Billy
.ouise rather unwisely.
Haven't a doubt OF 1t. / thought
maybe he might have seen something
hat might give US clew" Perhaps
he stock inspector was wiser than she
ave him credit for being. He did not |
I any rate pursue the subject any fur !
her until he found an opportunity TO I
ak to Mrs. Macdonald herself. Then :
q arifuily mentioned the fellow on {
ill creek. and because she did not Z
now any reason for caution he got all !
he information he wanted and more, '
Or momnie was In one OF her gar I
nlous humors.
After that the days drifted quietly =
or a month and grew nippler at each
nd and lazier In the middle. which
,,a..f that sha Shns-f c,,ft,r,,at. xxto Nyar