New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-04-12

And she had dared think he would
steal cattle! Her very rcmorse was
a whip to lash her anger against the
guilty. She hurried the cattle along
the dangerous trail, impatient of thelr
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 hat 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
esress save through the gorge. What
surprised her was the short distance F;
she had not realized that the bluff
and the upland formed n wide curve.
and that she had Gu the distance al
most in half by riding next the river.
She seemed in 10 doubt as to what
she would do when she arrived. Billy
Louise was not much given to indie
cision at any time. She drove the
cattle into the corral farthest from the
house. rode on to the stable, and
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 it after her. She had
not gone twenty feet when there was
a rush from the nearest thicket, and
Surbus. his hair ruffed out along his
neck. growlcd and made Il leap at her
with barred 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 Louise's gun and
dropped back. 1t had been a snap shot,
without any particular aiming; Billy
Louise retreated a few steps farther,
watching the dog s~uspiciously. He
gathered himself slowly and prepared
to spring at her again. This time Billy
Louise, being on the watch for such a
move. aimed carefully before she fred.
Surbus dropped again, limply-a good
dog forever more
Billy Louise heard n shrill whistle
and the sound of feet running. She
waited, gun in hand, ready for what
ever might come.
Hey. Charlie. Somebody's come;
the bell, she don't reeng." Peter
Howling Dog, IL 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 Il tan
gled gooscberry bush stood between
them.
"What was it, Peter? Somebody In
the Cove? Or was it you-"
mo, it wasn't Peter; it was me-"
Billy Louise Informed him calmly and
ungrammatically. II shot Surbus,
that's ALL"
"Oh. Why, Miss Louise, you nearly
gave me heart failure! How are you?
| thought
"You thought somebody had gotten
into the Cove without your knowing 1t.
Well, somebody did. rode up from
below. along the river"
"Oh-er-did you? Pretty rough
going, wasn't it? | didn't think It could
be done. Come in; Aunt Martha will
be"
II 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. II
drove up those cattle you had down be-
low. You're awfully careless. Charliel
l should think Peter or Marthy would
have told yon better. When a 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. It was such a smile
as one seldom saw upon the face of
Billy Louise.
whats all this? Worked brands
Why, Miss Louise, II wouldn't know
how to"
81 know. You did an awful punk
job. A person could tell in the dark
it was the work of a g%reenhorn. Why
didn't you let Peter do it, or Marthy?
You could have done a better job than
that, couldn't you, MarthyT
Poor old Marthy. with her rheumatic
knees and n gray hardness In her
Ieathery face, had come down the path
and stood squarely before Billy Lou
Sc, her hands knuckling her flabby
hips, her hair blowing in gray, strag-
Cling wisps about her bullet head.
Better than what? Come in. Billy |
I'm right glad to see We back
and lookin' so well, even If yuh do
pear to be in n of your tantrums.
Iow's yer maw?"
Billy Louise gasped and went white.
NOMINEES dead" she said. "She died
he NINTH" She drew another gasping
pulled herself together, and
vent on before the others could begin
he set speeches of sympathy which
he announcement seemed to demand.
"Never mind about that, now. I'm
about those Seabeck cattle you
'olks stole. ! was telling Charlie how
careless he is. Marthy. Did
,ou know he let them drift down the
liver? And a blind man could tell a
nile off the brands have been worked :"
BILLY Louise's tone was positively ven
,mous in its contempt. "Why didn't
make Charlie practice on a cow
hide for a while first?" she asked Mar
L. ,,;np1v /