Meade County news., 1918-03-21

Phoebe put that letter on the mantel
over the fireplace the day after Christ
mas.
Billy Louise refrained from expect
ing any reply until after New Years;
then she began to look for a letter,
and when the days passed and brought
her no word her moods changed often.
er than the weather.
Wards literary efforts along about
that time consisted of cutting notches
in the window sill beside his bunk.
On the day when the stage driver
gave Billy Louise's letter to Phoebe
Ward cut deeper, wider notch, think
ing that day was Christmas. Under
the notch he scratched word with
the point of his knife. 1t had four
letters, and 1t told eloquently of the
state Of mind he was In.
The letter gathered dust upon the
mantel down at the Wolverine. When
the postmark was more than two
weeks old another letter came, and
Phoebe laid it on the first one with
fingers that trembled little. Phoebe
had letter of her own that day. Both
were thin, and the addresses were more
scrawly than usual. Phoebe's Indian
instinct warned her that something
was amiss.
This was Wards letter:
oh Cod Word ,,,ororoto,, daaa CT.
died last night. ] thought she was asleep
till the nurse came in at s o'clock. I'm
all alone and don't know what to do. I
wish you could come, but IL you don't get
this right away, I'll see you at the ranch.
I'm coming home as soon as l can. oh,
Ward. l hate life and everything.
BILLY LOUISE.
Please Ward, stay at the ranch till
come 1 want to see you. l feel as II
you're the only friend I've got left, now
mommie's gone. She looked so peaceful
when they took her away-and so strange.
l didn't belong to her any more l felt
as !. l didn't know her at all-and there
is such an awful gap In my life-maybe
you'n understand. You always do.
The day that letter was written
Ward drew a plan Of the house he
meant to build some day, with n wide
porch on the front, where hammock
would swing comfortably.
He had no presentlmcnt of BiUy's
need of him, which was just as well,
since he was absolutely powerless to
help her.
Billy Louise, having arrived unex-
pectedly on the stage, pulled off her
fur lined mittens and put her chilled
hands before the swapping blaze in the
fireplace. Her eyes were tired and
sunken, and her mouth dropped pitt
fully at the corners, but aside from
that she did not seem much changed
from the girl who had left the ranch
two months and more before.
an take a cup of tea, Phoebe, but
I'm not bit hungry" she said. II
ate just before left town. How have
you been, PhoebeT"
I'VE been fine. We been so sorry
for you
"Never mind that ROW, Phoebe. I'd
rather not talk about it. Has anybody
been here latelyT
"Charlie Fox, he come las week
mebby week before las. Marthy, she
got rheumatis In her knee. Charlie,
he say she been pretty bad one night.
l guess she's better now. tol' wash
for her II he brings me clo'es, but he
says he wash them clo'es hlsself. l
guess Charlie pretty good to that old
lady. He's awful p'lite, that feller is."
"Yes, he is. I'll go up and see her
when l get rested little. l feel tired
to death somehow. Has Ward been
around lately?"
"Ward, he amt been here for long
time. I guess mebbe it's been six
weeks l amt seen him. Las time he
was here he wrote that letter. He
amt come no MORE"
Billy Louise in the last few months
had tried to picture herself alone, with
mommie gone. Her Imagination was