Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-05-10

Iuy- oIc hduH St6n Vi SOu
for a month, and she was afraid you |
might be sick or something. Why |
don't you get some one to stay with |
you? l think you ought to-" She look
ed toward the door, which Jase had
closed upon his departure. IF Jase
shOuld-get sick or anything
'Jase amt goin' to git SICK" Mar
thy retorted glumly. ''Yuh don't want
to let him worry yuh, Billy Louise. If
I'd worried every time he yowled
around about being sick I'd be dead or
crazy by now. L dunno but maybe
I'll have somebody to help with the
work, though" she added after pause,
during which she had swiped the dish
rag around the sides of the pan once
or twice and had opened the door and
thrown the water out beyond the door
step like the sloven she was. 81 got
nephew that wants TO come out. He's
been in bank, but he's quit and wants
to git on to a ranch. l dunno but I'll
have him come in the spring"
DO" urged Billy Louise, perfectly
unconscious of the potentialities Of the
future. 81 hate to think of you two
down here alone. don't suppose any
one ever comes down here except me-
and that isn't often"
'NobOdy's got any call to come
down. said Marthy stolidly. "They
sure amt going to come for our com
| p'ny, and there amt nothing else to
bring EN-"
''Well, there aren't many to come.
you know" laughed Billy Louise, shak-
| ing out the dish towel and spreading
| it over two nails. as she did at home.
! Pm your nearest neighbor. and I've
| got six miles to ride-against the wind
at that. think I'd better start. We've
got half breed doing chores for US.
but he has to be looked after or he
neglects things. I'll not get another
chance to come very soon, I'm afraid
Mommie hates to have me ride around
much in the winter. You send for that
nephew right away, why don't you,
Marthy?' 1t was like Billy Louise to
mix command and entreaty together.
Really, don't think Jase looks a bit
we'll"
"a good strong steepin' of sage II
fix him all right, only he amt sick. as
1 see. You take this shawl"
Billy Louise refused the shawl and
ran down the twisted path fringed
with long, reaching fingers of the bare
berry bushes. At the stable she stop
ped for an aimless dialogue with Jase
and then rode away, past the orchard
whose leafless branches gave glimpses
of the low, sod rooted cabin. with
Marthy standing rather disconsolately
on the rough doorstep watching her go.
Blue was climbing steadily out of
the gorge, twitching an ear backward
with flattering attention whenever his
lady spoke. The horse went on, calm
ly stepping over this rock and around
that as if it were the simplest thing in
the world to find sure footing and car
ry his lady smoothly up that trail. He
threw up his head SO suddenly that
Billy Louise was startled out of her
aimless dreamings and pointed nose
and ears toward the little creek bot.
tom above, where Marthy had lighted
her campfire long and long ago.
A few steps farther and Blue stop.
ped short in the trail to look and lis
ten. Billy Louise could see the nery.
Gus twitchings of his muscles under
the skin of neck and shoulders. and she
smiled to herself. Nothing could eve,
come upon her unaware when she rode
alone so long as she rode Blue. A
hunting dog was not more keenly alive
to his surroundings.
! oh
minute. IF it's a bear or anythins
like that you can make a run for if
if it's a wolf I'll shoot it. You needn'
stand here all night, anyway"
Blue went on, out from behind tn,
| willow growth that hid the open. 81,
returned to his calm, picking a smooth
trail through the scattered rocks anC
, tiny washouts. 1t was the girls turn
, to stare and speculate. She did no
/, know this horseman who sat negligent
ly in the saddle and looked up at tn
cedar grown bluff beyond while hi
- horse stood knee deep in the littl
stream. She did not know him, an,
. there were not so many travellers il
!, the land that strangers were a matte
= of indifference.
Blue welcomed the horse with a den
. ocratie nicker and went forward brisk
ly. And the rider turned his heaC
eyed the girl sharply as she came u
9 and nodded cursory greeting Hi
= horse lifted its head to look, decide
;, that it wanted another swallow or tw
and lowered its muzZle again to til
4 water.
II Billy Louise could not form any opil
j ion of the mans age or personality, fl
! he was encased in a wolfskin cos
4 which covered him completely frol
Y hat brim to ankles. She got an impre
N sion Of thin, dark face and a shar
II glance from eyes that seemed daI
III also. There was a thin, high nose, an
N beyond that Billy Louise did not loo
ii If she had the mouth must certainl
II have reassured her somewhat.
II Blue stepped nonchalantly down I'M
II the stream beside the strange hor:
and went across without stopping
n drink. The strange horse moved {
also, as if that were the natural thiI
III to do-which it was, since chance SCI
M them travelling the same trail. Bill
I'M Louise set her teeth together with Il
iii queer little vicious click that had G
ways been her habit when she fe
thwarted and constrained to yield
ElI circumstances and Strengthened herse
NU in the saddle.
Looks like storm" the fur coat
one observed, with a perfectly tran
: parent attempt to Tighten the aw
wa-dness.
Billy Louise tilted her chin upwa
, and gazed at the gray sweep of clou
. moving sullenly toward the mountai
at her back. She glanced at the m,
Ia and caught him looking intently at b
face.
He did not look away Immediate
Dr.. as he should have done, and Billy Lo
nd Use felt little heat wave OF embt
NJ rassment, emphasized by resentment
i'd. Are you going far?'' he queried
In the same tone he had employed befol
IN "SiX miles" she answered short