The Dolores star., 1918-04-05
CHAPTER xvl,-cesslsssa.

CNApu8W Xvtu-Co0ej0003.
-
Seabeck returned after o while, and
BILLY Louise, who was watching fFom
the doo-way. met him at the little gats
- he was coming up TO the house.
well. how bad b Il. Mr.. Geabeckr r
ehe asked sharply. just because shs
felt the imperative need oe fActS-she
who had struggled % long In the quick
sands Of suspicion and doubts and
fears and suspense.
sHmmm-mm-h0w bad n it-ln the
houser" he countered. The real crime
has been committed there. II seems to
me. A few head Of cattle. more or less.
don't count for much against the bro
ken heart OF an old woman"
"Ohr Billy Louise. her hands
clenched upon the gate. stared mp
wide-eyed into his face. And this was
the real Seabeck. whom she had known
impersonally all her llfei This was
the real man OF him. whom she had
never known; dawless diam ond OF q
soul behind those bright blue eyes and
that pointed. grnying beard; poet, phi
losopher, gentleman to the bone. "Oh
4Uu 6oW lA1dIS Auu lucy nc yOuI
cattle that were stolen! You say IT.
oh. you'rc-you're-" i.
"IImm-mm-a human beIrg, hope,
Miss Macdonald. as 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-mmi I 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 throwcd in the
river. with the brands cut out" inter
polated Marthy stolldly. II heard 'em
say that's how they would git Eid Of
sem, an I heard 'em shootin' down
there"
"Hmm-mm-yesi Do you know just
what" ....t,,-,
give dry cows n two steers-long
two-year-oles. lodged 'em to be-"
ng.,ts,, -. no,%.sn,,, ,,~n,,,v,4 .,.,,.h
and ernl,cst snonsh And her i,ns were
-, srS No. $500 misc &C. 49,
sn% ..aaS % ,,,,on ~. ~ ,ooa ~ ss.hao,,
sHrn,c' ,,rsVye.T ana .isoS ~
-..,s =. i. ~. .n,..,.n.t ,,-as,ss .o,co
~. s.A $3.50. - ~, ~, sss ,,so,-r.,,s -
s.Deacons among his punchers. shat
..S.srSsd th.n Ieer- ola vo,,r
.s.s.,. ua,.t.., h.sa 80 ~ ,.yoct
WIN ~. 1870 vo,, ts,I ,,s vhich
$500 .as.,,o-.a ~ 1.s+ right
thst vo,,ld male tvertv.one mead ~
stock sor vhich--mm.mm-I take A.
~, sre v,liin~ IN nav.v
~ .tn.t .rA the money nov. Marthv
et.tad too snathetic IA he either ID.
0rnt cr nlacatinr. aYou en- Ar mn the
neners !. milf yourself. m sien anv-
thinr ynh want.v
aHmm-mm-veai A note covering
the emount with legal rate of interest.
WIN be-ouite satisfactory. Mrs. Nell.
he. shall make a lump sum at the
eoine nrice for MIXED stock. If won
have a blank note. l."
.yon Mn look IN that dest over
there" DoFmitted Mafthy. "lf yuh don't
ana anv there there nin't none mo-
where. !"
seabecy, did mot ana anv blank notes.
He found an elonuent confusion Of
1umbled letters and accounts and ma
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 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 prlm, upright
chirography that had never flourish
anywhere, but carefully crossed t's and
K <pov,