The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-03-15


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 cIen-
err 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 a deeper, wider notch, think
| ing that day was Christmas. Under
| the notch he scratched a word with
the point of his knife. 1t had four
letters, and it 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 tim two
weeks old another letter came, and
Phoebe laid it on the first one with
fingers that trembled a little Phoebe
, had letter of her own that day. Both
were thin, and the addresses were more
! scrawly than usual. Phoebes Indian
instinct warned her that something
was amiss.
: This was Wards letter:
Oh. God. Ward. mommie's dead She
died last night l thought she was asleep
till the nurse came in at o'clock. I'm
all alone and / don't know what to do.
| wish could If don't get
this right away I'll see you at the ranch.
I'm coming homo soon as | can. Oh,
a Ward, hate life and everything.
! BILLY LOUISE.
T. Please Ward. stay at the ranch TIL
:, come. / want to see you. / feel as II
q mommies gone. She looked SO peaceful
when they took her away-and SO strange.
T | didn't belong to her any more. l felt
as If / didn't know her at all-and there
{ is such an awful gap in my life-maybe
t you'll understand. You always do.
g The day that letter was writer
IS Ward drew a plan Of the house he
8 meant to build some day, with wide
# porch on the front, where hammock
n would swing comfortably.
m He had no presentiment Of Billy
! need of him, which was just as well
II since he was absolutely powerless tt
IT help her.
" Billy Louise, having arrived unex
ii pectedly on the stage, pulled of he
le fur lined mittens and put her chilled
at hands before the swapping blaze In tn
ID fireplace. Her eyes were tired an,
" sunken, and her mouth dropped pitt
fully at the corners, but aside froI
er that she did not seem much change
70 from the girl who had left the ranc
is two months and more before.
cd "I'll take a cup Of tea, Phoebe, BIT
u I'm not a bit hungry" she said.
vn ate just before I left town. How hay
ed you been, Phoebe?"
Oh ave been fine. We been so sorr
Nv for you
Never mind that now, Phoebe. l
en- rather not talk about 1t. Has anybot
IN been here latelyY'
Ell Charlie Fox, he come las week
!ys mebby week before las. Marthy, 81
oe got rheumatis in her knee. Charl
.as lie say she been pretty bad one nigl
ice | guess she's better now. l tor | wa
's' for her if he brings me clo'es, but
nee says he wash them clo'es hisself.
ne guess Charlie pretty good to that
yrs lady. He's awful p'lite, that Teller 1
Yes, he is. III go up and see
when / get rested little. l feel til
w.. to death somehow. Has Ward be
~, around lately?"
vet Ward he amt been here for 10
his time. l guess mebbe it's been
cd weeks / amt seen him. Las time
lay was mere nc "rote tnal letter.
nor amt come no more"
nv Billy Louise in the last few mont
,it- had tried to picture herself alone. wi
mommie gone. Her Imagination W