The Arvada enterprise., 1918-05-09
CHAPTER XIV.
Billy Lsulss osts q surpslss.

Billy Lsulss Gets Q eurpslsa
ERIGHTENED. worried. dck at
heart because her crowdins doubts
and suspicions had suddenly de-
veloped into black certainty Just when
she had thought them dead forever.
Billy Louise rode up the narrow,
rocky gorge. She had come 10 have Q
vague comprehension Of the tempta-
tion Ward must have felt She had
come to accept pityingly the possibility
that the canker Of old influences had
eaten more deeply than appeared on
The surface. She had set herself
stanchly beside him - his friend. who
would help him win back bis self
respect. She felt sure that hs must
suffer terribly with that keen, analyti.
cal mind Of his, when he stopped to
think at all He had NO warped ethics
whsrswith 10 ease his conscience. She
knew bis ideas Of right and wrong
we're % uncompromisinS - her own.
and II hs stole cattle. he did II with
bis eyes wide open 70 the wrong he
WAS doing. And yet
'Thats bad enough. but 10 ~ and
easten evidence on someone elsei"
Billy Louise grittsd her teeth over the
trsachery Of It She believed he had
done that very thing. How could she
help IT. She had seen the coral and
had seen Ward ride away from It In
the dusk Of the evening; or shs b.
usyed she had seen him, which was
he same thing. And she know what
iay behind him. Was HE version Of
the past after all the correct oasf
AIght not the paragraph ahs had
turned bssa nothing more thaA the
TRUTH
Billy Louise fought for him; fought
With her stern. youthful judgment
which was % uncompromising. Il takes
ysafo OF close contact With life to
eive one sure understandins Of hu-
oan we"Nnsss and human sndsavof.
At ths ..sd, when Blue would have
crossed and taken the trail homo. BILLY
Lsuiss rsansd hin impuldvsay The
ether way. Until that instant shs had
not intended 10 seek Ward. but once
hsr fingers had twitched the reins
aeainst Blues neck, shs did not Assl-
tate: she did not even argue With her.
sslf. She just glanced up At the sun.
saw that It was not Jet noon-oo much
nay happen In two q three hoursie -
snd ssnt Blue up the hill at . lops.
She did not know what she would
q Of what de would say when she
saW Ward
The two mares fed dispiritedly at
he lowest corner Of the Geld, their
hair rough with exposure to the WIN
Ter winds and the storms, their ribs
showing. With all the hay he had put
Up, Ward might at least keep his
horses In better shape. Billy Leoiss
esosured. - she passed them By.
Farther along. Billy Louise heard .
welcoming nicker and turned her head.
Here cane Rattler. thin.nanked and
tough.coatsd. trotting down . shallow
gulley to meet Blue. The two horses
chummed together whenever Ward
Vas at The Wolverine. Billy Louise
pulled up and waited ill Rattlef
reached her. He and Blue rubbed
aooes. and Blue laid back his ears and
sAook his head With teeth barred. In
playful prstsnss Of anger. Rattlss
licked - his heels ip disdain at The
threat and trotted alongside then.
Billy Louise rode With puckefsd ~
brows. Ward might neglect his stock.
~ he would never neglect Rattlse
Nike this. Al hs must b at home.
slscs Ases was bis horss. Or else 3.
She struck Blue suddenly With hss
psip-snds and went Gathering up the
tssil whore the snow lay In shaded.
erusty patches rimmsd WITH dit. The
1raN was uatracksd favs by tie loose
atsck. Whsrs WAS Wardi Weat bad
hspfeoed to hiVi She looked asain
esnt saddle marks along bic sads, %
eslltals imprint q the eineh under hia
belly. Where Was War0S
Biind, unrsasoning terror 1ilsd Bally
Lsuise. She struck Blus asain and
paunssd late he icy creek csossina
scar tAs stable. Ohs stoppsd thsre
juse loag saossA to - NV empty
aDd desslats Il was, and Asw tn
hsesss al cattle had huddlsl against
IL sAsltssiAg VAN cut Of he batinl
visAs; an hsw the door ws0 shu!
asl fasesssd - that thsy could net
~ h. ~ epsssl Il and looked II
a.l dAut Il again. TAsn sAs turned
asd raa, whitsfacsd. to the eabia
Nhsrs was wardf What had hap
Dsasl b Wardi Thisf q honest maa
RoaeAseoae e t1se-what had hap
Dsood - hint
Dllly Leuiss Nv he doorstep banked
bvee WttA I'D. eFsstsd snow. nes
heart eavs . 3snp and stopped stitl
~ felt ~ kases shake under her
Her facs seeosd 70 pinch tegsthef. ~
assh ciineias eless b ths boaea ass
whsas bslnG sesxsl - coatfatt WitA
tAs deadly fsar that ssitpsd hsf. Il
Was IKE that cAill morning whea sha
~ cfs1t sst q M cot and gone ovei
- msoniss ~ anA had lifted De0
niles hand tAat was hanging down =.
She cane to hsesslf: ~ was ru1'
alag up the creek, away ffsa ~
eab(n. AsasiHg aa1 stumbling evsi
secks, aad gstfiAs tNppsl With Asi