Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-05-24

of other less vital details.
"Were they vented?" she asked, sup
pressing the smile so that it was mere
ly a twitch of the lips which might
mean anything.
'I-yes, l think they were. That's |
what you call it when the former own
er puts his brand in a different place
to show that his ownership has ceased, |
isn't it? Seabeck puts his brand up
side down.
81 know Seabeck's vent" Billy Louise
cut in. There was no need of letting
such a fine fellow display more ig-
norance on the subject. And l should
have noticed it if had seen four
calves vented fresh and not rebranded.
Why in the world didn't you stick your
brand on at the same time?" Billy
Louise was losing patience with his
greenness.
II didn't have my branding iron with
me-" Charlie answered humbly. II
have done that before, when l bought
those other cows and calves. T.
You'd better pack your iron next
time," she retorted 'If you can't get
a little bunch of calves ten miles with
out losing them"
'But you must understand / did. /
took them home and turned them into
the Cove. know-Im an awful chump
at this"
The calves may not be absolutely
lost, you know. Why, 1 lost a big
steer last spring and never found him
till / was going to sell a few head.
Then he turned up, the biggest and fat
test one in the bunch. You can't tell.
They get themselves in queer places
sometimes. I'll come over tomorrow
if can and take look at that pasture
and all around. And I'll keep a good
lookout for the calves"
Many men would have objected to
the unconscious patronage of her tone
That Charlie Fox did not, but accept
ed the spirit of helpfulness in her
words, lifted him out of the small ma
tured class.
Its awfully good of you," he said.
"YOu know lot more about the bovine
nature than do, for all put in every
spare minute studying the subject. I'm
taking four different stock journals
now, Miss Louise. I'll bet know a lot
more about the different strains Of va
rious breeds than you do, Miss Cattle
Queen. But I'm beginning to see that
we only know what we learn by ex-
perience. I've a new book on the sub
ject Of heredity of the cattle. I'm 60
ing home and see If Seabeck hasn't
stumbled upon a strain that can be
traced back to your native mountain
sheep"
Billy Louise laughed and said good.
by and stood leaning over the gate
watching him as he zigzagged up the
hill, stopping his horse often to breathe
She began to wonder, then, about those
calves. Vented and not rebranded
they would be easy game for any mar
who first got his own brand on them
She meant to get description of then
when she saw Charlie again-it was
like his innocence to forget the mos
essential details-and she meant tt
keep her eyes open. If Charlie were
right about the calves not being any
where in the cove, then they had beer
driven out of it, stolen. Billy Louis,
: turned dejectedly away from the fenc,
and went down to shady nook by tht
creek, where she had always liked t,
do her worrying and hard thinking.
The next day she rode early to tn
Cove and learned some things from
. Marthy which she had not gleane,
from Charlie. She learned that two o
, the calves were deep red except for
wide, white strip on the nose of on
and white hind feet on the other; tha
: another was spotted on the hindqual
+ ters and that the fourth was white
with large, red blotches. She ha
t known cattle all her life. She woul
t know these if she saw them anywher,
: She also discovered for herself tha
they could not have broken out of tha
y pasture and that the river bank wa
impossible because of high, thick busl
e es and miry mud in the open space
/ She had fight with Blue over thes
/ latter places and demonstrated beyon
e doubt that they were miry by gettin
him in to the knees in spite of his vi
Z lent objections. They left deep tract
y behind them when they got out. TT
calves had not gone investigating Il
y bank, for there was not a trace an
ID where, and the bluff was absolute
'e unscalable. Billy Louise herself wou
~ have felt doubtful of climbing out tn
way. The gray rim rock stood straig
&c and high at the top, with never a ere
ice, so far as she could see, and II
III gorge was barred so that it was il
'i possible to go that way without liftiI
ie heavy poles out of deep sockets al
sliding them to one side.
'u "Pve got an idea about gate here
ne Charlie confided suddenly. ''The
III won't be any more mysteries like tn
v I'm going to fix a swinging gate
place of these bars, Miss Louise.
1t shall have it swing uphill like tn
IL and I'll have a weight arranged so th
~ it will always close itself if one is cal
81 less enough to ride on and leave
N, open. 1 have it all worked out in L
alleged brain. shall do it right aw
ce too. Aunt Marthy is rather nervo
up about this gorge now. Every event
sc she walks up here herself to make ST
the bars are closed"
IL "You may as well make up yo
nd mind to it." said Billy Louise IRE
zee vanity in a tone of absolute certain
90 "Those calves were driven out of
Ut gorge. That means stolen. You need
" accuse any one in particular. l do