The Arizona copper camp. [volume] (Ray, Ariz.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-16
"How De Do, Miss Macdonald"

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admitted. He had a diffident manner
Of receiving compliments which
pleased Billy Louise and gave her con-
fidence needed brace.
"Mr. Seabeck, I've always heard that
you're an awfully square man." she
said. Daddy seemed to think that
you could be depended on in any kind
of a pinch. I hope it's true. I'm
banking a lot on your squareness to-
day."
"Why, don't know about my being
any better than my neighbors," he said,
with a twinkle of humor in his eyes,
which were a bright, unvarying blue.
''But you can bank on my doing any
thing can for you, Miss Macdonald.
think I could be even better than
square-to help a plucky little girl
who"
II don't mean just the ordinary
squareness," Billy Louise put in quiz
city. II mean bigness, too; bigness
that will make a man be more than
square; bigness that will let him see
all around a thing and judge it from
a bigger viewpoint than mere JUS
tice-"
"Hm-mm-if you could trust me
enough to-"
''Tm going to, Mr.. Seabeck. Tn 60
ing to take it for granted you're big
ger thaneyour own squareness. And If
you're Motif you're just a selfish,
weak, 1etter-perfect, honest man, I'll
feel like-thrashing you" Without
doubt that was the Billy Of her which
spoke.
'Tll take the thrashing If you think
I need it," he promised, looking at her
with something more than admiration.
"What have you done, Miss MacDon-
aid? If can help you hide the
body"
'Therew Billy Louise dared to
wrinkle her nose at him-and I don't
know which of her did it. 81 knew
you'd play up like a good sport. But
what if it isn't a body? What if
what if you found some of your cattle
with-with a big Drum over your
brandt" She had a perfectly white
line around her mouth and nostrils
then, but she faced him squarely.
"Hm-mm!" Seabeck gave her a
quick, sidewise glance and pulled
thoughtfully at the grazing whispers
that pointed his chin. II would have
been glad to lend you money, or help
you in any way"
eyes, I know" Billy Louise snapped
her reins impatiently. "But what
would you do about the-cattle?"
"What could do? What would you
want me to do? I should do whatever
would help you. would"
"Would you-be as ready to help
somebody else? Somebody Thought
a-lot-of?"
Seabeck evidently saw light. He
cleared his throat and spat gravely
into bush. 81 see you don't trust me,
after ALL" he said.
II do. I've got to; mean, I'd have
to whether I did or not. It's like this,
Mr.. Seabeck. 1t isn't the big D brand;
of course you knew it couldn't be. But
1t isn't yours, either. Some one was
tempted and was weak. They're sorry
now. They want to do the right thing,
and it rests with you whether they
can do it. You can shut them up in
Jail if you like; you have a perfect
right to do it. Some men would do
that and be able to sleep after it, I
suppose. But / believe you're bigger
than that. I believe you're big enough
to see that if person goes wrong and
then sees the mistake and wants to
pull back into the straight trail,
man-even the one who has been
wronged-would be committing moral
crime to prevent it. To take person
who wants to make a fresh, honest
start, and shut that person up amongst
criminals and brand him as a criminal,
seems to me worse wrong than to
steal few head of cattle; don't you
think so, Mr.. Seabeck?"
What Mr.. Seabeck thought did not
Immediately appear in speech. He was
pulling a little harder at his whiskers
and staring at the ears of his horse.
"That would depend on the person."
he said at last. "Some men are born
criminals"
"Oh, we aren't talking about that
kind of a man. Surely to goodness
you don't call Charlie Fox a born
criminal, or Marthy Meilke?"
Charlie Fox! Is that the person
you mean, who has been"
eyes, it is! And he is horribly sorry,
and so is Marthy, and they'll pay you