Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1918-06-21
RANCH AT THE WOLVERINE.

kANCH AT The WOLVERINE.
Then Billy Louise moved from the door
and went over to kneel comfortingly
beside Marthy, aud .Seabeck looked At
the two and Kighedsaksin, though his
eyes were no longer stern. He
pulled q sheet Of paper toward him
and wrote steadily In a prim, upright
chirography that had never q flourish
anywhere, but carefully crossed is and
carefully dotted is and punctuation
marks Of beautiful exactness.
You will pleace sign here, Mrs.
Meilke," he said calmly, coming yer
to them with the sheet Of paper laid
smoothly upon q l~ast-year's best-seller
and with Charles fountain pen In his
other haod. "And II Miss Macdonald
will also Sign. as an indorser, l think
I can safely do away with any mort
gage or other legal security"
Billy Louise stood up and gave him
~ look-which Seabeck did not ap.
preciate, because he did not see II.
"Td ruther give a mortgage" Marthy
said uneasily, sitting up suddenly and
AVOAAAB VAC " tAlC OIAlCAs \ OOu !
want Billy Louise to git tangled up in
my troubles. She's got plenty Of her
own. Her maw's just died, Mr.. Sea.
beck. And I'll bet there was a hos
pital n doctors bill bigger'n this cat
tie note. to be paid. don't want to
pile on" .-
"Now, Marthy. you be still. I'm per
fectly willing to sign thiss note with
you. II 1t will satisfy Mr.. Seabeck,
I'm sure It's the very best We can do
Or-expect." Billy Louise, bless her
heart, was trying very hard to be Crate
ful to Seabeck in spite of the slump
he had suffered in her estimation.
swell, I'll want your written word
that yuh won't prosecute Charlie MOI
help nobody else prosecute him." stipu-
lated Marthy, with sudden shrewdness.
IT men Billy Louise signs this note,
wen pay 1t; and we want some per
lection from you, fer Charlie"
'Hmmm-mm-I see !" He turned and
went back to the Uttered desk and
wrote carefully again upon another
sheet Of paper. II think this will be
quite satisfactory" he said, and hand.
cd the paper to Marthy.
"0it my specs, Billy Louise-ofrn
the shelf over there" she said, and
read the paper laboriously, her lips
forming the letters Of every word
which contained more than one syl-
liable. Narthy, remember, was q plains
woman born and bred.
Il guess that'll do" she pronounced
at last, pushing the ~spectacles up on
her lined forehead. "You read 1t, Billy
Louise, n see what yuh think"
II think it's all right, Marthy," said
Billy Louise. after she had read the
document twice. Its a bill Of sale;
and It also wipes the slate clean Of any
possible I think Mr.. Seabeck is very
c-clever."
Whereupon Marthy signed the note,
with a spluttering Of the abused pen in
her stiffened old fingers and a great
twisting Of her grim mouth as she
formed the capitals. Then Billy Louise
wrote her name with a fine, schoolgirl
ease and q little curl on the end Of the
last d. Seabeck took the paper from
the tips of Billy Louise's supercilious
fingers, returned with 1t to the desk
for a blotter, hunted an envelope,
folded the note carefully, and laid 1t
away inside.
II believe that Is all, Mrs. Meilke. ]
hope you will suffer no further uneasi.
on account of your-nephew."
Tn liable t. suffer some gittin' that
nve hundred dollars paid up" Marthy
returned with some acerbity. I'm
much Obleeged to yuh. Mr.. Seabeck,
Ter bein' SO easy on us. If yuh hadn't
drug Billy Louise into 1t, I'd say yer
too good to be human"
"Hmmm-mm-nOt at ALL" Seabeck
~deprecatingly and left the
room with what haste his natural dig
would permit.
That ended the Seabeck part of the
whole sordid affair, except that he re-
manned for another hour, doing chores
and making everything snug for the
night. Also he filed the kitchen wood
box as high as he could pile the sticks
and brought water to last overnight
since Charles plan to pipe water into
the cabin had remained a beautiful
plan and nothing more. Billy Louise
thanked Seabeck, when he was ready
to go.
Il know you were square, and you're
really big-souled, too. I'll remember II
always, Mr.. Seabeck."
"Wil your" Seabeck looked down
at her, with his hand upon the latch.
'Even if you are put in a position
where you must pay that note-you
will still-Hm-mm! l see. Before !
30, Miss Macdonald, l should like your
to send a man down here to
look after things"
mo, you mustn't" Billy Louise
spoke with prompt decision. "Marthy
might think you were-you see, it
wouldn't do. I'll see about getting a
man. II you will take this note up and
1t in the mailbox for me, John
.ringle will come up tomorrow. Wen
manage all right"
you're quite right. But. Miss Mac
Donald, there is something else. I-er
Hko IN uiva yNv n I;ttIo -