The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1918-04-04

q 10 Oan4eI ana naIuSI
muting his homestead right away, 20
that he would not have to hold it
down" for another three years Maybe
she would not want to bring her moth.
or 20 far OF the main road. In that
case he would 60 down and put that
Wolverine place In shape. He had NO
squeamishness about living On her
ranch instead Of his own II she want
Cd IL that way. He meant to be bet.
ter ''hooked up" financially than she
was and have moro cattle when he put
the gold ring on her finger. Then h
would do whatever she wanted him to
do, and he would not have to cruelty
his pride doing 1t.
You see, they could not have quar-
reled, since Ward carried castles a.
well ~ the blues. In fact, their part
ing had given Ward IN uneven pulse
for q mile, for Billy Louise had gone
with him - usual a. far ~ the corral
when he started homo. And when
Ward had picked up his reans and turn
Cd to put his toe In the stirrup Billy
Louise had come close-to his very
shoulder. Ward had turned his face
toward her. and Billy Louise billy
Louise had impuldvely taken his head
between her two hands, had looked
deep into his eyes and then had kissed
him wistfully on the lips. Then she
had turned and ned up the path, wav-
ing him away up the trail. And, though
Ward never guessed that to her that
kiss was Z penitent vow Of loyalty to
their friendship and Q slap In the face
Of the doubt devils that still pursued
her weaker moments, It Get him plan.
ming harder than ever for that stake
be must win before he dared urge her
further toward matrimony.
It's q wonder that the kiss did not
wipe out completely the somber mood
that held him. That 1t did not, but
served merely to tangle his thoughts in
. most hopeless manner, perhaps
proves how greatly the inner life Of
Billy Louise had changed her in those
two weeks.
She changed still moro in the next two
months, however. There was the strain
Of her mothers precarious health
which kept Billy Louise always on the
alert and always trying to hide her
fears. She must be quick to detect the
first symptoms Of q return attack Of
the illness, and she must not let her
mother suspect that there was danger
of return. That much the doctor had
made plain to her.
Besides that, thsee was IN undsccur.
rent Of gossip and rurnofs Of cattle
stealing Whenever . man stopped at
the ranch. Il worried Billy Louise In
spite Of her rebuilt belief in Ward
Doubt would seiss her sometimes in
spite Of herself. and she did not ~
Ward often enough to let his personal.
~ tight those doubts. She saw him
just once I'm the next two months and
then only for an hour q 20
A man rode up oos night and stayed
with them until morning. after the
open handed custom Of the range land.
Billy Louise did not talk with him very
much. He had shifty eyes and q
coarse. loose Hoped mouth and . thick
neck, and, sifi.liks. she took Q violent
dislike to hin. But John Pringis told
her afterward that be was Buck Olusy,
the new stock inspector. and that b.
was prowling around to see II b could
and out anything.
Billy Louise worried . good deal aft
o. that. Once she rode out early with
the intention Of going to Wards claim
to warn him. But three miles Of saner
changed her purpose. She
dared not leave her mother all day. for
one thing. and for another she could
warn Ward without letting
him see that she felt hs needed wan.
Ing. and even Billy Louise shrank from
what might follow.
The stock inspector stopped again on
bis way back 10 the railroad. Billy
Louise was % anxious that she smOth.
eted hsf dislike and treated him nice
b. which thawsd the man to an alarm.
Ing amiability. She questioned him art.
fully-trust Billy Louise for that-and
Tho decided that the stock inspector
was either q very poor detective or q
very good actor. He did not, for In.
stance. mention any corral hidden In a
blind canyon away back in the hills.
and Billy Louise did not mention II.
either. He had not found any worked
brands, he said. And he did not appear
to know anything further about Ward
than the mere fact Of bis existence.
There's Q fellow holding down a
claim away over on liill creek" be
had remarked. "I'll look him up when
I come back. though Seabeck says he's
all right"
Ward IL all right" asserted Billy
Louise rather unwisely.
Haven't . doubt Of II. I thought
maybe he might have seen something
that might give % Q clew." Perhaps
the stock inspector was wiser than she