Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-29
CHAPTER XII.
The Brave Buekaroo.

in your whole life got Christmas pres
emit? I've been cultivating the Louise Of
me. and here are the first fruits of my
endeavor-I guess that's the way they say
1t. I've spent 50 much time sitting by
mommie when she's asleep and get tired
Of reading all the time, so q nurse in this
ward-mommie has q room to herself. OF
course. but not q special nurse. because
i can do lot Of the little things. Well.
the nurse taught me how to hemstitch.
So got some silk and made some nice
soft neckerchiefs-one for you and one
for me.
This ono I made last. I didn't want
your eagle eyes seeing all the bobby
stitches on the first one. I hope you like
1t, Ward. Every stitch stands for q
thought Of the hills and our good times
I've brought Minervy back to life. and
But they always break up into pieces. I'm
not a kid now. you see. And life IL a lot
different when you got out into It. isn't It?
Mommie doesn't seem to get much bet
ter. I'm worried about her. She seems
to have lot 80. somehow. She never talks
about the ranch much or even worries
about whether Phoebe Is keeping the win
dows washed. She talks about when she
was q little girl and about when she and
daddy were drst married. 1t gets on my
nerves to SEQ how she has slipped out Of
everyday life. Tho nurse says that's COM
mon. though. IN sickness. she says
could 60 home and look after things for
a week or 10 just a. we'll as not She
says mommie would BE- al right But i
hate to leave her.
I'm awfully homesick for . good old ride
on Blue. miss him terribly. Have you
seen anything Of the cove folks lately
Seems like I'm clear out of the world.
hate town, anyway, and a hospital Is the
limit for dismalness. Even the Louise OF
me IL getting ready to do something aw-
full II have to stay much longer. Nom
mie sleeps most of the time. believe they
dope her with something. She doesn't
have that awful pain 30 bad. 80 oon.
read and sew and wait for her to wake
up andNwa something.
And this 10 Christmas. almost. ! won.
der what you'll be doing. Say, Ward
you want TO be q perfect jewel OF man
send mo some OF that 1erky you've COY
swiped some that last time was there.
It would taste mighty good to me now
after all this hospital truck.
We'll. q merry Christmas. Pal-o' -mine.
and here's hoping you and mommie ana
I will be eating turkey together at the
Nummy-num! Wouldn't that taste sood'
Now remember and write = whole tablet
full to BILLY LOUISE
Phoebe nut that letter on the mantel
over the fireplace the day after Christ
mas.
Billy Louise refrained from expect
ing any reply until after New Years;
then she began to look for letter,
and when the days passed and brought
her no word her moods changed often
er than the weather. a....
Wards literary efforts along about
that time consisted Of cutting notches
in the window sill beside his bunk.
On the day when the stage driver
gave Billy Louise's letter to Phoebe
Ward cut a deeper, wider notch, think
ing that day was Christmas. Under
the notch he scratched a word with
the point OF his knife. 1t had four
letters, and 1t told eloquently Of the
state Of mind be was in.
The letter gathered dust upon the
mantel down at the Wolverine. When
the postmark was more than two
weeks old another letter came, and
Phoebe laid It on the first one with
fingers that tr6mbled little. Phoebe
had q letter Of her own that day. Both
were thin, and the addresses were more
scrawly than usual. Phoebe's Indian
instinct warned her that something
was amiss.
This was Wards letter:
Oh, God, Ward, mommie's dead. She
died last night. ] thought she was asleep
till the nurse came in At 6 o'clock. I'm
q! slona and don't know what to do. I
wish you could come, but II you don't get
this right away I'll sec you at the ranch.
I'm coming homo a. soon as can. Oh,
Ward, hate life and everything.
BILLY LOUISE.
Please Ward. stay at the ranch till
come. I want to see you. feel as II
you're the only friend I've got left, now
mommies gone. She looked SO peaceful
when they took her away-and 80 strange.
I didn't belong to her any more. felt
d II I didn't know her at all-and there
u such an awful gap In my life-maybe
you'll understand. You always do.
The day that letter was written
Ward drew plan Of the house he
meant to build some day, with a.widc
porch on the front, where hammock
would swing comfortably.
He had no presentiment Of Billy's
/ nesd Of him, which was just as well,
\ since he was absolutely powerless to
help her.
Bully Louise, having arrived unex-
pectediy on the stage, pulled OF her
fur lined mittens and put her chilled
N NIX ssl s4, SO y