Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-05-31

wind oft first when we went out to
bring in a gentle COW that the deacon
wanted on the ranch. We knew where
she was, only she wasn't there when
we went after her. We hunted the
hills for a week and couldn't find a
sign of her or her calf. And she had
stuck down in the creek bottom all the
spring, so it looked kind a funny"
He twisted in the saddle and looked
back at the pine clotted ridge.
There's Y6 calf up there that's
dead ringer for the one we've been
hunting" he observed, "but it's run
ming with a COW that carries Junltins'
old brand, So He looked apologet-
ically into the calm eyes of Billy
Louise. "Of course 1 don't mean to
say there's anything wrong up there"
he hastily assured her. But that's
the reason l thought I'd ask you about
that fellow"
"Oh, it's perfectly right to make sure
of everybody" smiled Billy Louise.
I'D do the same thing myself. But
you'll find everything's all straight up
there. We know all about him and
how and where he got his few head of
stock and everything. But of course
you could ask Junkins if you have any
doubt"
''Oh, Wen take your word for it.
just wanted to know. He's a stranger
to our outfit. I've seen him a lew
times. What's his name? Us boys
call him Noisy. It's like pulling a wis
dom tooth to get any kind talk out
of him"
HE is awful quiet" assented Billy
Louise carelessly. But he's real
steady to work."
Then quiet fellows generally are"
put in Mr.. Birken. "You run stock in
here, too do you, Miss MacDonald?"
'The big d." answered Billy Louise
and smiled family. 1--WE been range
herding them back here in these foot
hills this summer. Do you want to
look through the bunch?"
Mr.. Birken blushed. ooh. no. not at
all! ! was wondering If you had lost
any"
Nobody would rustic cattle from a
lady, l hope. At any rate. 1 haven't
missed any yet. The folks down in the
Cove have, though"
''Yes, heard they had. That breed
rode over to see if he could get a line
on them. It's hard luck. That Charlie
Fox seems a fine, hard working boy,
don't you thinkT
"Yes-s," said Billy Louise shyly, "he
seems real nice" She looked away
and bit her lip self consciously as she
spoke.
The two men swallowed the bait like
a hungry fish. They glanced at each
other and winked knowingly. Billy
Louise saw them from the tail of her
downcast eye and permitted herself a
little sigh of relief. They would be
the more ready now to accept at ifs
face value her statement concerning
Ward, unless they credited her with
the feat Of being in love with the tive
men at the same time.
"Well, I'm sorry Charlie Fox ha.
been tapped Off too. He's a might,
fine chap" declared Floyd, with trans
parent heartiness, his round eye.
dwelling curiously upon the face O.
Billy Louise.
"Yes, | must be going" said tha
young woman self-consciously. "Tv,
quite a circle to ride yet. hope Vol
locate the rustlers, and If there's any
thing l can do-if see or hear any
/ hQf 70 h.
you know right away. I've been keep
ing my eyes open for some trace O
them, and so has Char-Mr. Fox.
Then she blushed and told them good
by very hastily and loped off up tn
ridge
Bark up that tree for awhile, yo
twor' she said, with a twist of he
| lips, when she was well away fror
them. "You-you darned idiots. to g
prowling around Wards place. Just a
if Ward'll take d shot at them /
he catches them nosing through hi
| stock" She scowled at a big d co,
that thrust her head out of an aide
| thicket and sent Blue in after he
! Frowning, she watched the animal o
| numbering down the hill toward th
/ Wolverine. Just because he's a strar
. ger and doesn't mix with people an
i. minds his own business and is tryin
to get a start they're suspicious, as
a man has no right to- Well, / thin
d managed to head them off anyway
e Her satisfaction lasted while she roc
t to the next ridge. Then the litt
l. devils of doubt came a-swarming an
whispering. She had said she kne
a all about Ward. Well, she did to
It greater extent than others knew. b
e she wondered if she did not know tt
# much or II she knew enough The
Is were some things
She headed Blue down the slope al
Il as straight for the Big Hill as 81
,e could CO. There was no trail that wa
and the ridges were steep and the ca
a yons circuitous. But Blue was a go,
he horse, with plenty of stamina al
d much experience. He carried his lat
ID safely, and he carried her willingl
IS. Even her impatience could find
In fault with the manner in which
re climbed steep pitches, slid down slop
I'd as steep, jumped narrow washOuts al
re picked his way through thickets
IN quaking aspens or over wide stretch
of shale rock and lava beds. He W
b. vet to his ears when finally he shl
We fed into Wards trail up the creek b.
ib tom, but he breathed evenly, and
III carried his head high and perked !
ot ears knowingly forward when the G