Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-05-17
CHAPTER ll-continued.


p
~Then the chores aren't done, l sup
pose" Billy Louise went over and
took lantern down from its nail,
turning up the wick so that she couio
light Il with the candle. Go up 20
the ire and thaw out" she invited the
man. wen have supper in a re"
minutes"
Instead he reached out and took the
lantern from her as soon as she hao
lighted It. "You 60 to the hre your
SELF he said. "rn do what's neces-
sary outside"
"why-y"-- Billy Louise, her fingers
stin clinging to the lantern, looked up
nj him. He was staring down at ner
with that intent look she had objected
70 ON the trail. but she saw his mouth
and the little smile that hid just back
of his lips. she smiled back without
knowing II "pI have to go along,
ANYWAY. There are cows to milk, ana
You couldn't very well find the co"
stable alone"
"Think notT'
Together they went out again INTO
the storm they had left so eagerly
Rnlv Louise showed him where was
the nitchfork and the hay and then
dIa the milking while he piled fun the
rnangers After that they went to-
rether and turned the shivering work
horses into the stable from the corral
where they huddled. rumps to the
storm and the man lifted great FORK
fnls Of hay and carried it into their
stalls. while Billy Louise held the IAN
tern high over her head like western
Liberty. They did not talk much, ex-
cent when there was need for speech,
but they we're beginning to feel lit
tie glow OF companionship by the time
they were ready to fight their way
against the blizzard to the house, Billy
Louise going before with the lantern,
while the man followed close behind,
carrying the two pals Of milk that
was already freezing In little crystals
TO the tin.
II didn't quite catch your name, mis-
ter. Mrs. Macdonald said after they
had begun the meal. "But take an
other biscuit, anyway"
warren Is my name," returned the
man. with that hidden smile because
she had never before given him any
opportunity to tell it-"Ward Warren.
I've got a claim over on Mill creek
Bulv Louise gave a little gasp and
distractedly poured two spoonfuls of
suQar in her tea, although she hated 1t
sweotened.
I've got to tell you why even at the
price OF depression. Long ago, when
Bnlv Louise was twelve or so and
lived largely In a dream world Of her
own. she had one day Glanced upon a
paragraph In a paper that had come
from town wrapped around a package
Of matches. II was all about Ward
Warren. The name caught her fancy,
and the text OF the paragraph seized
upon her imagination. Until school
fllIed her mind with other things she
had built adventures without end In
which Ward Warren was the central
figure. Sometimes, when she rode In
the hills. Ward Warren abducted her
and led her into strange places. where
she tried to shiver In honest dread
often and often. however, Ward War.
ren was a fugitive who came to her
for help. Then she would take him tc
a cave and hide him, perhaps, OF she
would mount her horse and lead hin
by devious ways to safety, and upor
some hilltop from which she could
point out the route he must follow she
would bid him a touching adieu and
beseech him in the impossible Ian
guage OF some old romancer to go and
lead n blameless life.
"Jase has got all gone feelings now
mommie," Billy Louise remarked irrel
evantly during a brief pause and re
lapsed into silence again. She knew
that was good for at least 6Fe minutes
OF straight monologue with her mothe
in that talking mood. She finished he
supper while Warren listened abstract
edly to a complete biography Of tn
Mcilkes and earned all about Marthy'
energy and yase's shiftlessness.
ward warrenr' Billy Louise wa
saying to herself. Ward Warrer
There couldn't possibly be two War
warrens; it's such an odd nam
Weir
Then she went mentally over this
paragraph. She wished she did NJ
remember every single word Of 1t, bl
she aid. And she was afraid to loo
M him after that and she wanted
dreadfully. She felt as though he b
longed to her. Why, he was her o.
playmatel And she had saved his Ii
hundreds OF times at immense risk
hers. and he had always been her
voted slave afterward and never fail,
TO appear at the precise moment whit
she was beset by Indians or robbie
or something and in dire need. II
blool he had shed In her behalf
that point Billy Louise startled ht
self and the others by suddenly laug
ing out loud at the memory Of o.
time when Ward Warren had kill
enough Indians to Hll a deep washo
so that he might carry her across
the other sidel
"Is there anything funny about ia
Meilke dying Billy Louiser her mo-
er asked her In a perfectly shock
tone.
NO. / was thinking Of somethi
else" She glanced at the man cyl
her so dlstrustfully from across the
BILE and gurgIed again. 1t was terriI
silly. but she simply could not b.
seeing Ward Warren calmly filing Il
washout with dead Indians so that
might carry her across 1t in his arr
The more she tried to forget that
funnler II became. She ended by lie
ing the table and retiring precipitat
to her own tiny room in the lean
where she buried her face as deep
II would go In a puffy pillow of "
duck feathers
He, poor devil, could not be expec
10 know iuss what had amused