The Monticellonian., 1918-03-01
rO CHAPTER ll-Continued.

"Then the chores aren't done, sup pose" Billy Louise went over ana took a lantern down from its nall' turning up the wick so that she coulo light it with the candle. "Go up to the fire and thaw out" she invited the man. "We'n have supper in a lew minutes"
 Instead he reached out and took the lantern from her as soon as she hao lighted it. You go to the ire your self" he said. I'll do what's heees- sary outside"
 "Why-y"- Billy Louise, her hhgers still clinging to the lantern, lookeo up at him. He was staring down at her with that intent look she had ob1ecteu to on the trail. but she saw his mouth and the little smile that hid just back of his lips. She smiled back Without knowing it. I'll have to go aiohs, anyway. There are cows to milk, anu won couldn't very well find the COW stable alone.'
 "Think notW
 Together they went out asah lhto the storm they had left so eaeeri9 Billy Louise showed him where was tho nitehfork and the hay ana then did the milking while he piled full the managers. After that they went 'o- gether and turned the shiverlng "ork horses into the stable from the corral where they huddled, rumps 10 the storm and the man lifted great torK- fuls of hay and carried 1t into lhelr stalls. while Billy Louise held the ian form high over her head like western Iiberty. They did not talk much, ex- cent when there was need for speech, but they were beginning to reel ht- tle 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, carving the two pails of milk that was already freezing in little crystals to the tin.
 "I 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. Eve got a claim over on Mill creek
 Billy Louise gave a little gasp and distractedly poured two spoonfuls or sugar in her tea, although she hated 1t sweetened
 I've got to tell you why even at the price of Aggression. Long ago, when Billy Louise was twelve or so and lived largely in dream world Of her own. she had one day chanced upon paragraph in paper that had come from town wrapped around package of matches. It was all about Ward Warren. The name caught her fancy, and the text of the paragraph seized upon her imagination. Until school filled 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 to a cave and hide him, perhaps. or she would mount her horse and lead him by devious ways to safety, and upon some hilltop from which she could point out the route he must follow she would bid him touching adieu and beseech him in the impossible lan- lead blameless life.
 "Jase has got all gone feelings now, mommie," Billy Louise remarked irrel- evantly during brief pause and re- lapsed into silence again. She knew that was good for at least five minutes of straight monologue with her mother in that talking mood. She finished her supper while Warren listened abstract edly to a complete biography of the Meilkes and earned all about Marthy' 8 energy and .ase's shiftlessness.
 Ward Warrenw Billy Louise was saying to herself. Ward Warren! There couldn't possibly be two Ward WarrenS, IL SuCu du ouu udhe. We'll"
 Then she went mentally over that paragraph. She wished she did not remember every single word of 1t. but she did. And she was afraid to look at him after that, and she wanted to dreadfuly. She felt as though he be- longed to her. Why, he was her old playmate! And she had saved his life hundreds of times at immense risk to hers, and he had always been her de voted slave afterward and never failed to appear at the precise moment when she was beset by Indians or robbers or something and in dire need. The blood he had shed in her behalf! At that point Billy Louise startled her self and the others by suddenly laugh ing out loud at the memory of one time when Ward Warren had killed enough Indians to fill a deep washout so that he might carry her across to the other side!
 'Is there anything funny about Jase Meilke dying Billy LouiseY' her moth CT asked her in a perfectly shocked tone.