The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-01-18

2 she would not want to bring her mott
: er so far off the main road. In tina
case he would go down and put tina
: Wolverine place in shape. He had n
squeamishness about living on he
ranch instead of his own if she want
, ed it that way. He meant to be BET
ter "hooked up" financially than sh
. was and have more cattle when he pu
, the gold ring ON her finger. Then b
! would do whatever she wanted him t.
do, and he would not have to crucif,
his pride doing it.
You see, they could not have quar-
relied, since Ward carried castles a.
well as the blues. In fact, their part
ing had given Ward an uneven pulls,
for a mile, for Billy Louise had gone
with him as usual as far as the CORA
when he started home. And whel
Ward had picked up his reins and turn
ed 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 impulsively 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 fled up the path, wav-
ing him away up the trail. And. though
Ward never guessed that to her that
kiss was a penitent VOW of loyalty to
their friendship and a slap in the face
| of the doubt devils that still pursued
her weaker moments, it set him plan
ming harder than ever for that stake
he must win before he dared urge her
further toward matrimony.
It's a wonder that the kiss did not
wipe out completely the somber mood
that held him. That it did not, but
served merely to tangle his thoughts in
a most hopeless manner, perhaps
proves how greatly the inner life of
Billy Louise had changed her in those
two weeks
She changed still more in the next two
months, however. There was the strain
of her mother 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 return attack OF
the illness, and she must not let her
mother suspect that there was danger
of a return. That much the doctor had
made plain to her
Besides that. there was an undercur.
rent of gossip and rumors Of cattle
stealing whenever a man stopped at
the ranch. 1t worried Billy Louise in
spite of her rebuilt belief in Ward
Doubt would seize her sometimes in
spite of herself, and she did not see
Ward often enough to let his PERSONAL
ty fight those doubts. She saw him
just once in the next two months and
then only for an hour or so.
A man rode up one 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 a
coarse, loose Tipped mouth and thick |
neck, and, girl-like, she took violent |
dislike to him. But John Pringle told |
her afterward that he was Buck Olney, |
the new stock inspector, and that he |
was prowling around to see if he could |
find out anything.
Billy Louise worried a good deal aft |
er that. Once she rode out early with
the intention of going to Wards claim
to warn him. But three miles of saner
thought changed her purpose. She
Jared not leave her mother all day, for
one thing, and for another she could
scarcely warn Ward without letting
Al haf oh foIf he Ia6 |
ng, and even Billy Louise shrank from
what might follow.
The stock inspector stopped again on
lis way back to the railroad. Billy
louise was so anxious that she smoth-
red her dislike and treated him nice
Y, which thawed the man to an alarm
ng amiability. She questioned him art
Billy Louise for that-and
he decided that the stock inspector
vas either very poor detective or a
cry good actor. He did not, for in
lance, mention any corral hidden in a
lind canyon away back in the hills,
nd Billy Louise did not mention it,
ither He had not found any worked
rands, he said. And he did not appear
D know anything further about Ward
nan the mere fact of his existence.
There's a fellow holding down q
Iaim away over on Mill creek" he
ad remarked "I'll look him up when
come back, though Seabeck says he's
Il right"
Ward is all right" asserted Billy
ouise rather unwisely. |
Haven't a doubt of it. / thought
aybe he might have seen something
lat might give us a clew." Perhaps
lie stock inspector was wiser than she
i've him credit for being. He did not n
any rate pursue the subject any fur IL
Ter until he found an opportunity to d
TX to Mrs. Macdonald herself Then a
. artfully mentioned the fellow Oh G
i'll creek, and because she did not d
low any reason for caution he got all Il
e information he wanted and more, W
r mommie was in one Of her gar II
lous humors. IL
After that the days drifted quietly n
r a month and grew nippier at each
d and lazier In the middle, which
cant that the short summer was over
d that fall was getting ready to Is
int the wooded slopes with her gay W
! kIrk