Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1945-10-12
n 7h14n,d%4!h!!eeee:d!!e=:5
Any OHARA
~.k.U. FEATUR ESQ

at Bostwick's and then into West
Point and no more expense. A way
must be found. But that wasn't all.
What about their own expenses for
the coming year? They would need
two thousand dollars to live on, and
there was thousand dollars of un-
paid bills-hardware, veterinary, ell
evator, machine repair shop-and
that five thousand dollar note to be
paid in October-it had to be paid.
Last year the man had extended it
for a year and said that was the
last time.
She sat nervously upright. Rob
is Bellamy going to take the lease
for the sheep again this fall?"
| Il don't know. Haven't asked him
yet. But suppose he will. Why?"
The last word was shot at her bel
ligerently.
"Well-I was just wondering. The
lease money-that fifteen hundred
dollars-it means a good deal to
u.s."
Rob playfully grabbed her by the
head with his free hand and shook
her. Now you're worrying about
money. Don't bother your little head
about that. I'll attend to it."
"Ouch!" said Nell, catching at her
head. "You hurt" She rearranged
her hair, and returned to her
thoughts. Rob, of course, would nev-
er see or think what he didn't want
to. But suppose he we're different?
Suppose he were openminded and
ACKNOWLEDGMENT ought they to do?
What did people do when they had
spent half their lives doing some
thing that was, apparently, going to
bring them to the poorhouse if con-
tinued? They did not fling good years
after bad. They changed. They
took another road. But Rob? 1t
was as if he were hypnotized-as
if he could not turn or change. He
wouldn't even discuss it. Suddenly
she felt angry. Here they were
partners in the greatest possible en-
terprise-family life-and she must
suffer the consequences of failure as
well as he, yet he would never al
low discussions on unpleasant
themes. He would shout at her,
browbeat her, create such friction
and unpleasantness that she could
not bear tit wasn't fair.
Suddenly Rob burst out: II can
see that I've been awfully dumb"
What do you mean?"
1--WE always thought that you
were with me-"
with your"
I'm everything I did. The ranch,
my work, the horses, my plans-ev-
erything."
"But Robot course l."
"You used to be-" he interrupted.
II don't know when you changed.
I've just been going along like a
fool taking it for granted"
Taking what for granted?"
"That you had confidence in me-"
"You oughtn't to put it that way.
Married people ought to talk things
over with each other and you never
will. 1t isn't that I haven't conf
dence in you"
"But you haven't. That is, you
have no confidence in my ever max
ing 60 of the horses. I know I
will if I hang on. I'll force it to
succeed. You used to know it too.
You were with me. But you don't
know it any longer"
Nell was silent.
"Just exactly what would you like
me to do?" he asked grimly.
"I-I-don't know
| 9th of'S met II va, Iort& l,no,,,
You don't know anything about it.
But while I'm doing all I can to
make 60 of it-lying awake nights
planning how I can keep up or i'm
prove my horses and find the best
markets, you're just sitting back
waiting for the crash so that you can
pick up the pieces"
WELL" she suddenly whispered,
1--WE are on the downgrade, have
been for years. You've said it your
self. You're the one who told me.
You're the one who's worrying your
self sick about it. And we're not
making any sort of change in our
lives, in our plans, so why expect
change in the results?"
Rob stood facing her, feet apart,
his dark head, so significant and
arresting, dropped on his chest. The
moonlight changed his ruddiness of
skin to greenish palIor.
Suddenly Nell held out her arms
nothing mattered-she went to
him. He pushed her away. Don't,
Nell, l can't stand it."
She backed away, feeling humili-
ated. She might have known he
didn't want comfort or coddling, he
wanted his head up again-before
her. But what could she do about
that? While she stood, clasping her
hands frantically together and fight
ing the tears that in moment
could be a flood, Rob walked away
from her and disappeared.
In such moments of uncomfortable
hurt, lovers run away from each
other.
Nell walked down toward the cor
rails and stood against the fence.
Presently she saw the horses ap-
preaching, Thunderhead and Touch
| All 90 He cor,a fN tho fa,oo 81.