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.She did not know what to think, and she showed it."How do you mean—the real rustlers?" She began hesitatingly; and hesitation was not by any means a mental habit with Billy Louise."I mean just what I said." Charlie's manner was becoming more natural, more confident."I've been riding through the hills a good deal, and I've seen a few things.And I've an idea the fellow got a little uneasy." He saw her wince a little at the word "fellow," and he went on, with an impulsive burst of confidence."Miss Louise, have you ever, in your riding around up above Jones Canyon, in all those deep little gulches, have you ever seen anything of a—corral, up there?"Billy Louise held herself rigidly from starting at this.She bit her lips so that it hurt."Whereabouts is it?" she asked, without looking at him.And then: "I thought you would go to any length before you would accuse anybody.""I would.But when, they deliberately try to hand me the blame—and I'm not accusing anybody—anybody in particular, am I? The corral is at the head of a steep little canyon or gulch, back in the hills where all these bigger canyons head.Some time when you're riding up that way, you keep an eye out for it.That," he added grimly, "is where Peter and I ran across these cattle; right near that corral."The heart of Billy Louise went heavy in her chest.Was it possible? Doubts are harder to kill than cats or snakes.You think they're done for, and here they come again, crowding close so that one can see nothing else."Have you any idea at all, who—it is?" She forced the words out of her dry throat.She lifted her head defiantly and looked at him full, trying to read the truth from his eyes and his mouth.Charlie Fox met her look, and in his eyes she read pity—yes, pity for her."If I have," he said, with an air of gently deliberate evasion, "I'll wait till I am dead sure before I name the man.I'm not at all sure I'd do it even then, Miss Louise; not unless I was forced to do it in self-defense.That's one reason why I brought the cattle down here.I didn't want to be placed in a position where I should be compelled to fight back."Billy Louise ran her gloved fingers down the barrel of her gun, and stuck the weapon back in its holster."I killed Surbus, Marthy," she said dully."I had to.He came at me."Marthy turned heavily toward the spot which Billy Louise indicated with her downward glance.She had not seen the dog lying there half hidden by a berry bush.Marthy gave a grunt of dismay and went over to where Surbus lay huddled.Her hard old face worked with emotion."You shot him, did yuh?" Marthy's voice was harsh with reproach."What did he do to yuh, that you had to go t' work and shoot him? He warn't your dog, he was mine! I must say you're gittin' high-an'-mighty, Billy Louise, comin' here shootin' my dog and accusin' Charlie and me to our faces uh bein' thieves.And your maw not cold in 'er grave yit! I must say you're gitting too high-an'-mighty fer old Marthy.And me payin' fer your schoolin' and never gitting so much as a thankye fer it, and scrimpin' and savin' to make a lady out of yuh.And here you come in a tantrum, callin' me a thief right in my face! You knowed all along who worked them brands.If yuh don't, I kin mighty quick tell ye—""Now, Aunt Martha, never mind scolding Billy Louise; you know you think as much of her as you do of me, and that's throwing a big bouquet at myself!" Charlie went up and laid his arm caressingly over the old woman's shoulder."You don't want to let this upset you, Aunt Martha.Surbus was a mean-tempered brute with strangers.You know that.I don't blame Miss Louise in the least.She was frightened when he came at her, and she hadn't presence of mind enough to see he was only bluffing and wouldn't hurt—""Bluffing, was he?" Billy Louise roused herself to meet this covert attack upon her courage."So are you bluffing.And so is Marthy, when she says she paid for my—" She stopped, confronting an accusing memory of mommie's mysterious silence about the school money, and her own passing curiosity which had never been satisfied."Even if she did, I don't know why she need throw it up to me now
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