he August gift grew proportionately
larger. The mother was thankful beyond the point of questioning. An
August without Marthy and Marthy's gift of money would have been a
tragedy; and so selfish is mother-love sometimes that she would have
accepted the gift even if she had known what it cost the giver.

At eighteen, then, Billy Louise knew some things not taught by the wide
plains and the wild hills around her. She was not spoiled by her
little learning, which was a good thing. And when her father died
tragically beneath an overturned load of poles from the mountain at the
head of the canyon, Billy Louise came home. The Billy of her tried to
take his place, and the Louise of her attempted to take care of her
mother, who was unfitted both by nature and habit to take care of
herself. Which was, after all, a rather big thing for anyone to
attempt.

CHAPTER II

A STORM AND A STRANGER

Jase began to complain of having "all-gone" feelings during the winter
after Billy Louise came home and took up the whole burden of the
Wolverine ranch. He complained to Billy Louise, when she rode over one
clear, sunny day in January; he said that he was getting old--which was
perfectly true--and that he was not as able-bodied as he might be, and
didn't expect to last much longer. Billy Louise spoke of it to Marthy,
and Marthy snorted.

"He's able-bodied enough at mealtimes, I notice," she retorted. "I've
heard that tune ever since I knowed him; he can't fool me!"

"Not about the all-goneness, have you?" Billy Louise was preparing to
wipe the dishes for Marthy. "I know he always had 'cricks' in
different parts of his anatomy, but I never heard about his feeling
all-gone, before. That sounds mysterious, don't you think?"

"No; and he never had nothin' the matter with his anatomy, neither; his
anatomy's just as sound as mine. Jase was born lazy, is all ails him."

"But, Marthy, haven't you noticed he doesn't look as well as he used
to? He has a sort of gray look, don't you think? And his eyes are so
puffy underneath, lately."

"No, I ain't noticed nothing wrong with him that ain't always been
wrong." Marthy spoke grudgingly, as if she resented even the
possibility of Jase's having a real ailment. "He's feelin' his years,
mebby. But he ain't no call to; Jase ain't but three years older 'n I
be, and I ain't but fifty-nine last birthday. And I've worked and
slaved here in this Cove fer twenty-seven years, now; w