the miracle of love that had brought
them together. There is one thing which Billy Louise, even in her most
self-revealing mood, did not tell Ward, and that is her doubts of him.
Never once did he dream that she had suspected him and wrung her heart
because of her suspicions--and in that I think she was wise and kind.

They found Seabeck and Floyd Carson and another cowboy at the Cove,
just preparing to leave. Marthy, it transpired, had wanted to make her
will, so that Billy Louise would have the Cove when Marthy was done
with it. Billy Louise cried a little and argued a good deal, but
Marthy had not lost all her stubbornness, and the will stood unchanged.

When Ward understood all of the circumstances, he hobbled into the
kitchen and signaled Seabeck to follow him; and there he counted out
five hundred dollars from his last gold-harvest and with a few crisp
sentences compelled Seabeck to accept the money. (At that, Seabeck
stood a loser by Charlie's thievery, but no one knew it save himself,
since he never mentioned the matter.)

Billy Louise and Ward were married just as soon as Ward was able to
make the trip to the county-seat, which was just as soon as he could
walk comfortably with a cane.

They stayed the winter in the Cove, and a part of the spring. Then
they buried grim, gray old Marthy up on the side hill near Jase, where
she had asked them to lay her work-worn body when she was gone.

They were very busy and very happy and pretty prosperous with their
three ranches and what gold Ward washed out of the gravel-bank while
they were living up on Mill Creek, so that he could prove up on his
claim. They never heard of Charlie Fox again, or of Buck Olney--and
they never wanted to.

If you should some time ride through a certain portion of Idaho, you
may find the tiny valley of the Wolverine and the decaying cabins which
prove how impossible it is for a couple to live in three places at
once. If you should be so fortunate as to meet Billy Louise, she might
take you through the canyon and point out to you her cave and
Minervy's. It is possible that she might also show you the washout
which always made her and Ward laugh when they passed it. And if you
ride up over the hill and along the upland and down another hill, you
cannot fail to find the entrance to the Cove; and perhaps you will like
to ride down the gorge and see the little Eden hidden away there. You
may even ride as far as Mill Creek; but yo