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Show I Cavanagh, I Forest Ranger The Great Conservation - Novel 1 By HAMLIN GARLAND I 'Copyright. 19 10, by Hamlin Garland I CHAPTER XII. J THE LAW 8TEI-S IX. I "TJUIIE tlioy conic ngalul" colled I I I Idze ns the hurry of feet I II along tho wnlk threatened J A A another attack. Ross Cava- I nagh again drew his revolver and I Mood at guard, and Llze, recovering her own weapon, took n place by his ntdc. With the strength of a bear tho new , assailant shook tho bolted door. "Let ine Jul" ho roared. "It's dud!" called young Gregg. "Go away,, you chump!" "Let mo in or I'll smash this door!" retorted Gregg. "You smash that door, old llullfrog." nnhouueed Llze, "and I'll carry one of your lungs awny. If you want to get in hero you hunt up tho Judge of this !towu and tho constable." Tho old rancher muttered a llerco curse, while Ross explained the situation. situa-tion. "I'm as eager to get rid of these I culprits as any ono can be, but .they must bo taken by proper authority. Bring a writ from tho magistrate and you may have them and welcome" Gregg went away without further word, and Llze said: "He'll find Hlgley Hlg-ley if ho's In town, and ho is In town, for I saw him this afternoon. lie's hiding out to save himself trouble." Leo Virginia, with nn understanding of what tho ranger had endured, nsk-1: nsk-1: "Can't I get you something to cat? (Would you like some coffeoV" "I would Indeed," he answered, and his tone." pleased her. Sho hurried away to get it, while Cavanagh disposed' his prisoners behind be-hind a couple of tables in the corner. "I guess you're in for a night of It." he remarked grimly, "so make your- Helves ns comfortable as you can. .' Perhaps your experience may be a discouragement to others of your kind." Leo returned soon with a pot of fresh coffee and some sandwiches, the night of which roused young Gregg to g tho Impudent remark: '"Well, notice 1J " that! And wu'ro left out!" Hut Kd-wards Kd-wards shrunk into tho shadow, as if the light hurt him. Itoss thanked Leo formally, but there was more thuu gratitude In his iduuce, and she turned away to hide ber face from" other eyes. Strange place It was for the blooming of love's roses, but they were In her cheeks as Hhu faced her mother, and Llze, with fresh acknowledgment of her beauty, liroko out again: "Well, this settles it. I'm going to get out of this town, dearie. I'm done. This ends tho cattle cat-tle country for me. I ought to have turned you back tho day you landed here." The feet halted. A sharp rap sounded sound-ed on tho door. "Who's there'" demimded Llze. "' "Tho luw!" replied u wheezy voice. "Open In the name of tho law!" "It's old Hlgley," announced Llze. "Open the door, Itoss." "Come In, law," she called Ironically Ironical-ly us the Justice appeared. "You look kind of mice eaten, but you're all tho law this blamo town can sport. Come 1n and do your duty." Hlgley (a tall man with a rusty brown beard, very much on his dignity) dig-nity) entered the room, followed by a fdiort, bullet headr I citizen In u rumpled rum-pled blue suit wl 'i a big slur on his breast, liehlud i tho sidewalk Hal-lard Hal-lard and n dozo-i of his gang could be neon. Sum Grci -. thu moving cause of this resurrect l i of law and order, followed fol-lowed tho on istablo. Hlgley opened upon Cavann h. "Well, sir, what's all lids row? Wiat's your churgo against these me : '" "Killing mountain shpp. I caught them with the In:ul of r big nun upon their pack." "Make hint show his commission." houtitl Gregg. "He's never been eom-uilssloned. eom-uilssloned. He's no game warden." Hlgley hemtued. "I ah-oh. his authority au-thority Is all right, Sam; I've seen It. If he can provo that these men killed tho sheep we'll hnve to act." . Cavanagh briefly related how he had captured the men on the trail. "Tho heod of the rum is at tho livery barn . with my hom." "How about that?" asked Hlgley, turning to Joe. ' "I guess that's right," replied the In- solont youth. "yTo KriTeiT tbo'shoep n right." Hlgley was In u comer. He didn't llko to ulfeiul Gregg, and yet the case was plain. Ho met tho lssuo blandly. "Marshal, take these men into custody." cus-tody." Then to itoss: "Wo'll rellove you of our care, Mr. Cavanagh. You may appear tomorrow at 0." It was a farcical ending to n ery ar diioiis thirty-six hour campaign, ami Itoss, feeling like a man who, having rolled a huge stone to the top or a hill, has been ordered to drop It, wild. "I insist on thu maximum penalty of the law, .Tustlco Hlgley, especially for thlt man!" Ho Indicated .Too Gregg. "No moro sneaking, Hlgley," added Llze, uttering bur distrust in blunt phrase. -"You- put theo men through or I'll make you trouble." Hlgley turned and with unsteady solemnity saluted. "Fear not my government, gov-ernment, madam," said ho and so mado exit. After the door had closed behind them Cavanagh bitterly complained. "I'vo delivered my prisoners over into tho hands of thclr'frlends. I feel like a fool. What assurance have 1 that thoy will ever bo punished?" "You have HIgley's word," retorted Llze, with ironic inflection. "He'll line 'cm as much as $10 aplcco and eonflscuto tho head, which is worth fifty." "No matter what happens now, you'vo dono your duty," added Leo Virginia with intent to comfort him. Llzo, now that tho stress of the battle bat-tle was over, fell a-tremble. "I reckon I'll have to go to bed," she admitted. "I'm nil in. This night' service is wearing." She did Indeed resemble tho wreck of a woman ns sho lay out upon her bed, her hands twitching," her eyes closed, and Itoss was profoundly alarmed. "You need tho doctor," he urged. "Let me bring him." "No," sho snld huskily, but with decision; de-cision; "I'm only tired. I'll bo all right ftoon. Send tho peoplo nway Tell 'cm to go to bed." For half an hour Cavanagh remained remain-ed in tho room waiting to see If the doctor's services would bo required, but at tho end of that time, as she had apparently fallen asleep, ho rose and tiptoed out Into tho hnll. Leo followed, and they faced each other in such intimacy as tho shipwrecked ship-wrecked feel nftec, tho rescue. When they were qulto alone Leo said, "You must not go out into tho streets tonight." "There's no danger. These hoodlums would not daro to attack me." "Nevertheless you shall not go!" sho declared. ''Walt a moment," sho commanded com-manded and re-entered her mother's room. t As bo stood there at Llze Wether-ford's Wether-ford's door and his rnlnd went back over her brave deed, which had gone far to atouo for her vulgarity, his respect re-spect for her deepened. Loo Virginia opened tho door nnd stepped out closo beside him. "Her breathing Is quieter," sho whispered. whis-pered. "I think she's going to sleep. It's been a terrible night! You must be horribly tired. I will Cud you some place to sleep. I'leaso don't go till oft-er oft-er breakfast," sho smiled wanly. "I may need you." Ho understood. 'What did the doctor doc-tor say?" "Ho said mother was In n very low state of vltaljty nnd that sho must bo very careful, which was easy euough to say. Hut how can I get her to rest nnd to diet? You have seen how llttlo she cares for the doctor's orders. Ho told her not to touch alcohol." "Sho Is more llko' a man Mufti n woman," wom-an," he answered. ' She led the way Into the small sitting sit-ting room which lay at the front of "WEM,, N0T1CK THAT I AND WK'ltE LKPT OUT." the house and directly opposite the door of her own room. It was lilted with shabby parlor furniture, und in ono corner, stood n worn couch. "I'm sorry, but I can offer nothing better," bet-ter," sho snld. "Every bed Is tnken, but I have plenty of blankets." There was something delightfully, suggestive In being thus waited upon' by u young and handsome woman, and tho ranger submitted to it with the nwkward grace of ono unaccustomed to feminine care. They faced each other In silence, each till .1 with tho same delicious sense of weukness, of danger, reluc-tnnt reluc-tnnt to say good night, longing for tho closer touch which dawning lovo demanded, de-manded, aud yet something In the girl defended her, defeated him. "You must call mo If I can bo of auy help," ho repented, und his voice wns tremulous with feeling. "I will do so," sho answered. Still they did not purt. His volco wns .very tender as ho snld: "I don't llko to see you exposed to such experiences. expe-riences. It angers me to think that tho worst of these loafers, theso drunken beasts, can glaro at you, can speulc to you. They hove- ho'rlgut to breathe tho une air with 0uo like you." She did not smile at this. His voice, his eyes, were filled with tho gravity of the lover whose passion Is not humorous. hu-morous. Against his training, his I Judgment, ho was being drawn Into ! closer nnd closer union with this daughter of violence, and he ndded. "You may not sco mo In tho morn-. log." "You must not go without seeing my mother. You must have your break- j fast with us. It hurt us to think you didn't come to us for supper." Her words meant little, but the look in her eyes, the nluslc In her voice, made him shiver. Ho stammered: "1 I must return to my duties tomor row. 1 should go back tonight." "You mustn't do that. Y'ou can't do i that. You are to appear before the Judge." ! He smiled. "That Is true. I'd for gotten that." Iladlant with relief, she extended her hand. "Good night, then. You must sleep." Ho took her baud and drew her to-ward to-ward him; then, perceiving both wonder won-der and fear In her eyes, ho conquered himself. "Good night," no repeated, dropping her hand, but his voice was husky with Its passion. dlAI'TEH XIII. Till'. 0M) RIIKF.I HKIlDKn. THE ranger wns nwokencd In tho first faint dawn by tho passing of the girl's light feet as she went across the hall to her mother's room, nnd u moment Inter he heard the low murmur of her voice. Throwing off his blankets and making such scant toilet as he needed, ho stepped Into the hall and waited for her to return. Soon sho cume toward him, a smile of confldcnco nnd pleasure on her lips. "How is sho?" ho asked. "Quite comfortable." "Aud you?" His volco was very tender. ten-der. "I am a llttlo tired," sho acknowledged. acknowl-edged. "I didn't sleep very well." "i'ou didn't sleep at all," he declared regretfully. "Oh. yes, I did," she replied brightly. These two ardent souls confronted each other In absorbed sllcuco with keener perception, with new during, with now Intimacy, till he rccnllcd himself with effort. "You must let mo help you If there's anything I can do. Itcuiember, I'm your big brother." "I remember," she nnswered smiling-1 ly, "nnd I'm going out to seo whnt my big brother Is to have for breakfast" j j Cavanagh found tho street empty, silent and utterly commonplace. IIo i went forth to his duties with a deepened deep-ened conviction of tho essential lawlessness law-lessness of the state and of America In general', for this spirit of mob law ' was to bo found in somo form throughout through-out tho land. He wits disgusted, but , not beaten. Ills resolution to curry out i the terms of his contract with the ' government remained unshaken. I He carried with him also a final ' disturbing glimpse of Kliza Wether- j ford's girl that did Indeed threaten his pence of mind. There wns an lnvol- I untnry appeal, a wistful depth, to her glanco which awakened In him nn Indignant In-dignant pity aud also blow Into llnmo something not so credltnblo some-' thing which smoldered beneath his conscious will. She had not escaped her heritage of passion, nnd her glances, innocent ns they were, roused oven in him something lawless. Ills pony plodded slowly, and tho , afternoon wus half spent boforo ho ' enmo In sight of the long, low log cnb- ' In which wus tho only homo ho pos- scssed lu all America. For tho first j time since ho built It tho stntlou seem- l ed lonely aud disheartening. "Would any woman for lovo of mo come to . such u hearthstone?" ho asked himself. him-self. "And if sho consented to do so ' could I bo so selfish as to exact such . Bacrltlco? No; thu forest runger In theso altitudes must bo young nnd ! heart free; otherwise his life would bo ' miserably solitary." " , ' Ho was Just dishing out his rude i supper when tho feet of a horso on i the log bridge announced a visitor. With a feeling of pleasure us well as relief ho rose to greet tho strunger. "Auy visitor is welcome this night," I ho snld. Tho horseman proved to bo his former for-mer prisoner, tho old mnu Edwards, l who slipped from his suddlo with the nover fulling grace of the cow man j and camo slowly towurd tho cabin. He smiled wearily as ho suld: "I'm on your trail, Mr. Hunger, but I bear no malice. You were doing your duty. Can you tell mo how fur it Is to Am-bro's Am-bro's camp?" There was something forlorn In the uinu's attitude, and Cuvauagh's heart softoaed. "Turn your horso Into the corral and conio to supper," he eotn-I eotn-I uiandcd with western bluntness. "Wo'll talk about all that later." Edwards accepted his hospitality ; without hesitation. "I'm going up to I take Ambro's place," ho began after a 1 few minutes of silent eating. "Know . wnere his camp Is?" "I do," replied Itoss, to whom the stranger now appeared lu puthctlc i guise. "Any man of his ago consent-1 lug to herd sheep Is surely hard hit by ' the rough hand of the world," he reasoned, rea-soned, and tho closer ho studied his ! visitor tho plainer he felt his ungov-1 orned past. I "I suppose Gregg paid your flue?" ho snld. "Yes." "In any other town In the state you'd havo gone down the line." no roused hlms-lf. "See here, Mr Ranger, you'vo o warrant to bcllcvo me, but I told you thu truth. Young Gregg got mo to ride Into the rnnge (and sho him tho trail. 1 didn't lu-.tend lu-.tend to gtt mixed up with a game warden. I'vo had all the confinement 1 1 need." "Well, It's a closed Incident now," I Interposed Ross. "We won't reopen It Make yourself at home." ' The stranger, hungry ns he was. ate l with unexpected gentility, and as the ! hot coffee sent Its cheerful glow through his body ho asked, with liven-I liven-I lug Interest, a good many queitloii about the ranger und the forest nervier "Y'ou fellers have to lie all round men The cowboys think you have u snap. ' but I guess you earn your money." "A man that builds trails. Iu.vm , bridge, burns brush, lights tire, rltl'r the roundup nnd covers sevenr.vlhe ' miles of trail every week on $') pci mouth nnd feeds himself and It I- ' horses Isn't what I would call rnJo , Ing n soft snap." ' "What do you do It for?" "God knows! I've beeri nsklng my- I self that question all day today." "This playing game warden tins untile I outs too. That wus n wild crowd last ! night The town Is the same old hole It was when I knew It yenrs ago. Tine girl of Llze Wetherfonl's. Llze bns changed terribly. I didn't expect to see her have such a skein of silk ns that girl. She sure looks tho queen to me." Cavanagh did not greatly relish Mils line of conversation, but the pause enabled en-abled him to sny: "Miss Wethrrford Is not much western; she got her trulii Ing In the east. She's been with an j aunt over since her father's death." i "He's dead, is he?" "So far as anybody knows, he is." "Well, he's no loss. I know him too. He wn.s all kinds of n fool. Ho got on tho wrong side of tho rustler lineup. line-up. Them Wcthcrford women think a whole lot of you. Tears like they'd both fight for you. Aro you sweet on tho girl?" "Now, sco here, old man," Itoss retorted re-torted sharply, "you want to do a lot of thinking before you comment on Miss Wetherford. I won't stnnd for any nasty clack." Edwards meekly answered: "I wnsn't going to say anything out of the wny. I was fixing for to praise her." "All the same, I don't Intend to discuss dis-cuss her with you," was Cavanngh's curt answer. Tho herder fell back Into silence whllo the ranger prepared his bunk for tho night. The fact that ho trans- j ferrcd some of tho blankets from his own bed to that of his visitor did not escape Edwards' keen eyes, und with grateful Intent ho said: "I can glvo you a tip, Mr. Hunger," said he, breaking out of n silence. "Tho triangle outfit is holding more cattle on tho forest than their permits call for." "now do you know?" "I heard ono of tho boys bragging about it" "Much obliged," responded Itoss. "I'll look luto It" Edwards went on: ' "Furthermore, they're fixing for another sheep kill over Micro too. All the sheepmen nre nrmed. That's why I left tho country. coun-try. I don't want to run uny moro chances of being shot up. I've had enough of trouble. 1 can't afford to be hobnobbing with judges nnd Juries. I'm Just n broken down old cowpunch-er cowpunch-er herding sheep lu order to keep clear of tho liquor belt." This seemed reasonable, and the ranger remarked by way of dropping tho subject: "I've nothing to say further fur-ther than this obey tho rules of the forest and you won't get luto any further fur-ther trouble with me. And as for being shot up by the cowmen, you'll not bo disturbed on any national forest. for-est. There never has been a single herder shot uor a sheep destroyed on this forest." "I'm mighty glad to hear that," re-piled re-piled Edwards, with slncero relief. "I've hud my sharo of shooting up and shooting down. All I nsk now Is quiet aud tho society of sheep. I tuke a kind of pleusuro lu protecting the fool brutes. It's nbout all I'm good for." Ho did Indeed look like n man in the Html year of llfo as ho spoke. "Hotter turu In," Cavanagh suld In kindlier toue. "I'm uu eurly riser." The old fellow rose sillily nnd, lay-Ing lay-Ing usldu his boots and trousers, rolled Into his hunk mid wus asleep In three minutes. t'livnnngh himself was very tired ami went to bed soon after to sleep di'iMiuliMidy till daylight. Ho sprung 1Y". i !.. iieil and n ft it a plunge In the i' ... nci about breakfast, whllo Ed-.. Ed-.. ii . i.pm' from his bunk groaning .hi i slghltiK and went forth to wruu-gle wruu-gle the horses, rubbing his hands and hhiwirlug us he met the keen edge of tho mountain wind. When ho returned' breakfast was ready, and again he expressed ex-pressed Ills gratitude. "Haven't you uny slicker?" asked Cavanugh. "It looks like rain." "No; I'm run down pretty low," ho replied. "Tho truth Is, Mr. Hunger, I blow lu all my wages at roulette last week." Hoss brought out u canvas coat, well worn, but serviceable. "Tnko this along with you. It's likely to storm before we reach the sheep camp. Aud you don't look very strong. You must tako care of yourself." I Edwards wns visibly moved by this klnduess. "Suro you can spare it?" "Certain sure; I'vo another," returned re-turned tho ranger curtly. It was hardly more than sunrlso as they mounted their ponies nnd started on their trail, which led sharply up-" ward after u 'y left the canyon. The wind wns strong aud stinging cold. Taking pity on Edwnrds, who ws shivering, Cavuungh turned off tho trail Into n sheltered nook behind somo pine trees. "How do you happen to be reduced to herding sheep?" ho nsked. "You look llko a mun who has seen better days." Edwards, chafing his thin fingers to warm them, mndo reluctant answer. "It's n long story, Mr. Hanger, nnd It concerns n whoU lot of other people-some people-some of them decent folks-so I'd rather not go Into It." "John Harleyeorn wns Involved, 1 reckon." "Suro thing. He's generally always In It." "You'd better tuke my gloves liV likely to snow In half an hour. ; nhead. I'm u younger mnu Hum .w.. are." Tho other liindr u decent show of re distance, but finally accepted the i(Tei saying: "Yon certainly are white (. mi'. I wunt to ajMiloglzr for iu:il::i-that iu:il::i-that attempt to sneak away that iiIrIii 1 had n powerful good ronton for i, staying any longer." To Ho Continued. |