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Show Cavanagh, Forest Ranger H B The Great Conservation H Novel U By HAMLIN GARLAND H Copyright, loio, by Hamlin Garland fl CnAl'TtiR XVIII. B A CALL FOIl IIEIP. ON the following morning, wbllo thoy wero busy packing for -tho Journey to Sulphur, Red- field rolled up to tho door In H company with n young man In tho unl- H form of a forester. H "do ask Ileddy to couio In,'' com- H mnnded Llze. "I want to see hlui." H Redfleld met tlic girl at tho door and H presented his companlou ns "Mr. Dal- H ton, district forester." Dalton wos n H tall young"fellow with a marked south- H era accent. "Is Cavauagb, tbe ranger, MM In town?" he asked. m "No," Lee replied, with effort; "ho 'mm was hero a fow days ago, but he's m gono back to tho forest." M Redfleld studied tho girl with keen fl gaze, perceiving u pnsslonnto restraint H In her face 1 "Bow Is your mother?" he asked po- Utely. M Lee smiled faintly. "She's ablo to M tit up. Won't you come In and see bor?" H "Wltb pleasure," assented Hedfleld, 1 "but I want to seo you ulonc. I hare Ut something to say to you." He turned MM to his superior. "Just go Into tho cafe. B Dalton. I'll see you lu a moment." H Leo Virginia, hitherto nshumed of H tbe bouse, tbe furniture, the bed ev- H erytblng led the way without n word H of apology. It was all detached now something about to be left behind, like H a bad garment borrowed It a time of H stress. Nothing mattered since Ross" H did not return. H t Llze, looking uuwoutedly refined and gentle, was sitting lu a big rocking H chair with her feet 011 a stool, bcr H eyes fixed on the mountains, which H showed through tho open window. All H tbe morning a sense of profound H change, of something passing, had op-H op-H pressed bcr. Now that she was about mm to leave tbo valley its cbarm appealed 9ft to ber. She was tearing up a multl-, 9 tudo of tiny roots of whoso existence, ebo had hitherto remained unaware. "I belong here," she acknowledged si-'lently. si-'lently. "I'd bo homesick anywhero elso on God's earth. It's rough and 'fly bit and all that, but so am I. I wouldn't fit In anywhero tbnt Leo bo-longed." bo-longed." She acknowledged an especial liking for Redfleld. and she bad penetration enough, wordly wisdom enough, to kasw that I.ec belonged moro to bis world than to her own and that his guidance and friendship wero worth more, much more, than tbnt of all the rest of tbe country, ber own Included Therefore she said: "I'm mlgbtv glad to see you, llcildy. Sit down, You've gotto hear my little spiel this time." I Redfleld, perched on the edge of a tawdry chair, looked ubout (liko the charity visitor In a slum kitchen) without with-out Intending to express disgust, but it was a dismal room in which to be I sick, and he pitied tbe woman Hie ! more profoundly as he remembered ber lu the days when "nil outdoors" was nouo too wide for her. Llze began abruptly: "I'm dawn, but not out. In fact, I was coming up to see you this afternoon. Lee and 1 are Just nbout pulling out for good." "Indeed! Why not go back with me?" "You can tnko tbe girl back if you wont to, but now that I'm getting my chance nt you 1 niny not go." Redflcld's tono was entirely cordial as ho turned to Leo. "I came hoping to carry you nway. Will you come?" "I'm afrnld I can't unless mother goes," she replied sadly. LI7.0 waved an imperative hand "Fade away, child. I want to talk witli Mr. Redfleld alone, do-seel" Thus dismissed, Leo went back to tho restaurant, where sho found the forester Just sitting down to his luncheon. lunch-eon. "Mr. Redfleld will bo out In a few minutes," sho explained. "Won't you Jolu me?" ho asked in the frank accent of ono to whom women wom-en nre comrades. "Tho supervisor has been telling mo about you." She took a seat facing him, feeling something refined In bis long, smoothly smooth-ly shaven, boyish face. He seemed very young to bo district forester, nnd his eyes wero a soft brown, with small wrinkles of laughter playing round their corners. Ho began nt onco on tbe subject of his visit "Hedfleld tells mo you are a friend of Mr. Cavanagh's. Did .you know that ho bnd resigned?" She faced him with startled eyes. "No, indeed. Hns he done so?" "Yes. Tho supervisor got a letter yesterdny Inclosing his resignation and asking to be relieved at once. And when I heard of It I asked the supervisor to bring mo down to seo him. He's too good a ninn to lose." "Why did ho resign?" "He seemed very bitter over tho chief's dismissal. Hut 1 bopo to persuade per-suade him to stay in the service. He's too valuable n man to lose Just now, when the war Is so hot I realize that his salary Is too small. But tbero are other places for him. Perhaps when ho knows that I have a special note to him from tho chief ho will recou-sldcr. recou-sldcr. He's quite capable of tho supervisor's su-pervisor's position, and Mr. Redfleld is willing to resign in his favor. I'm telling you all this because Mr. Redfleld Red-fleld hns told me of your Interest In Mr. Cavanngh, or, rather, his Interest in you." . Sam Grogg. entering tbe door at this moment, came directly to tho forester's forest-er's tuble. He was followed by tho sheriff, a bearded old man with a soiled soil-ed collar nnd n dim eye. Gregg growled out, "You'd better keep jour man Cavanagh in the bills, Mr. Forester, or somebody will toko a pot shot at him." "Why, what's now?" "lift assistant Is down with smallpox." small-pox." "Smallpox :" exclaimed Dalton. Every Jnw was tlxed and every eja turned upon tho speaker. "Smallpox!" gasped Lee. Gregg resumed, enjoying tho sensation sensa-tion ho was crcntlug. - "Yes, that Basque herder of mine, the ono up near Black Tooth, sent word ho wrfs sick, so I hunted up an old tramp by tbe uamo of Edwards to tuko bis place. Edwards found tho dago dying of pox and skipped out over tho range, leaving leav-ing him to die alono. Cavanagh went up and found the dago dend and took enro of him. Result Is bo's full of germs and bus brought his apprentice down with it, and both of 'cm must be quarantined right whero they are." "Good heavens, man," exclaimed Dalton, "this is serious business! Are you sura it's smallpox?" "Ono of jny men canio from there Inst night. I was tbero myself on Monday; so was the deputy. Tbo sheriff sher-iff missed Tom this morning, but I reached him by phone, and Cuvanagn admitted to us Hint tho Basque died of smallpox and that bo hmicd him with his own hands." The sheriff spoke up "Tho criminal part if II In thU, Mr. Dultou Cuvn-uugli Cuvn-uugli didn't report the case when bo eni"e (' 11 here. Just when nbout leaving leav-ing a ti.iii of poison. Why didn't bo icpiiit it V lie should he arrested." "Walt 11 moment." snld Dalton. "Perhaps "Per-haps It wasn't pox; perhaps It was only mountain fever. Ciivmiagh Is not tbe kind of man to lurolvo others In a peslllein e. I reckon bo knew It was nothing hut 11 fever, and, not wishing to alarm bis friends, he Just slid Into town mid out nguin." A Hash of light, of beat, of Joy, went through I.eo's heart ns she listened to Daltou's defense of Cavanagh. "That was tho reason why ,ho rode nway," he thought. "Ho was afraid of bring-fug bring-fug harm to us," And this conviction lighted her face with a smllo oven while, tho forester continued his supposition sup-position by saying, "Of course proper precautious should bo taken, and as wo are going up there tbo supervisor and I will seo that a quarantine Is established es-tablished if wo find it necessnry." Gregg wns not satisfied. "Cavanagh admitted to the deputy nnd lo mo that be believed tbo en so to be smallpox and snld tbnt be had dostroyed the camp and uverythlug connected with It except tho horse and tho dog, and yet ho comes down here, Infecting everybody ev-erybody ho meets," Ho turned to Leo. "You'd belter burn the bed be slept on. He's left a trull of germs wherever wher-ever ha went. I .-iny tho man Is criminally crim-inally liable and should bo Jailed If he lives to get back to town." Leo's until was oft now on nnothcr tangent. "Supposo It is truo?" she asked herself. "Supposo ho has fallen ' sick uway up there, miles and miles ! from any nurso or doctor" "There's somethlug queer nbout tho whole business," pursued Gregg. "For tnstnuce, who is this nsslstniit he's got? Johnson said tbero was nn,o1d man In ranger uniform pottering round. Why didn't he send word by bliu? Why did ho let mo como to tbo door? He might hnvo Involved mo In the disease. dis-ease. I tell you, If jou don't tnko enro of him (ho people of tho qpunty will." The forester looked grave, "If he knew It was smallpox and failed to refiort it ho did wrong, but you say be took cure of this poor shepherd nursed him till bo died and burled htm, taking all precautions. You can't complain of that, can you? That's tho net of a good ranger and a bravo man. You wouldn't have dono It!" ho ended, addressing Gregg. "Sickness up thero two full miles aboo sea level Is quite a different proposition from sickness lu Sulphur City or the Fork. I shall not condomn Mr. Cavanagh till I hear ills side of tho story." Lee turned a grateful glance upon him. "You must bo right I don't bc-llevo bc-llevo Mr. Cavanagh would decclvo nuy one." "Well, we'll soon know tho truth," said Dalton, "for I'm going up there. If the ranger has been exposed ho must not be left nlonc." "Ho ain't nlonc," declared tho sheriff. sher-iff. "Tom phoned mo that ho bad nn assistant." "Swcnson, I suppose," said Redfleld, who entered at this njoment. "Swen-son "Swen-son is his assistant." "I didn't see him myself," Gregg continued, "but I understood the deputy dep-uty to say tbnt ho was an old man." "Sweuson Is n oung man." corrected correct-ed Redfleld The sheriff Insisted "Tom said It wns nn old man a strnuger to him tall, smooth shaven, not very strong, he said 'penred to he a cook He had helped nurse the dago, so Tom said." "That's very curious." mused Red-field. Red-field. "There Isn't an old man lu the service of this forest Thrie'x a nils-take nils-take somewhere." "Well," concluded Gregg, "that's what be bald. I thought nt' first It might bo that old hobo Edwards, but this feller being lu uniform and smooth shaven" Ills face changed; his voice deepened. "Sny, I believe It vtas Edwards, and, furthermore, Edwards is tho convict that Texas marshal wus after tho other duy, and this man Cavanagh your prlzo ranger is harboring har-boring him." "What nonsensel" exclaimed Red-field. Red-field. Tho sheriff banged his hand upon tbo tablo. "That's tbo whole mystery. I seo It nil now. He's up thero concealing con-cealing this man. ITo's given out this smallpox scare Just to keep tbo ofll ccrs nway from him. Now you've got It!" Tho thunder lu his voice drew toward to-ward him all tboso who remained lu tbo dining room, and Leo found herself her-self ringed about by a dozen excited men, but sho did uot flinch. Sho was too deeply concerned over Cavanagh's fato to bo afraid, and, besides, Red-field Red-field and tbo forester wero beside bcr. Tho supervisor was staggered by Gregg's nccusntlon and by certain con tlrmatory facts In bis own possession, but ho defended Cavanagh bravely. "You're crnzy," bo replied. "Why should Ross do such a foolish thing? What is his motive? What interest would be have in this man Edwards, whom you cnll n tramp? He can't bo a relative aud certainly not n friend of Cavanagh's, for you say he Is a convict. Come, now, your hatred of Cavanagh has gono too far." Gregg was somewhat cooled by this dash of reason, but replied: "I don't know what relation bo Is, but theso nro facts. IIo's concealing an escaped convict, nnd ho knows it." Dalton put in a quiet word. "What is the uso of shouting a Judgment against a ninn liko Cavanagh before you know tbo facts? IIo's ono of tbo best nnd ablest rangers on this forest I don't know why bo has resigned, but I'm sure" "Hns he resigned ?' asked Gregg en I gerly. I "He has." I "A good Job for him. I wns about to ' circulate a petition to hnvo him re . moved." "If all tbo stockmen in the valley I had signed a petition against him ii wouldn't bavo done any good," re piled Dalton. "Wo know a good man when wo see him. I'm here to offer 111 tn piomotlon, not to punish him " Lee, looking about at the faces of these men nnd seeing disappointment In their faces, lost the keen sting of her own humiliation. "In the midst of such a fight as this bow can he give time or thought to mo?" Painful as tho admission was, she was forced to admit that she was a very humble factor Iiru Very largo campaign. "Hut supposo ho falls ill!" Her faco grew white nnd set nnd her lips bitter "That would bo tho final tragic touch," sho thought, "to have him come down of a plaguo from nursing 0110 of Sum Oregg's sheep herders." Aloud she said: "Ills resignation comes Just In time, doesn't It? Ho can now be sick without loss to tho service." Dalton answered her. "The supervisor super-visor has uot accepted his resignation. On tho contrary, I shall offer liltu n higher position, Ills career as a forester for-ester Is only beginning Ho would bo foolish lo glvo up tho work now. when tho avenues of promotion nro Just opening. I enn offer him very soon tho supervision of n forest' As they talked Leo felt herself sinking sink-ing the while her lover rose. It wns all truo. Tho forester wos right Ross wns capable of any work thoy might demand of him. Ho was too skilled, t) Intelligent, too mnnly, to remain lu tbe forest heroic ns Its duties du-ties scorned. Upon this .discussion Llze, hobbling painfully, appeared. With a cry of surprise Lee ruse to meet her. "Mother, you must not do this!" She wioed her away. "I'm all right," she said, "barring tho big marbles mar-bles In my slippers." Then she turned to Dalton. "Now, what's It all about? Is It truo tbnt Ross Is down?" "No. So fur ns we know, lie Is well." "Well, I'm going to And out. I don't Intend to set here and have him up thero without a cook or u nurse." At this moment n tall, fair young fellow, dressed in 11 ranger's uniform, entered the room nnd made his way directly to the spot whero Lee, her mother nnd Hedfleld wero standing;. "Mr. Supervisor, Cavanagh hns sent mo to tell you tbnt bo needs a doctor. IIo's got n sick man up nt the station, and he's afraid It's a case of smallpox." small-pox." He turned to Lee. "Ho told mo to tell you that bo would hnvo written, only ho wns nfrnld to oven send n letter out" "Whnt does he need?" nsttcd Red field. "He needs medlcluo nnd food, n doctor, doc-tor, nnd ho ought to hnvo a nurse." "Thnt's my Job." snld Llze. "Nonsense!" snld Redfleld. "You're not fit to ride n mllo. I won't hear of your going." "Yon wait nnd seo. I'm going, nnd you cun't stop me." "Who is tho man with him?" asked tbo forester. "I don't know an old herder, ho said. Ho said ho could tnko caro of htm nil right for tho present, but tbnt If bo were tnken down himself" Lee's mounting emotion broko from her In n llttlo cry. "Ob, Mr. Redfleld, pleaso let mo go tool I want to holpl I must help!" Redfleld said: "I'll telephono to Sulphur Sul-phur City and nsk Brooks to get a nurse nnd come down as soon as possible. pos-sible. Menuwbllo I'll go out to seo whnt the conditions' nre." "I'm going, too, I tell you," announced announc-ed LI70. "I've had tho cussed disease, dis-ease, and I'm not afraid of It Wo hud threo sieges of It In my family. You get me up there, and I'll do the rest" "But you nro 111." "I wns, but I'm not now." Her volco was firmer than It had been for days. "All I needed was something to do. Ross Cavanagh has been liko n son to mo for two years. He's tho ono ninn In this country I'd turn my band over for barring yourself, Roddy and it's my Job to seo him through this pinch." ' In spite of nil opposition sho had her wuy. Returning to tier room to get such clothing as sho needed for her stay in tbo bills, bIio wultcd for Redfleld to send n corrlogo to her. "I can't rldo n horse no more," sho sorrowfully sor-rowfully admitted. Leo's secret was no secret to nny one there. Her wide eyes and heaving breost testified to tbo profound stir in bcr heart. Sho was in an nngulsh of fenr lest Ross should already bo in tho grip of his lontlisomo enemy. That it bnd como to him by wny of n bravo and noblo net mndo the situation only the more tragic. CHAPTER XIX. THE PEST110USE. CAVANAGH hud kept a keen watch over Wetbcrford, aud when ono night tho old niau begun to complain of the acbo lu bis bones his decision was Instant. In-stant. "You've got it," bo snld. "It's up to us to movo down tbo valley tomorrow." tomor-row." Wetherford protested that ho would as soon dlo In tho bills as lu tho valley. val-ley. "I don't want Leo Virginia to know, but if I seem llablo to fndo out I'd liko Llze to bd told that I didn't forget her nnd that I camo back to find out bow she was. I bato to be a uulsunco to you, and so I'll go down tbo valley If you say so." As ho was about to turn In that nlgbt Ross heard a horso cross tbo brldgo and, wltb Intent to wuru tho rider of his dungcr, went to the door 1 and called out: "Hnltl Who's tbeio?" j "A friend," replied the stranger lu 11 1 w enk voice. ! Ross permitted tbo visitor to ride up to tho pole. "I can't nsk you In,", he explained, "l'vo a sick ninn Inside Who are you. and what can I do for you?" Notwithstanding this warning the rider dropped from his saddle and camo Into tho light which streamed from tho door. "My name Is Dunn," ho began. "I'm from Deer Creek." "I know you," responded thu ranger. "You'ro that rancher I snw working In the ditch tbe day I went to telephone, tele-phone, and you've come to tell me lometlilng nbout that murder." Tho other man broke Into n whim-per. whim-per. "I'm 11 "law abiding man, Mr. Cnv-nnngh," Cnv-nnngh," he began tremulously, "l'vo always kept tbe law und never Intended Intend-ed to have anything to do with that business, I wos dragged Into It 1 against my will, Vo come to you bo-cnuso bo-cnuso you're nn ofllcer of the federal Jaw. You don't belong hero. I trust j you. You represent the president, and I want to tell you what I know, only I want you to promise not to bring me Into It, I'm a man with a family, and I can't bear to hnvo them know the truth." There were deep agitation ond com-pleto com-pleto sincerity fu tho rancher's choked and hesitant utterance, and Cavanngh turned cold with a premonition of what he was ubout to disclose. "I am not an ofllcer of the Inw Mr Dunn, not in th sense you menu, hut I will respect your wishes " "I know that you nre not nn officer of tbe county Inw, but you'ro not a cattleman. It Is jour business to keep the peace in tho wild country, nnd you do It Everybody kuows that But I can't trust tbo officers of tills country; they're nil afraid of tho cowboys. You nro not afraid, and you represent tho United States, and I'll tell you. 1 can't bear It any longer)" lie walled. "I must tell somebody. I can't sleep, and I can't eat I've been like n ninn in n nlgt'.imnir ever since. I had no hand In the killing I didn't eeii sea It done but I knew It was going lo happen' I saw the committee appointed. The meeting that decided It wns held In my burn, but 1 didn't know what thoy Intended to do. You believe me, don't you?" Ho peered up nt Cnvnnngli with white fneo nnd wild eyes "I'm oer seventy years of ngo, Mr. Cavanagh, nnd I've been n Inw nbldlng cltlren nil my lifo." Ills mind, shattered by the weight of his ghastly secret, was lu confusion, and, percehlng this, Cavanagh begun to question him gently Ono by ono he procured the names of those who voted to "denl with" thu herders, One by one bo obtained also tho list of those named on "thu committee of re- Hie IHtOKKDOWSALTOOKTIIiai AND SOI1I1KI) UITTERLT. prlsal," nnd us tbo broken 1111111 delivered deliv-ered himself of tboso licensing facts bo grow calmer. "I didn't know I couldn't believe that tho men on that committee could chop and burn" Ills uttcrnuco fulled him again, nnd bo fell silent abruptly. "They must hnvo been drunk mnd drunk," retorted Cavanagh. "And yet who would believe that oven drink could Inflame white moiMo such devil's work? When did you first know what bnd been dono?" "Tbnt nlgbt nfter It wns done ono of tho men, my neighbor, who wns drnwu on the committee, ciiuio to my house nnd asked 1110 to glvo htm n bed. Ho wus afraid to go home. 'I can't face my wlfo nnd children,' ho snld. He told mo whnt hu'd seen, nnd then when I remembered that It hud nil been decided lu my stable and the committee appointed tbero I began to tremble. You believe I'm telling the truth, don't you?" ho again asked, with nltcous accent. "Yes, I believe you. You must tell this story to tho Judge. It will cud thu reign of tho cattlemen." "Oh, no; I cnu't do tbnt." "You must do that It Is your duty as a Christian man nnd citizen." "No, no; l'U stay and help you I'll do anything but that. I'm nfrnld to tell whnt I know. They would burn mo alive. I'm uot a western man. I've never been In n criminal court. I don't belong to this wild country. I camo out hero because my daughter Is not strong, nnd now" Ho broko down altogether nnd, lennlng against his horse's side, sobbed pitifully. Cavanagh, convinced that tbo old man's mind wns too deeply affected to enable him to find Ids way back over tho tough trull that night, spolto to him gently. "I'll get you something to eat," lie snld. "Sit down hero and rest nnd compose yourself." Wetherford turned a wild eye on the ranger ns ho re-entered. "Who's out thero?" bo nsked. "Is It tho ninrshnl?" "No; It's only ono of tho ranchers from below. He's tired nnd hungry, nnd I'm going to feed blm," Ross replied, re-plied, tilled wltb a vivid sense of tbo diverse characters of the two men be was serving. Dunn received the food with an enge, band, and after he had Mulshed bis ro freshmeiit Cavanngh remarked: "The whole counlo should ho obliged to you for jour visit to me. I shall send your Information to Supervisor. Redfleld." Red-fleld." "Don't uso my name," ho begged "Thoy will kill me If they find out that I have told. Wo wero all sworn to secrecy, and If I had not seen that flro, tbnt pile of bodies" "I know, I kuowl It borrltled me. It made mo doubt humanity," responded respond-ed Cavanagh. "Wo of llio north cry out against the south for Its lynching, but hero under our eyes goes on an equally horrible display of rngo over tho mere question of temporary nil-vnntuge, nil-vnntuge, over tho appropriation of freo grnss, which Is h federal rcoureo something which belongs neither lo ono claimant nor to tbo oilier, but lo tbo people, and shouid bo of vnlno to tho people. You must bring tboso men to punishment." Dunn could only shiver In his horror and sepeat bis fenr. "They'll kill mo If I do." Cavanagh at lust suld: "You must not attempt to rldo back tonight i can't glvo you lodging lu tho cabin been uso my patient is sick of smallpox, small-pox, but you can camp In tho barn till morning, then ride straight back to my frleud Redfleld and tell him what you'ro told mo. Ho will seo that you aro protected, Make your deposition and leave tho country If you aro afraid to remain." 1 In tbe end the rancher promised to- H do this, but bis tono wns that of 11 bro- H ken and dlstrnught dotard. All the- H landmarks of bis llfu seemed suddenly H Meanwhllo the sufferings of Wether- H ford wero Increasing, nnd Cnvanngtu H was forced to glvo up all bopo of get- H ting blm down tho trull next jnorn- H tng, nnd when Swcnson, tbo 'forest H guard from the South Fork, knocked1 H nt (ho door to say that ho bad been ten H the valley and that the doctor mi!t H coming up with Redfleld and the dlo H tiit-t forester Ross thanked blm. bin H otdorcd blm to go into camp ncrost H tbe river nnd to wnrn otorybody tc H keep clear of tbo cabin. "Put yom H pneknges down outsldo the door." he H nddod, "and tnko charge of the sllua- IB (Ion mi the outsldo. I'll tnko care of H the business Inside." tiM Wetherford wns In great puln, but: the poison of tbo dlsensa bnd misted H bis brnln, nnd bo no longer worried, H oer the possible dlsclosuro of his Idcu- H ill) At times ho lost the senso of hi. H suiioundltigs nnd talked of his prison U life or of the long rldo northward. M Once be rose lu his bed to bent ofT H the wohes which ho snld were attack- M tng bis pony. H He wns a piteous figure ns bo sfrug- U gled thus, nnd it needed neither hi fl relationship to Leo nor his bravery Iiv M curing for the Basque herder to flit tho ranger's heart with n dcslro to re- M llcio tils suffering, "Pcrhnps I should H Iium sent for LWo nt once," ho mused M ns the light brought out tbo red slg- natures of tho plaguo. H Once tbe old man looked up witli wide, dark, unseeing eyes nnd inur- H mured, "I don't seem to know you." M "I'm n friend. My nnmc Is Cavn- U "l cnu't place you," ho sadly admit- H ted. "I feel pretty bnd. If I ever get ' H out of tills plnco I'm going bnck to tho- , M Fork. I'll get n gold mine; then I'll 'sH go bnck nnd mnko up for whnt Llzo M hns gono through. I'm afraid to go- H back now." "All right," Ross soothingly agreed. M "But you'll' hnvo to keep quiet til) you jH get over this fever you'ro suffering; t "If Llzo weren't so far away sho'd Vt como und nurso me. I'm pretty sick." fM Swcnson camo bnck to say that j probably Redlleld and tho doctor IH would reach the station by noon, nnd tt thereafter, for tbe reason that Cava- H nugh expected their coming, tho hours H dragged woefully. It was after 1 H I o'clock befoie Swcnson announced H that two tennis were coming with- Jt three men and two women lu them. t "ThcyT be bore lu half an hour." H Tbe ranger's heart leaped. Two- M women! Could one of them be Leo M Virginia? What folly whnt sweet, tM . desperate folly! And the other sho IH j could not bo l.lzo. for l.lze wus too t ' feeble to rldo so fur. "Stop them on M tbe other side of the bridge," ho com- H , mnnded, "Don't let them cross tbe H , creek 011 uny piefoxt." H j As be stood lu Hie door tbe flutter H I of u handkerchief, the wnvlng of n " H j bund, mndo Ids pulse glow and hl H ! eyes grow dim. It wns Virginia! H LIro did uot flutter n kerchief or H wave a hand, lint when Swcnson stop- , H ,ped tbo carriage nt tho brldgo sho snld: H "No, you don't I I'm going across. I'm H 1 going to sec Ross, nnd If ho needs help H I I'm going lo roll up my sleeves nnd H I tnko bold." M Cavanagh saw her advancing, and us H sho came near enough for his volco to H , reach her be cnlled out: "Don't coniu- H any closer! Stop, I tell -you!" Ills H volco wns stern. "You must not como- H , n step nearer. Go buck across tbo H I dead lino und stay there. No ono but H the doctor shall enter tills door. Now,. H thnt's fluid." M "I want to help!" sho ptotested. H "I know you do, but I won't hnvo It- This quarantine Is real, und It goes!" H "But suppose you yourself got sick?" H "We'll cross tbnt brldgo wbou wo- H get to It. I'm nil right so far, and lit M cnll for help when 1 need It." H Ills tone was Imperative, nud sho- H obeyed, grumbling nbout bis youth nnd H tho value of his life to tbo service. H "That's all very nice." ho replied, H "but I'm In It. und I don't intend to H expose you or nny one else to the con- H tuglon." H "I've bnd It once," sho asserted. H He looked nt ber und smiled lu ret-- H (ignition of her subterfuge. H "No mutter; you'ro ailing nnd might .. H tnko It again, so toddle buck. It 'a , H mighty good of you nud of Lee to ' H come, but theie Isn't n thing you can H do, nnd here's (he doctor," lie lidded , H ns he leeugiilzeil the young student H who passed for 11 pbjslclun In Onr H Fork, lie wus a beardless youth of H small experience und no great cour- H age, nnd us bo approached with hesb- H taut feet be nsked: H "Are 5011 suro It's smallpox?" H Cavanagh smiled. "Tbe Indications- S3 nre all tbnt wny. Tbnt Inst lmportn- mm Hon of llnsqius brought It probably from tbo steerage of tho ship. I'm jHJ told they've hud several cases over in WM the basin." jUl "Hnvo you been vaccinated?" PBI "Yes, when I wns In tho army." jJH "Then you're nil right" jB "I hope so." , To Bo Contlnuod. |