Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-06-12
ROYAL RANGER RALPH;
The Vaif Of The Western PrairieS.
BY WELDON j. COBB.
CHATTER XXV-Continued.


called her name. She stepped slowly
into view and peerel suSpi iouSly into
his face. Then she siczei his hand i'm
pulsYely.
"The rangers friend" She crie1.
"YeS"
~Then you escaped from the Crow, as
my father prOmi,cd?"
IL did Have you heard from the
ranger?" .,
"No. But he is alive and on the tran
of his enemies
GLOW do you know thiS?"
"Thc mountain hermit says 1T must DC
50. although he has not been able 10
tnd him.
~It was he saw with yOu few mo-
ments since?" asked Darrell
"YcS How comes the ranger lrieho
hcre?"
Briefly, Tarrel informed her OF his
adventures sin e last they met she
told him of be ng at the cave when les'
pard had come to demand lnez Tracey
fortune She had secured the caSket Of
Jewels, and had become lost in the her
mits place of abode in the mountains.
When she found her way to liberty,
amid its intricarieS, the ensuing day,
she found that her fathers tribe had
gono
And was the girl Inez prisoner with
thcm?" asked Darrel anXiOusly.
"NcS
She went on to say that she had started
after them, when She came across the
o.d hermit WaifOrd He had lost trace
of Ranger Ralph, but was himself dc-
tcrmincd to rescue the daughter OF ms
old friend Tracey. Together they 1Oi-
lowed tha tribe Two days previous
they came m with a wounded warrior
Of the NIodocs. lie told them that u
portion of Despard's band had pursued
and overtaken the MOdOcs. force
conflict had ensucd, resulting in the
utter defeat of the Indians. The out
laws had wrested large treasure from
Shadow Snake and forced him to fly.
"And the girl-lnez-the MOdocS took
her with them?"
"NO "
"Thc outlaws rescued her?"
"Yes."
"Thcn the camp on the mountain
as theirs. They have the girl with
them, and are seeking their old leader,
DeSpard
Barrel Grey became greatly excited at
this intelligence
"And the hcrmit?" he asked.
~ traced the outlaws here, and Wis
itcd the neighbOrhoOd OF their camp an
hour since"
"You saw Inez?"
81 saw the covered wagon in which
she is. | returned to the hermit. lie
decided to rescue her,
"HOw?"
"By strategy. He will tell me moth
ing, except that he believes he can ;e'
cure her. Stay. you are not going?"
"YeS."
"'To the outlaws camp?"
81 must. | will aid Walford
"You may defeat all his plans.
"No. | will act with the utmost eau
ton"
A minute later he was on his way to-
ward the point in the valley where
narrow path Led to the cliffs above.
Meantime, Wa'fOrd had preceded him
~ some distance. The old hermit was
certainly an adept at disguScs, for he
presented no familiar resemblance 10
his natural character
He reached the cliffs and looked
ecarcaingly around him. Some distance
away he saw the reflection Of a camp
fire and made his way toward it at once.
As he neared it he could make out a
score Of figures and a covered wagon.
For a moment he paused, engaged In
deep thought, as if to decide on def
inte plan of action. Then he placed
The reed he ore in his hand to his lips
Immediately wi d, weird strain awOAc
the Silent echoes Of the scene.
At the camp Dcspard and Danton had
inst been welcomed with the most cX-
travagant cs hibt.onS Of delight
The entire band started in suspicion
and alarm as the strange music reached
their hearing
"What is that?" demanded Despard.
The others seized their guns and stood
ON the defensive. Nearer and nearer
came the music. Into the open space
where tho camp was a strange form
suddenly emerged.
At him the outlaws stared in the pro-
foundcSt surprise To all seeming he
was some demented creature so engroSS-
ed in his music as not to notice them
1t appeared as if he would walk past
them and on through the woods. SuS-
piciouS look came into Dcspards lace.
"ThiS means something" he whispered
TO Ganton.
"YOu think SOP"
al do"
"What?"
"Trrachcry-a spy-a trap"
81 think not He seems to be some crazy
wcodsman He don't even look at us"
"Probably all assumed"
"I'll find out
Danton caught the cd man by the
arm.
"Stop, he ordered.
The disguised Walford halted, and
stared at him wOndcrngly.
"Nhat do YOU Want?' he asked.
"WhO are yOn?"
The king of the woods"
"Wcll, what are you doing here?"
Getting ready for my show "
"What shOw?"
Walford tapped the box on his shoul
der
"Havc you got a show therc?' asked
DantOn."
"IeS."
Hes stark mad," said Danton to Dcs
pard.
81 don't know that replied the latter
"Sce here, stranger; who ntyou here?'
"NO one.
"You're a spy"
"Am L? Nobody ever called me tina
before" replied Walforl, innOcently
"Scc here gentlemen, he called 81 an
ahoat to begin the greatest show OF
earth. Admission free. Gather arOunt
and see if the old king of the wooG
ant regular professional
And executing a caper that SCENE
t. remove all suspicious of his sanity