Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-03-13
ROYAL RANGER RALPH
- on -:
Tho Vaif Of the Western Prairiles.
CY WELDON J. COBD.
CHAPTER l.
TIE TRAIN WPECKE1J.

"WhO is lt?"
"a spy-onc of the vigilantes. Down
him, or the game is ost!"
These c. aculations, spoken rapidly
and excitclly, broke the silence of a
weird and tragic scene in enc OF the
loyelest valleys of the far West.
They were directed toward man
who had suddenly appeared Upon land
scape which fer over an hour had held
haf a dozen human figures, who had
been lurking in the vicin ty Of lonely
stretch of railroad.
The time was night relieved by the
refulgcncc of a September moon, its
Tays Just beginn 'ng TO il umine mount
ain and valley with a rare crystalline
beauty
Hall mile d stant, whcre the river
stretched dim silver thread of Tadi-
ance. a lonely station showed, from
which glimmercl the light of a singc
lantern.
At the spot where the story opens, the
single railway track curved over a high
trcstlc work and then descended on a
sharp grade toward the station and the
stream.
For years this section, especially the
course pursued by the railroad, which
was n recently constructed branch of the
great Pacific system, had been known as
tho Lone Canyon trail. The station was
called Tcn-spot, and the nearest settle
meDt was twenty miles over the noun
tain at Miner Culch.
Beyond that stretched an Attenuation
of plain and hill and valley infested
even at the time Cf our narrative by
marauding bands OF Savagcs.
The region was one in which a rough,
uncultured set OF miners and rangers
resided, and outlaw bands found it ia
voritc field for thc.r operations.
AS has been stated, one hour previous
to thr uttcrancc of the words that begin
this chapter half do ca men rode uI
TO the scene, dismOunt silently, led
their horses to q thickct near by, and
then became maSScd together near the
railroad.
Hero for some mOmCntS they were en-
gagged in some mysterious movements
abOnt the rails. Cne of their number
went down the tracks to the station,
returned. muttered an OminCus CAL
right" and then their duSky figures
moved hi her and tlithcr Not an audi
bio word was spoken until tall, full
bearded man, evidently the leader OF the
party, startled his companions with thc
exclamation:
acct to covert Someone is coming"
Someone was coming straight dowr
tho tracks-a man past middle age, stal
wart. rugged, and atti:ed in the garb o.
front ersman.
His gait was careless and leisure J
one, as if hc had got tired OF waiting fol
the train at the depot and was strollinE
about to xiii time until it arrived.
All'unaWare of the pcrilOus ambuscalC
that Law in wait for him, he was not con
scious of the presc"cc OF foe until hC
turned a curve in the rail; and fell bach
with a startled cry;
"Whats this! An obstruction on tht
road They'rc at it again! RcdSkins Of
outlaws; there's danger afoat for thu
night train, sure
He turned to hasten back to the sta
tiOn. At that moment six duSky forms
arose from the bushes that lined tht
side of the tracks.
"Fire!"
"Who is hc?"
"a spy-onc of the viglantes! Dowr
him, or the game is lest. "
There was q binding blaze of light,
and six rcyolyerS flashed in the moon
light.
"MisSed him-after him! He mus
not escape and give the arm" crlct
the leader Of tho Coteric.
The stranger had indeed been missed
lie mu have been magical'y alert, FOL
as the bullets whist c past him he drop
ped to the ground and they flew oier hi:
head.
"You scoundrels Como on, whoever
you are"
His voice, Gear and stentoran, rang
out like an indignant roar of defiance
and courage.
He had again sprung to his feet and
had drawn his own revO yer.
At that nom mt his CnemicS made
united rush for the spot where he was.
He was forced to retreat step or two
ACrecpng vine entangled his foot, and
he fell violently backward.
Take that"
The words were spoken by the leader,
as he reached Il c PROSTATE man.
"Desrard outlaw and renegade!
know you. Coward! villain! If l wa!
The words were slcnced suddenly
The leader of the hand-the man hC
had called Despard-ha raised curved
iron bar he cid in his hand. 1t dc
scended with terrific force, cutting
cruel cash in the forehead OF the cour
ageous st. anger, stunning him to ms; n
sibility.
Despards eyes wore haunted, fright
ened EXPIRE ssion, and his face was death J
nae as he surveyed his unconscious foe
"You'ye settled him, Iespard, srok(
one of the men as he crowded. to his side
"N hat does it mean?"
Despard spoke in an awed tono.
"What mean?"
"That man"
"You know HIM
"Know him! Look again, Jim Dan
ton Ali thought you won d rec)g
lizo him."
lie M rs companion peered close al
the face % the prostrat1 man.
"Panger Ralph!" lie gasped out
eyes. Do you remember when last
we saw him, and We left him to die d
prisoner in a cave in the Utah hills? lie
had crossed our trail. determined tC
bring us to justice for q stage robbery.
lie swo-e then that he wou be avenged.
lie escaped. What can his presence
here mean but disaster to our plans:
His oh ect is the sam. as our own-tc
meet the girl who StanCs between nc
and a roval fortune. 1T is an ill Omen
Iantoa | fear. tremOle.
"For a dead man" scOffed Danton
4cor'np'v. "for he is certainly dead th.'