Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1911-03-09
The Great Conserva-
ton Novel

vent forth to his duties with q deep
o,ad conviction of the essential law
,essness of the state and Of America in
general. for this spirit of mob law
was TO be found in some form through
ont the land. He was disguised, but
not beaten. His resolution to carry out
the terms of his contract with the
government remained mistaken.
He carried with him also a final
disturbing glimpse of Eliza Wether-
ford's girl that did indeed threaten his
peace of mind. There was an invol-
untary appeal, wistful depth, to her
glance which awakened in him an in
dignant pity and also blew into flame
something not so creditable-some-
thing which smoldered beneath his
conscious will. She had not escaped
her heritage Of passion, and her
glances. innocent as they were, reused
even in him something lawless.
His pony plodded slowly, and the
afternoon was half spent before he
came in sight of the long, low log cab
in which was the only home he pos
sessed in all America. For the first
time since he built it the station seem
ed lonely and disheartening. would
any woman for love of me come to
such a hearthstoneY' he asked him
self And if she consented to do so
could ! be SO selfish as to exact such
sacrifice? No; the forest ranger in
these attitudes must be young and
heart free; otherwise his life would be
miserably solitary"
He was just dishing out his rude
supper when the feet of horse on
the log bridge announced visitor.
With il feeling of pleasure as well
as relief he rose to greet the stranger
ANY visitor is welcome this night"
he said
The horseman proved to be his for
mer prisoner, the old man Edwards.
who slipped from his saddle with the
never falling grace of the COW man
and came slowly toward the cabin.
He smiled YEARLY as he said: I'm on
your trail, Mr.. Ranger, but bear no
malice. You We're doing your duty.
Can you tell me how far it is to Am
bros camp?''
There was something forlorn in the
mans attitude. and Cavanagh's heart
softeyed. Turn your horse into the
corral and come to supper" he com
manded with western bluntness.
We'll talk about all that later
Edwards accepted his hospitality
without hesitation. TN going up to
take Ambro's place" he began after a
few minutes Of silent eating. Know
wnere his camp isl
Il do replied Ross, to whom the
stranger now appeared in pathetic
guise. ANY man of his age consent
ing to herd sheep is surely hard hit by
the rough hand Of the world" he rea-
soned. and the closer he studied his
visitor the palmer he felt his ungov-
erned past.
4 suppose Gregg paid your fne?" he
said
yes"
in any ether town in the state you'd
have gone down the line"
He reused himself. "See here. Mr.
hanger, you've no warrant to believe
ne. but l told you the truth. Young
Gregg got me to ride into the range
and show him the trail l didn't In
tend to get mixed up with a game
warden. I've had all the confinement
| need"
We'll, it's a closed incident now.
interposed Ross. we won't reopen it
Make yourself at home"
The stranger, hungry as he was, att
with unexpected gentility. and as The
not coffee sent its cheerful glow
through his body he asked. with liven
ing interest, a good many question,
about the ranger and the forest service
You fellers have to be all round men
The cowboys think you have snap
but | guess you earn your money"
"A man that builds trails, lay
bridges, burns brush, fights fire. ride
the roundup and covers seventy-fiv,
miles of trail every week on $50 pc
month and feeds himself and hi
horses isn't what / would call enjoy
ing soft snap"
What do you do it for?''
Tod knows! I've been asking my
sell that question all day today"
RMS playing game warden has som
outs too. That was a wild crowd las
night. The town Is the same old hol
IL was when knew it years ago. Fin
girl of Lie Wetherford's. Lie ha
changed terribly. | didn't expect t
see her have such skein of silk 9
mat girl. She sure looks the queen t
me-"
1ayanagh did not greatly relish thi
line of conversation, but the pause en-
apied him to say: miss Wetherfor
IS not much western; she got her train
ing IN the east She's been with a
aunt ever since her fathers death"
Hes dead, is he?"
20 lar as anybody knows he is"