Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-01-26
CHAPTER III.
LIE AND HER DAUGHTER.

Of the hUtel. AMI her eyes fol-
lowed his upright figure till he
Il entered one of the shops. He
had precisely the look and bearing or
a young lieutenant in the regular
army. She returned to her own room
strangely heartened by her talk with
the ranger
She was still bordering when her
mother came in.
How'd you sleep last night?'
Lee Virginia could not bring herself
to lie. mot very WELL" she admitted.
Neither did |. Fact of the matter is
your coming fairly upset me. I've been
kind of used up for three months. |
don't know what ails me. I'd. ought to
90 up to Sulphur to see a doctor, but
there don't seem to be any free time.
pear to have lost my grip. Food
don't give NE any strength. | saw you
talking with Ross Cavanagh. There's
man. And Reddy-Reddy is what you
call a fancy rancher; goes in for al
fatty and fruit and all that. He isn't
in the forest service for the pay or for
graft He's got regular palace up
there above Sulphur-hot and cold
water all through the house, furnace
in the cellar and two bathrooms, so
they tell me; | never was in the place.
You better keep out of the caffy. 1t
amt fit place for you. Fact is,
wasn't expecting anything so fine as
you ire | laid awake till 3 o'clock last
night figuring on what to do. | reckon
you'd better go back and give this out
fit up as a bad job | used to tell Ed
you didn't belong to neither of us, and
you don't. | can't see where you did
come from-anyhow, | don't want the
responsibility Of having you here. Why,
you'll have half the men in the county
hitching to my corral. You're too good
for any of them. You just plan to pack
up and pull out tomorrow.
She went out with dragging step
that softened the girls heart. Lies
daughter came nearer to loving her at
this moment than at any time since
her fifth year.
In truth. Lie had risen that morn
ing intending ito whirl in and clean
up the house." being suddenly con-
scious to some degree of the dirt and
disorder around her. but she found
herself physically unequal to the task.
Her brain seemed misted. and her food
had been source of keen pain to her.
She gave sharp answers to all the
men who came up to ask after her
daughter, and to one who remarked on
the girls good looks and demanded an
introduction she said: Get along!
You fellers want to understand I'll kill
the man that sets out to fool with my
girl. tell you that"
While yet Lee Virginia was wonder
ing how to begin the days work some
one knocked on her door. and in an
swer to her invitation woman stepped
ina thin blond bag with weak
smile and watery blue eyes, rs this
little Lee Virginny?" she asked.
The girl rose. YES"
"Well, howdy?" She extended her
hand. and Lee took it. "My names
Jackson-Mrs. Orlando Jackson.
knew yore pa and you before the
war Are We back fer to stay?"
mo, | don't think so. Will you sit
down."
Mrs. Jackson took a seat Come
back to see how yore ma was. ! reck-
on? Found her pretty porely. didn't
ye?" She lowered her voice. 81 think
she's got cancer of the stummick-
now that's my guess"
Virginia started. What makes you
think 500"
well, | knew woman who went
just that way. Had that same f1abby,
funny look-and that same distress
after eatin' told her this mornin'
she'd better go up to Sulphur and see
that new DOCTOR"
What did you mean by the WARP"
asked Virginia.
"Why, you remember the rustler
war? We date everything out here
saw ye."
"Ohw exclaimed Virginia. Il under
stand now. Yes. was here. l saw my
father at the head of the cowboys"
''They weren't cowboys. They were
hired killers from Texas That's what
let yore pa out O. the state. He were
on the wrong side, and if it hadn't "a
been for the regular soldiers he'd "a
been wiped out right hyer. AS it was
he had to skip the range and hain't
never been back. i don't s'pose folks
will lay it up agin you-bein' a girl
but they couldn't no son of Ed Weth-
erford come back here and settle, not
for minute. Why, ycre ma has had
to bluff the whole county a'most-not
that lay anything up agin her. tell
folks she was that bewitched with Ed
she couldn't see things any way but
his way. He fought to save his ranch
and stawk. but she couldn't do nothin
and then to have him go back on her
the way he did-slip out 'twixt two days
and never write; that just about shot
her to pieces. | never could under
stand that in Ed: he 'peared so mortal