The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-01-25

1et1 1ls alie1e0n and ls a laiense
against the cold. ne felt himself
1yflrdly remote "a tbs Iieil: ifiam
his far height he looked abroad tibon
the tumble plain as lf ia ocean
dlmly pereeptible, vet august AT this
moment. he said. curious ana per-
haps guilty; eyes are wondering what
my spark ot frellght may mean.
ELS mind went again and again Is
TINT tall old man In the ditch. What
was the meaning Of his scared and
soirowful glance? why should one
SO peacefully employed at such a time
and in such aplace wear the look OF
a hunted deer? What meant the ire
NOR in his voice?
Was It possible that one So gentle
should have taken part in this deed?
"Preposterous suspicion% and yet be
had guilty look. "
AT last. far In the night. he heard
the snort Of a horse and tile soufti soF
voices. The law tsuch as ,it wasl was
creeping up the mouataln side ID the
person of the sheriff OF Ct1auyedet
county and was about to relieve the
ranger from his painful responsibility
us guardian Of the dead.
SAT last he came, this officer Of the
law. attended 1lke Cheyenne cliief)
by q dozen lesser warriors st various
conditions and kinds. but among them
Indeed. second only 10 the sheriff.
was Hugh Redfeld. the forest super
visor. hot and eager With haste.
AS they rode up TO the Gre the officer
called out: "Howdy, ranger? How
about it?''
Ross stated briefly. succinctly, what
he had discovered, and as he talked
other riders came up the hill and gath
cred closely around to listen IN word.
less silence-in guilty silence. the
ranger could not help believing.
Redfeld spoke. Sheriff Van Horne.
you and I have been running cattle In
this country for nearly thirty years.
and We've witnessed all kinds of shoot
Ing and several kinds Of banging, but
when 1t comes 10 chopping and burn
Ing men get on ! shall personally
offer a reward OF $1,000 Tor the ap.
prehensIonr Of these miScreants. and l
Iope you'll make 1t your solemn duty
~ hunt them to earth"
"You won't have far to go" remark
ed Ross significantly.
What do you mcan?2 asked the
sheriff.
II mean this slaughter. like the 9th.
1ers that have taken place. was the
work of cattl"men who claim this
range. Their mmpS are known 10 US
utI.
a silence followed so deep u silence
that lhp ranger WAS convinced Of the
fact tint III tile circle of his listeners
stood those who. II they had uot
shared in the slaughter. at least knew
lhs nnnlrS OF tile guilty men.
81 last the sheriff spoke. this time
with sigh. ~ hope you're all wrong.
Cavanash I'd hate to think any con
stituent az mine had sanctioned this
lob Giv" me that lantern. Curtis"
The grnup Of runcherS dISlnounted
and followed the sheriff over to the
SrrwSolne SPOT. but lGedtield stayed
with the ranger.
Have Yoa any suspicion, RosS?'
No. I'a;diy q suspicion. However.
sou knew ny well MS That this was
not :: sr'3rn outbreak. This Clerd was
planned 1t represents the feeling Of
m"ny ""tSIemcn lin everything but the
extra horror Of its execution. That
was the work of drunken, Infatuated
mra. But am more deeply concern
ed over Miss Wetherford's distress.
Did she reach you by telephone to.
night?'
!: HNo. What's the trouble:.'
"Her mother is down again. tele.
phoned her. and she asked me to come
TO her, but / eannot so. for have a
case Of. smallpox up on the hill. Am
bro. the Basque herder. is down with
It, and another herder Is up there atone
with him. ] must go back to them.
But meanwhile l wish you would go to
the Fork and see what you eau do for
her."
His voice, filled with emotion, touch
cd Redfeld. and be said. Cant so to
the relief Of the herder?"
no; you must not think Of It. You
are man with d family. hut II you
can find any one who has had the
smallpox send him up. The old herder
who is nursing the patient is not strong
and may drop ut any moment. Then
It's up to me-"
The men came back to the campfire
couversins in low tones, some Of them
cursing in tones of awe. One or two
Of them were small farmers from Deer
Greek, recent Corners to the state. or
men with punches of milk cows, and
TO them this deed was awesome.
The sheriff followed. saying: "wcN.
there's nothing to do but walt till
morning. The rest Of you men better
so home. You can't be of any use
here"
For more than three hours the sher.
III and Redfield sat with the ranger.
waiting for daylight, and during this