The Delta independent., 1911-04-07

her heritage of passion. and her
gances, 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 DOS
sessed in all America. For the first
time since he built it the station seem
ed lonely and dishoartening. Would
any woman for love of me come to
| such a hearthstone:" 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
and came slowly toward the cabin.
He smiled wearily as he said: I'm on
your trail; Mr.. Ranger. but | bear no
malice. You were 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
softe.ed. Turn your horse into the
corral and come to supper he com
manded with western bluneness
We'll talk about all that later
Edwards accepted his hospitality
without hesitation. TN going up to
take Ambro's place" he began after
few minutes of silent eating. Know
wnere his camp is?''
Il do" replied Ross. to whom the
stranger now appeared in pathetic
gulse. 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 'he palmer he felt his ungov
erneI past
II suppose Gregg paid your fne?" he
said.
Yes
"fn any other town in the state you'd
have gone down the line"
He reused himself See here. Mr.
Ranger, you've no warrant to believe
me. but | told you the truth Young
Gregg got me to ride into the range
ana show him the trail. | didn't In
tend to get m.xe1 up with game
warden. I've had all the confinement
/ need"
"Well, it's closed incident now"
interposed Ross. 1--WE won't reopen 1t
Make yourself at home"
The stranger hungry as he was. ate
with unexpected gentility. and as the
hot coffee sent its cheerful glow
through his body he asked, with liven-
Ing interest, good many questions
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. lays
bridges. burns brush. fights fire. rides
the roundup and covers seventy-five
miles Of trail every week on $50 per
month and feeds himself and his
horses isn't what l would call enjoy
ing a soft snap
what do you do It for?"
"GOd knows. I've been asking my.
self that question all day today"
This playing game warden has some
outs too. That was wild crowd last
night. The town Is the same old hole
1t was when knew 1t years ago. Fine
pfrI NJ i1a
changed terribly. l didn't expect to
see her have such a skein of silk al
that girl. She sure looks the queen to
me-"
Cavanagh did not greatly relish thix |
line of conversation. but the pause en-
abled him to say: Miss wetherforo
Is not much western: she got her train
Ing In the east. She's been with an
aunt ever since her fathers death"
Hes dead. is he?"
$50 far as nybody knows. he is"
well. he's no loss. l knew him too |
He was all kinds of fool. He got |
on the wrong side Of the rustler line
up. Them Wetherford women think |
whole lot Of you. Pears like they'd |
both fight for you. Are you sweet on |
the girl?"
Now. see here. old man." Ross re- |
torted sharply. you want to do lot |
Of thinking before you comment on |
Miss Wetherford. / won't stand for
any nasty clack."
Edwards meekly answered: 81 wasn't
going TO say anything out of the way.
! was fixing for to praise her.
"All the same. / don't intend to dis
cuss her with you" was Cavanagh's
curt answer.
The herder fell back into silence
while the ranger prepared his bunk
for the night The fact that he trans
od 1.&A Alax. IL.