Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-03-30

pletely Of the mountain America that
when l am within it l can fancy N.Y.
sell pack in the camp"
he thought of South Africa as q pos
slolilty and put 1t aside. knowing well
that no other place could have the
same ~indefnable charm that the Rocky
mountains possessed for the reason
q a he had come to them at his most
1mpressfonable age. Then, too, the
united States, for all it's faults, seem
ed merely an extension of the English
form of government.
Wetherford was also moving in deep
thought and at last put his p%erpleXity
into a question. what am / to do?
I'm beginning to feel queer. l reckon
b chances for my having smallpox
are purity fair. Maybe I'd better drop
down to Sulphur and report to the au-
thor1ties. I've got a day or two be-
fore the blossoms will begin to show
On me-"
Cavanagh studied him Closely. "Now,
dom get to thinking you've got it. 1
don see how you could attach a
germ. The high altitude and the
winds up there ought to prevent in
lection. I'm not afraid for myself,
but II you're able perhaps we'd better
pull out tomorrow"
Later in the day Wetherford express
ed deeper detection. II don't see any
thing ahead of me anyhow" he con-
fessed. eff l go back to the pen I'll
die of lung trouble, and l don't know
how I'm going to earn a living in the
city. Mebbe the best thing l could do
WOu be to take the pOX and go I'M
der. Pm afraid of big towns" he con-
tinued. 81 always was, even when I
had money. Now that l am old and
broke 1 daren't go. No city for me-"
Cavanagh's patience gave way. But,
man, you can't stay here! I'm pack
ing up to leave. Your only chance
OF getting out Of the country is to go
voice was harsh and keen, and the old
a felt it's edge, but he made no re-
ply, aAA this sad silence moved Cav
anagh to repentance. His irritability
warned him Of something deeply
changing Ia his own nature.
Approaching the brooding felon, he
spoke seatly and sadly. "I'm sorry
for you, Wetherford, l sure am, but
it's up to ysu to get clear away so that
Lee will ao1er by any possible chance
find out Aat you are alive. She has
a roman3G notion of you as a repre-
sentative e the old time west, and it
would bo q dreadful shock to her if
she knew yea as you are. It's hard to
leave her. | know, o that you've
seen her, Bat that's the manly thing to
do-the only thing to do"
"Oh, you're right-of course you're
right. But l wish l could be of some
use to her. | wish | could kind of keep
watch over her. I'd be glad enough to
play the scullion in her kitchen. But
if you're going to take her.
"But I'm not" protested Ross. "Tm
going to leave her right here. l can't
take her."
Wetherford looked at him with
steady eyes, into which a keen light
leaped. Don't you intend to marry
her,?
Ross turned away. mo; 1 don't. 1
mean it is impossible"
"Why not? Don't tell me you're al
ready married?" He said this with
menacing tone.
mo; I'm not married, butt He
stopped without making his meaning
plain. "I'm going to leave the country
and"-
Wetherford caught him up. 81 reck-
on I understand what you mean. You
consider Lie and mt undesirable par
ents-not just the kind you'd cut out Of
the herd Of your own free will. Well,
that's all right. I don't blame you SO
far as I'm concerned. But you can for
get m~e-consider me a dead M I'll
never bother her nor you"
Cavanagh threw out an impatient
hand. ut is impossible" he protest
ed. "It's better for her and better for
me that I should do so. I'm going
back to my own people"
Wetherford was thoroughly reused
nov Some part of his old time fire
seemed to return to hin. He rose from
his chair and approached the ranger
firmly. "Tve seen you Act like a man,
Ross Cavanagh. You've been a good
partner these last few days-a son
couldn't have treated ne better-and
1 hate to think i'll Of YOU But my girl
loves you'll could see that. I could
see her lean to you"
Ross said slowly: 1T Will be hard
for you to understand when I tell you
that I care a great deal for your daugh-
ter, but a man like mean Engiishman
cannot marry, OF be ought not
marry-for himself alone. There are so
many others to consider-his friends,
his sisters
Wetherford dropped his hand. 81
see" His tone was despairing. "When
I was young we married the girls VT
loved in defiance Of everything. But
you are not that kind. You may be
right. I'm nothing but a debilitated
old cowpuncher branded by the state
a man who threw away his chance