Semi-weekly herald., 1911-02-06
CHAPTER III.
IZE AND HER DAUGHTER

VIE phrIeO Oh tne ilttle pOrCn
of the hotel. and her eyes fol-
lowed his upright figure till he
a entered one of the shops. He
had precisely the look and bearing Of
q young lieutenant in the regular
army. She returned to her own room
strangely heartened by her talk with
the ranger
mother came in.
How'd you sleep last nightT'
Lee Virginia could not bring herself
to lie. mot very we'll" she admitted
Neither did l. 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
there don't seem to be any free time,
pear to have lost my grip. Food
don't give me any strength. | saw you
talking with Ross Cavanngh There's a
man. And Reddy-Reddy is what you
call fancy rancher; goes In for al
falfy and fruit and all that He isn't
in the forest service for the pay or for
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 it place for you. Fact Is,
wasn't expecting anything so fine as
you are. | laid awake till 3 O'Clock last
f.,ht q 4 4
you'd better go back and give this out
fit up as bad job. I 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. I 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 a 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 thatv'
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 a woman stepped
ina thin blond hag with a weak
smile and watery blue eyes. ''Is this
little Lee virginny?' she asked.
The girl rose. Yes"
well, howdyT She extended her
hand. and Lee took 1t. MY names
Jackson-Mrs. Orlando jackson.
knew yore pa and you before the
war; Are ye back fer to stay?"
mo, don't think so. VIII you sit
DOWN.
Mrs. Jackson took a seat. Come
back to see how yore ma was. ] reck-
on? Found her pretty porely. didn't
yer She lowered her voice. Il think
she's got cancer of the stummick-
now that's my guess"
Virginia started. what makes you
think soI"
well, | knew a woman who went
just that way. Had that same fabby,
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 war;"
asked Virginia.
why, you remember the rustler
war? We date everything out here
from that year. You was here, for
saw ye."
'Oh" exclaimed Virginia. 81 under
stand now. Yes, | was here. 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 II II hadn't "a
been for the regular soldiers he'd "a
been wiped out right hyer. As 1t was
he had to skip the range and hain't
never been back. | don't s'pose folks
will lay II up dgin you-bein' girl
but they couldn't no son of Ed Weth-
erford come back here and settle, not
for a minute, Why. yore ma has had
to blufr the whole county a'most-not
that lay anything up agln 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 sta wk. 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
ly fond Of you and of her too. He sure
was fond OF you She shook her head.
NO, can't anybody make me believe
Ed wetherford Is alive"
Lee Virginia started. who says
he's aliveT'
"Now. don't get excited. girl. He
amt alive. but yet folks say we don't
kpow he's dead He lest drOpDed ont