Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-04-20
CHAPTER MI.
WETHERFORD PASSES ON.

/ old man can't last through
So another such night as last
night was. and | wish you would per-
suade Mrs Wetherford and her daugh-
| ter to return to the valley. They can
! do nothing overwhelmingly nothing.
Please say that"
Swenson repeated his commands
with all the emphasis he could give
! them, but neither Lie nor Lee would
, consent to go. lit would be heathen-
| ish to leave him alone in this lonesome
hole" protested Lie
II shall stay till he is free" added
Lee, And with uneasy heart she
crossed the bridge and walked on and
on toward the cabin till she was close
enough to detect the lines of care on
her lovers haggard face.
"Stop! he called sharply. keep
away! Why don't you obey me? Why
don't you go back to the Valley"
Because l will not leave you alone
l can't! Please let me stayr
II beg of you go back"
The roar Of the stream made it nee
essary to speak loudly, and he could
not put into his voice the tenderness
he felt at the moment, but his face
was knotted with pain as he asked,
Don't you see you add to my uneasi
ness-my pain?"
Were so anxious about yOu," she
answered. 1T seems as though we
should be doing something to help
you"
He understood and was grateful for
the tenderness which brought her so
near to him. but he was forced to be
stern.
"There is nothing you can do-noth-
ing more than you are doing. 1t helps
me to know that you are here, but
you must not cross the bridge Please
go back" There was pleading as well
as command in his voice, and with a
realization of the passion his voice
conveyed she retraced her steps, her
heart beating quickly with the JOY
which his words conveyed.
At sunset Redfield returned bringing
with him medicine, but no nurse. mo
body will come up here" he said. 81
reckon Ross is doomed to fight it out
alone. The solitude, the long trail,
scares the bravest of them away. |
tried and tried-nO use. Eleanor would
have come, Of cOurse-demanded to
| come-but I would not permit that.
She commissioned me to bring you
both down to the ranch"
Lee Virginia thanked him, but reit-
Grated her wish to stay until all pos
sible danger to Cavanagh was over.
Red6eld crossed the bridge and laid
the medicines down outside the door.
'The nurse from Sulphur refused to
come when she found that her patient
was in a mountain cabin. I'm sorry,
old man. l did the best could
Never mind replied Cavanagh.
I'm still free from any touch of
fever. I'm tired, Of course, but good
for another night Of it. My main anX-
iety concerns Lee. Get her to go
home with you if you can"
"I'll do the best l cam" responded
Redfeld, ''but meanwhile you must
not think of getting out Of the forest
for you. The president has put a
good man into the chiefs place."
Cavanagh's face lighted up. "That'n
help some,' he exclaimed. But who's
the manw
Redfeld named him. HE was a
student under the chief, and the chief
says he's all right. which satisfies me.
l. Ia3c nd
not a political jobber or a corporation
attorney"
That's good" repeated Cavanagh.
land yet" he said sadly, lit leaves the
chief out just the same"
mo; the chief Is not out. He's
where he can fight for the idea to bet
ter advantage than when he was a
subordinate under another man. Any
how, he asks us all to line up for the
work and not to mind him. The work.
he says, is bigger than any man.
Here's that resignation Of yours" he
said, taking Cavanagh's letter from
his pocket II didn't put 1t on file.
What shall do with it?'
Throw it to me-" said Cavanagh
CURLY.
Redfeld tossed it over the hitching
pole, and Ross took it up. looked at 1t
for a moment in silence, then tore 1t
into bits and threw it on the ground.
what are your orders. Mr.. Super
visor?' he asked. with a faint. quizzi-
cal smile around his eyes.
There's nothing you can do but
take care of this man. But as soon
as you are able to ride again I've got
some special work for you. | want
you to join with young Bingham. the
ranger on Rock creek. and line up the
Triangle cattle. Murphy is reported
to have thrown on the forest nearly d
thousand head more than his permit
calls for l want you to see about
that Then complete your maps so
/ that ] can turn them in on the lst OF
November. and about the middle OF