Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-03-17

lCE5FSS bSA y
UNSEEN
oAvASAGH PENSRD HIS RESIGNATION AND
MAILED 1T.
have a man in there now who knows
the western ways and who's willing
to boom things along. The cork is out
of your forest bottle"
Gregg was most offensive Of all.
This means throwing open the forest
to anybody that wants to use it
means an entire reversal of this fool
policy"
"Wait and see" replied Cavanagh.
But his face was rigid with the ex-
preston of the fear and anger he felt.
With hands that trembled he opened
the door to the telephone booth, closed
it carefully behind him and called for
the supervisors office AS soon as
Redfleld replied he burst forth in
question, rs it true that the chief is
OutT'
Redfield's voice was husky as he re-
piled. Yes, lad; they've got him"
Good Lord. what blow to the serv.
ice! exclaimed Cavanagh with a
groan Of sorrow and rage. what is
the president thinking of to throw out
the only man who stood for the future
the man who had built up this corps,
who was its Inspiration" Then after a
pause he added, with bitter resolution;
This ends it for me- Here's where
get off"
Don't say that, boy. We need you
now more than ever"
I'm through. I'm done with Amer.
ica-with the States. | shall write my
resignation at once. Send down an.
other man to take my place"
Redfeld's pleadings were of no avail.
Cavanagh went directly from the
booth to the postotfice, and there, sur
rounded by jeering and eXultant citi-
zens, he penned his resignation and
mailed it. Then, with stern and con-
temptuous face, he left the place, max
ing no reply to the jeers of his ene-
mics, and, mounting his horse, me-
chanically rode away out upon the
plains. seeking the quiet, open places
in order to regain calmness and de-
cision. RE did not deliberately ride
away from Lee Virginia, but rs he el-
tered upon the open county he knew
that he was leaving her as he was
leaving the forests. He had cut him
self off from her as he had cut him
self off from the work he loved. His
heart was swollen big within his breast.
He longed for the return of the colo
nel' to the White House. What man
ner of ruler Is this who is ready to
strike down the man whose very name
means conservation and who in few
years would have made this body of
forest rangers the most effective corps
of its size in the world?" He groaned
again, and his throat ached with the
fury of his Indignation.
DISMISSED for insubordination," the
report said. I'm what way? Only in
making war on greed, in checking
graft, in preserving the heritage of the
people"
The lash that cut deepest was the
open exultation of the very men whose
persistent attempt to appropriate pub
lie property the chief had helped to
thwart "Redfield will go next. The
influence that got the chief will get
Hugh. He's too good a man to escape
Then, as Swenson says, the thieves
will roll IN upon us to slash and burn
and corrupt. What country! What
a country"
AS he reached the end of this line Of
deSpairing thought he came back to
the question of his remaining personal
obligations. Wetherford must be cared
for, and then-and then-there was Vir.
ginia waiting for him at this moment.
"For her sake, to save her from hui
initiation, | will help her father to free
dom"
This brought him back to the hide
GUS tragedy of the heights, and with
that thought the last shred of faith in
the sense of justice in the state van
ished
They will never discover those muir
derers. They will permit this outrage
to pass unpunished, like the others. 1t
will be merely another dramatic Incl
dent in the history of the range"
His pony of its own accord turned
and by circuitous route headed at
last for the home canyon as if it knew
its masters wavering mind. Cava-
nagh observed what he was doing, but
his lax hand did not intervene. Help
less to make the decision himself he
welcomed the intervention of the hon.
ing instinct of his horse. With bent
head and brooding face he returned to
the silence of the trail and the loneli-
ness of the hills.