Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-02-24

few minutes OF silent eating. Know
wnere his camp isE'
Il do" replied Ross. to whom the
stranger now appeared in pathetic
guiSe. Amy man of his sge 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 the palmer he felt his ungoy-
erneI past.
81 suppose Gregg paid your finer he
said.
"Yes."
'In 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 I told you the truth. Young
Gregg got me to ride into the range
and show him the trail I didn't in
tend to get mixed up with a game
warden. I've had all the confinement
l need"
"Well, it's a closed incident now,"
interposed Ross. I'VE won't reopen it.
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, a 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 l guess you earn your money"
"A man that builds trails, lays
bridges, burns brush. fights fire, rides
the roundup and covers seventy-fve
miles of trail every week on $50 per
month and feeds himself and his
horses isn't what | would call enjoy
ing a soft snap
What do you do 1t forT
God knows! I've been asking my
self that question all day today"
This playing game warden has some
outs too. That was q wild crowd last
night. The town is the same old hole
it was when knew it years ago. Fine
girl of Lie Wetherford's. Lie has
changed terribly. | didn't expect to
see her have such a skein OF silk as
that girl. She sure looks the queen to
| me-"
Cavanagh did not greatly relish this
line of conversation. but the pause en-.
abled him to say: Miss Wetherford
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 hep"
$50 far as anybody knows. he is"
well, he's no loss. | knew him too
He was all kinds of a 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 or
the girl?"
Now, see here, old man." Ross re
torted sharply, you want to do lot
of thinking before you comment or
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, l 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 bunl
for the night. The fact that he trans
ferred some of the blankets from hi!
own bed to that of his visitor did no
escape Edwards keen eyes, and will
grateful intent he said:
Il can give you tip, Mr. Ranger,
said he, breaking out Of silence
"The triangle outfit is holding NOR,
cattle on the forest than their permit!
call for"
How do you know"
81 heard one of the boys braggin,
about it."
Much obliged" responded Ross
''Ill look into it."
Edwards went on: Furthermore
they're fixing for another sheep XII
over there too. All the sheepmen ar
armed. That's why left the coun
try. | don't want to run any NOR
chances of being shot up. I've hat
enough of trouble. | can't afford t.
be hobnobbing with judges and juries
I'm just broken down old cowpunch
er herding sheep in order to keep clea
of the liquor belt"
| Thip caan1aI htn and fh
ranger remarked by way of droppin
the subject: I've nothing to say fur
ther than this--obey the rules of th
forest and you won't get into any fur
ther trouble with ME. And as TO
being shot up by the cowmen, you'l
not be disturbed on any national fol
est There never has been a singl
herder shot nor sheep destroyed o.
this forest"
Pm mighty glad to hear that" re
piled Edwards, with sincere relief
I've had my share of shooting u
and shooting down. All l ask now
quiet and the society of sheep. tax
a kind of pleasure in protecting tn
fool brutes. It's about all I'm goo
for"
He did indeed look like man in tn
final year of life as he spoke. Bette
turn ill.," Cavanagh said in kindlie
tone. I'm an early riser"
The old fellow rose stiffly and, lay
ing aside his boots and trousers, role
into his bunk and was asleep in thre
; minutes
Cavanagh himself was very tire
and went to bed soon after to slee
dreamlessly till daylight. He spran
from his bed and after plunge in th
stream set about breakfast, while Ei