The Delta independent., 1911-03-10

plOW. Yes. L ike my work. l love
the forests and the streams. ! wish
/ might show them to you. You don't
know how beautiful they are. The
most beautiful parks in the world are
commonplace to what | can show YOU
My only sorrow is TO think of them
given over TO the sawmill. Perhaps you
and your mother will come up some
time ana 1st me show you my lakes
and streams. There are waters so
lovely they make the heart ache. Hugh
is planning to come up soon perhaps
you and Mrs. Redfield will come with
him"
I'D like it above everything" she
responded fervently. Then her voice
changed But all depends on my
mothers health"
1t hurt him to hear her call Eliza
Wetherford mother. He wanted to
forget her origin for the moment. He
was not in love with her-far from 1t!
But she was so alluring, and the pro-
prietress of the Wetherford House
was not nice, and that made one
doubt the daughter.
She broke the silence. "It seems
dreadfully dark and mysterious up
there" She indicated his path.
'.It isn't as bad as it looks. There is
good trail, and my pony knows it
as well as 1 do. 1 enjoy riding by
night"
But there are bears and other wild
things, are there not?"
mot as much as l wish there were"
"Why do you say that?"
81 hate to see all the wild life killed
off. Some day all these forests will
have game refugees like the Yellow
stone National park. They are COM
ing each year to have greater and
greater value to the people Of the
plains. They are Fairgrounds, like
the Alps. If 1 should ever settle down
to a home 1t would be in a canyon
like this. with a great peak at my
front door,"
''It is beautiful" the girl said in the
tone of sadness with which we con-
front the perfect night, the perfect
flower, the fiawless landscape. "It is
both grand and peaceful"
This tone of sadness pleased him.
1t showed her depth Of perception.
and he reflected that she had not ut
tered a vacuous or silly phrase since
their first meeting. 'She is capabl
of great development" he thought.
Aloud he said: You are strange
mingling of east and west. Do you
realize it?'
'In what way?' she asked, feeling
something ardent in his tone.
you typify to me at this moment
this whole state. You fill me with en-
thusiasm for its future. Here you
are. derived from the lawless west,
yet taking on the culture and restraint
of the east so readily that you seem
not in the least related to-
He checked himself at this point,
and she said. My mother is not as
rough as she seems, Mr.. Cavanagh.''
"She must be more of the woman
than appears or she could not have
borne such daughter. But do you
feel your relationship to her? Tell me
honestly, for you interest me-"
81 didn't at first, but ] do now. !
begin to understand her, and, besides,
/ feel in myself certain things that are
in her, though l think / am more like
the Wetherfords. My fathers family
home was in Maryland"
Ross could have talked on all night
SO alluring was the girls dimly seen
yet warmly felt figure at his side, but
sense of danger and n knowledge
that he should be riding led him al
last to say: ''It is getting chill. We
must go in, but before we do so let me
say how much I've enjoyed seeing you
again. / hope the doctor will make ia
vorable report on your mothers case
You'll write me the result of the ex
animation, won't youT
"If you wish me to-"
81 shall be most anxious to know"
They We're standing very near to
each other at the moment, and The
ranger made very sensitive to wo
mans charm by his lonely life, shook
with newly created love of her. a
suspicion, hope. that beneath her cul
tivated manner lay the passionate ma
ture of her mother gave an added force
to his desire. He was sorely tempted
to touch her, to test her, but her sweet
voice, little sad and perfectly un
conscious of evil, calmed him. She
said:
81 hope to persuade my mother tt
leave the Forks. All the best people
there are against us. Some of then
have been very cruel to her and to me
and, besides, despise and fear thu
men who come to our table"
"You must not exchange words will
them" he all but commanded. "Be
ware of Gregg; he is vile lot. Do no
trust him for an instant. Do not per
NIT any of those loafers to talk will
you, for If you do they will go away t.
defame you. / know them. They arr
unanan snIlIy vile IL makes. uI.. ..u.-r;