Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-27

x00 CVWOVy0 SVVA " ku0VSIA(AAA0 VIZ
their own account. Some Of them had
the grace to 30 into partnership with
some farmer and 90 claim q smaN
bunch Of cows. but others suddenly
and miraculously acquired herds Of
their own. From keeping within the
law they passed to violent methods.
They slit the tongues of calves for the
purpose Of separating them from their
mothers. Finding he could not suck.
bossy would at last wander away from
his dam and so become maverick. In
short, anarchy reigned on the range"
"But surely my father had nothing
to do with this?'
"No; your father up to this time had
been on good terms with every body.
He had small herd of cattle down
the river. which he owned in common
with a man named Hart"
Il remember him."
"He was we'll thought of by all the
big outfits. and when the situation be-
came intolerable and we got together
to weed out the rustlers.' as these cat
tie thieves were called. your father
was approached and converted to q
belief in drastic measures. He had
suffered less than the rest Of US be.
cause Of his small herd and the fact
that he was very popular among the
cowboys. So far rs 1 was concerned
! the use of violent methods revolted
me. My training in the east had made
me a respecter Of the law. Change
| the law said The law Is all right
they replied: the trouble is with these
rustlers. Well hang few Of 'em, and
that will break up the business
Parts of this story came back to the
girls mind. producing momentary
flashes Of perfect recollection. She
heard again the voices Of excited men
arguing over and over the question Of
| "mavericking," and she saw her ia
Their as be rode up to the house that
last day before he went south.
Redfield went on. 1.-THE whole plan
as developed was silly, and I wonder
still that Ed wetherford. who knew
the hester and the cowboy SO well.
should have lent his hid to 1t. The
cattlemen, some from Cheyenne. some
from Denver and a few from New
York and Chicago. agreed to finance a
q sort Of vigilante corps composed OF
; men from the outside on the under
| standing that this policing body should
be commanded by one OF their own
number. Your father was chosen Sec
ond in command and was to guide the
party, for he knew almost every one Of
the rustlers and could ride directly to
their doors"
81 wish he hadn't done that" MUIR
INJURED the girl.
II must be frank with you. Virginia.
can't excuse that in him. 1t was
kind Of treachery. He must have been
warped by his associates. They con-
vinced him by some means that It was
his duty. and one fine day the Fork
was startled by a messenger who rode
In to say that the cattle barons were
coming With hundred Texas bad men
to clean out tho town and to put their
own men into ONCE. This last was
silly rot to me, but the people believed
it."
The girl was tingling now. II re-
member! remember the men who
rode into the town to give the alarm.
IL was scared almost breathless."
IT was In Sulphur City ana did not
hear Of It till It was nearly all over.
Reddeld resumed, his speech showing
q little Of the excitement which thrill
ed through the girls voice. "Wen, the
first act Of vengeance was SO Ill con-
sidered that 1t practically ended the
| whole campaign. The invaders fell
upon and killed two ranchers. one OF
whom was probably not rustler at
all, but a peaceable settler, and the
other one they most barbarously
hanged. More than this. they attack
ed and vainly tried to kill two settlers
whom they met on the road-German
farmers, with no connection, so Tar as
known, with the thieves. These men
escaped and gave the alarm. In a
few hours the whole range was afiame
with vengeful fire. The Forks. as you
may recall. was like swarm of bum
blebees. Every man and boy was
armed and mounted. The storekeepers
distributed guns and ammunition,
leaders developed. and the embattled
'punkin rollers rustlers and towns.
men rode out to meet the invaders"
The girl paled with memory Of It.
''It was terrible. I went all day with
out eating, and for two nights we
were all too excited to sleep. 1t SEEM
ed as If the world were coming to IN
end. Mother cried because they
wouldn't let her go with them. She
didn't know father was leading the
other army"
"She must have known soon. for It
was reported that your father was
among them. She certainly knew when
they were driven to earth in that log
fort. for they were obliged to restrain
her by force from going to your ia
ther. AS I run over those furious
days It all seems incredible, like sud
den reversion to barbarism."
"Uow dru it an end? The soldiers
came. didn't they7"
Eyes; the long arm Of Uncle Sam
reached out and took ho,h upon the
necks Of both parties. I guess your
father and his band would have died
right there had not the regular army