Semi-weekly herald., 1911-02-06


common talk among the rough men of
the town"
But shes my mother!" walled the
girl, coming back TO the central fact
She has sent me money-she has been
KIND to me- What am / to do? She
needs me, and yet the thought of stay-
ing mere and facing her life frigbtens
me-"
Inc rotten board walks. the low
rooker1es. the unshaven. blear eyed
men sitting on the thresholds of the
saloons, the slattern squaws wander.
ing abroad like bedraggled hens. made
the girl stare with wonder and dis
may. She had remembered the TOWN
street as highway filled with splen-
dld cavaliers, a list wherein heroic
deeds were done with horse and pistol.
she perceived In the ranger the man
OF the new order, and with this In her
mind she said: you don't belong here
You're not II western manT"
Not IN the sense of having been
born here" he replied Il am. In fact,
native of England. though I've lived
nearly twenty years of my life In the
States"
She glanced at his badge. How did
you come to be ranger-what does 1t
mean? It's all new to me-"
1T Is new to theswest," he answered
smilingly, glad of a chance to turn her
thought from her own personal griefs.
II has all come about since you went
east Uncle Sam has at last become
provident and is now conserving his
resources am one of his represent
atives. with stewardship over some
10000 acres of territory, mostly for
est
She looked at him with eyes of
changing light You don't talk like
an Englishman. and yet you are not
like the men out here"
Il shouldn't care to be like some of
them" he answered. My being here
is quite logical. 1 went into the cattle
business like many another. and |
went broke. | served under Colone!
Roosevelt In the Cuban war and after
my term was out naturally drifted
back. love the wilderness and nave
some natural taste for forestry. and
can ride and pack horse as well as
most cowboys; hence my uniform.
I'm not the best forest ranger In the
service, I'll admit. but l fancy Pm a
fair average"
And that Is your badge-the pine
tree?
Yes, and am proud of 1t. Some of
fnl lpxr hut 90 I
concerned | am glad to be known as a
defender Of the forest. A tree means
much to me. ] never mark one for
telling without sense of responsible
ity to the future"
Her questions came slowly. like
those Of child. Where do you liveT
Directly up the South Fork about
twenty miles"
what do you dor"
He smiled mot much ! ride the
trails, guard the game. put out dres.
scale lumber, burn brush. build bridges,
herd cattle. count sheep, survey land
and few other odd chores. It's sup
posed to be soft snap, but / can't
see 1t that way"
do you live alone?"
"Yes. for the larger part of the time.
l have an assistant, who is with me
during part of the summer months
Mostly l am alone. However, l am
supposed to keep open house. and l
catch n visitor now and then"
''Do you expect to do this alwaysT'
He smiled again. There you touch
my secret spring. have the hope of
being chief forester some time-l mean
we all have the prospect of promotion
to sustain us. The service is so new
that any one with even a knowledge
of forestry is in demand. BY and by
real foresters will arise"
She returned abruptly to her own
problem. II dread to go back to my
mother. but l must. Oh how | hate
that hotel! l loathe the flies, the
smells, the people that eat there. the
waiters-everything!" She shuddered.
MANY of the evils you mention
could be reformed, except. of course,
some of the people who come to eat
/ fear several of them have gone be-
yond reformation"
As they started back down the street
she saw the motor stage just leaving
the door Of the office. THAT settles
one ques on" she said. Il can't get
away till tomorrow"
Where would you go II you broke
camp-back to the eastW
mo My mother thinks there is
place for me In Sulphur City"
"Your case interests me deeply.
wish I could advise you to stay. but
this is rough town for girl like
you. Why don't you talk the problem
over with the SUPERVISOR" His voice
became 6rmer. Mrs. Red6eld Is the
very one to help you"
"Where does she liver
Their ranch lies Just above Sui
phur, at the mouth of the canyon.
May tell him what you've told me?
He's good sort, is Red6eld-much
better able to advise than | am
Cavanagh found himself enjoying
the confidence of this girl so strangely
thrown into his care. and the curious
comment Of the people in the street
did not disturb him except as 1t bore
upon his companions position In the
town.
At the door Of the hotel some half
dozen men were clustered. As the
young couple approached they gave
way. but short, powerful man. whom