Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-02-01
CHArrER III.

LEE AND HxR nAuaBrxA-
THEY parted on the little porci
of the hotel. and her eyes fol
lowed his upright hsure TIL b
entered one of the shops. Fl,
had precisely the look and bearing o.
q young lieutenant in the reguial
army. She returned to her own room
strangely heartened by her talk with
the ranger.
She was still pondering when bel
mother came In.
How'd you sleep last nightf
Leo Virginia could not bring herself
to lie. mot very we'll" she admitted
"Neither did /. Fact Of the matter h
your coming fairly upset me. I've beer
kind of used up for three months.
don't know what ais me. I'd ought to
SO up to Sulphur to SEQ 4 doctor, but
there don't seem to be any free time
I pear to have lost my grip. Food
don't give me any strength. saw you
talking with Ross Cavanagh. There's q
man. And Reddy-Reddy Is what you
call q fancy rancher: goes In for al
fatty and fruit and all that. BE isn't
in the forest service for the pay OF for
graft He's got a regular palace up
there above Eulphur-hot and cold
winter all through the house. a furnace
In the cellar and tvo bathrooms. 20
they tell me; | never was in the place.
You better kHap out Of the caKy. II
amt = at place for you. Fact h. !
wasn't expecting anything so nne as
you are. I laid awake till 5 O'clock last
night figuring on what to do. ] reckon
you'd better 30 back and give this out
ct up as . bad job. ! used to tell Ed
you didn't belong to neither of us. and
you don't. l can't sec where you did
come from-anyhow. I don't want the
responsibility Of having you here. Why.
you'u have half the men In the county
hitching to my corral. You're too good
for any OF them. You inst plan to pack
up and pull out tomorrow"
She went out with a dragging step
that softened the girls heart. Lies
daughter came nearer to loving her at
this moment tha9<at any time since
her fifth year.
In truth. Lie had risen that morn
ing intending "ta whirl In and clean
up the house." being suddenly con
scious to some degree Of the dirt and
disorder around her, but she found
herself physically unequal to the task.
Her brain seemed misted, and her food
had been a source of keen pain to her.
She gave sharp answers to all the
men who came up to ask after her
daughter. and to one who remarked on
the girls good looks and demanded an
introduction she said: "Get along.
You fellers want to understand I'll kill
the man that sets out to fool with my
girl. l tell you that"
While yet Lee Virginia was wonder
ing how to begin the days work some
one knocked on her door. and In an
to her invitation q woman stepped
thin blond bag with q weak
smile and watery blue eyes. rs this
little Lee Virginny?" she asked.
The girl rose. YES"
well. howdyfv She extended her
hand. and Lee took It. my names
Orlando jackson. I
u r 1uyuupsA sksss
war, Are We packlfer to staHg
rhhE 30 VIII yea 81
Mrs. Jackson took a seat. Come
back to see how yore ma a ( reck-
On? Found her pretty porely. didn't
She lowered her voice. II think
got cancer OF the stummick-
that's my guess"
Virginia started. "What makes you
think so7s
well, | knew a woman who went
just that way, Had that sa me labby.
funny look-and that same distress
after eatins. | told her this mornin'
she'd better go up to Sulphur and e
that new doctor"
What did yeu mean by the WARP"
asked Virginia.
why. you remember the rustler
war; We date everything out here
from that year. You vas here, for l
ye."
..Oh.' exclaimed Virginia. II under
stand now. Yes. I was here. I saw my
father at the head of the cowboys"
"They weren't cowboys. They were
hired killers from Texas. That's what
let yore pa out o. the state. He were
the wrong side. and II It. hadn't "a
been for the regular soldiers he'd a
been wiped out right hyer. As 1t was
he had to skip the range and hain't
never been back. l don't e'poss folks
will lay It up agfn you--bein' a girl
but they couldn't no son Of Ed Weth-
erford come back here and settle. not
for a minute. Why, ycre ma has had
to bluff the whole county a'most-not
that | lay anything up agin her. I tell
folks she was that hewitched with Ed
she cothdn't see things any way hut
his way. He fought TO ave his ranch
and sta wk. but she couldn't do nothin'
and then to have him go back on her
the way he did-slip out stwixt two days
aud never write: that just about shot
Aer TO pieces. I could under
stand that In Ed; he 'peared so mortal-
" fond of you and Of her too. He sure
was fond of you" She shook her head
mo, can't anybody make me believe
Ed wetherford Is alive"
Lee Virginia started. -Who says
he's aiivefs