Putnam patriot., 1911-06-09
CHAPTER XVII.

O ter and dislOyal. Love had interfered with duty. and pride had checked and defeated love. His path. no longer clear and definite looped away aimlessly, lost in vague. obscure meanderings His world had suddenly grown gray He had no trade. no bust ness. no special skill save in the ways of the mountnlneer, and to return to his ancestral home in England at the moment seemed woeful confession of failure.
 II was again dusk as he rode up to his own hitching pole and slipped from the saddle.
 wetherford came out. indicating by his manner that he had recovered his confidence once more. How did you find things in the valley?' he inquired as they walked away toward the cor ral.
 Bad" responded the ranger.
 "ln what wayY
 "The chief has been dismissed, and All the raseals are chuckllng with glee I've resigned xom the service"
 Wetherford was aghast What forfa
 "I will not serve under any other chief The best thing for you 10 do is 10 go out when l do. I think by keeping on that uniform you can get 10 the train with me"
 Did you sec Eize and my eirlY
 No; I only remained in town min. ute If was foo hot for me. I'm done with it Wetherfard. Pm going back to civilization No more wild west for me- The bitterness of his voice touch d the older muEs EeaEt. but he con sidercd it merely A mood.
 Don't lose your nerve. Mebbe this ends the reign If terror"
 Nothing will end the moral sniff Ieesness of this country but the death of the freebooter. That job was done by men who hated the dagoes hated ,em because they were rival claimants for the range. It's nonsense to at tempt to fnsten 1t OH men like Neill Ballard. The men who did that piece of work are well known stock own. CTS"
 "I reckon that's so.'
 Well. now. who's going to convict them7 l can't do it. I'm going to pull out ',s soon as | can put my books in shape, and you'd better go too"
 Hey were standing at the gate of the 5orral, and the roar of the noun tain ,tream enveloped them in cloud pf sound
 Wetherford spoke slowly: "I hate to lose my girl now that I've seen her. but l guess you're right And Lize, poor old critter. It's shame the way I've queered her life. and I'd give my right arm to be where l was twelve years ago. but with price on my head and old age coming on l don't see my self ever again getting up to par It's losing game for me now
 There was resignation as well as despair in his voice, and Cavanagh felt it, but he said There's one other ques- ton that may come up for decision If that Basque died of smallpox you may possibly take it."
 I've figured on that. but it will take n day or two to show on me. I don't \.el my ache in my bones yet If I do come down you keep away from me. You've got to live and take care of Virginia"
 She should never have returned to this accursed country" Cavanagh harshly replied. starting back toward the cabin.
 The constable. smoking his pipe be side the fireplace. did not present an anxious face. On the contrary, he seemed plumply content as he replied to the rangers greeting He repre- sented very we'll the type of officer which these disorderly communities produce Brave and tirelcss when working along the line of his preju dices, he could be most laxly inefficient when hls duties cut across his own or his neighbours interests Being Il eat tleman by training. he was glad of the red herring which the TeXas officer had traiied across the line of his pur- suit
 This attitude sull further mhamed Cayanagh's indignant hate of the coun try The theory which the deputy de veloped was transparent folly. "lt was just a case of plain robbery" he ar gued one of them dugoes had mon ey, and Neill Ballard and that man Ed- wards just naturally folored him and killed the whole bunch and scooted That's my guess"
 An hour later the sound of d horses hoofs on the bridge gave warning of visitor, and as Gavanagh went to the door Gregg rode up, seeking particu- lars as to the death of the herder and the whereabouts of the sheep.
 The ranger was not in a mood to in vite the sheepmau in. and. besides. he perceived the danger to which Wether ford was exposed; therefore his an swers were short Gregg. on his part. did not appear anxious to enter.
 What happened to that old hobo sent up7" he asked
 Cavsnagh briefly retod his story, and st the end of il Gregg grunted "Nou say you burned the tent aud all the kedding?"
 "Ey0ry thread of It. It wasn't safe % lea le it"
 "What aiied the man?"
 T don't know, but it looked and smelled like smallpox"
 The deputy rose with spring Smallpox! You didn't handle the eussY"
 Cayanagh did not spare him. "Some- body had to lend a hand. couldn't see him die there alone, and he had 10 be buried. so l did the job"
 Gregg recoiied n step or two, but the