Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-02-02
= Ranger
BY tiAMLN GARLAND
Copyright. 1910. By Hamlin Garland
Copyright. 1910. By Hamlin Garland

to shut out settlement. / Cont care
to have my children live the life I've
lived. Besides. what right have we to
stand In the way of a community's
growth? Suppose the new life is less
picturesque than the old. We don't
like to leave behind us the pleasures
and sports Of boyhood, but we grow
up nevertheless. I'm far more loyal
to the state as forest supervisor than
l was when | was riding with the cat
tlemen to scare up the hester"
At this moment Sam Gregg entered
the room. followed by a young man Ia
an English riding suit. Seeing that
ssthe star boarder table, offered a cou-
pie Of seats, they pointed that way.
Sam was plainly in a warlike frame OF
mind and slammed his sombrero on its
nail with the action Of a man beating
an adversary.
THAT IL Sam Gregg and bis o Joe.
Used to be ranch cattieman. now one
Of our biggest sheepmen." Cavanagh
explained Hes bucking the cattle
men now"
Lee Virginia studied young Gregg
with interest, for his dress was that of
a man to whom money came easy, and
his face was handsome. though rather
fat and sullen. In truth, he had been
brought into the room by his father 70
see 'IaAe Wetherford's girl" and his
eyes at once sought and found her. A
look OF surprise and pleasure At once
lit his face.
Gregg WIS the greedy west checked
and restrained by the law. Every
mar In the room knew that he was a
bitter opponent OF the forest service
and that he had 1t In for the ranger,
and some OF them knew that he was
throwing more sheep into the forest
than his permits allowed and that a
clash with Redfield was sure to come.
1t was just like the burly old Irish
mar II go straight to the table where
his adversary sat.
Virginia's eyes fell before the gnze
| of these two men. for they had none
of the shyness and none OF the indirec-
ton Of the ruder men she had met.
RedfieId did not soften his words on
Gregg's account. On the contrary. he
made them still more cutting and to
the line.
The mere fact that I live near the
open range or a national forest does
not give me any rights in the range or
forest" he was saying as Gregg took
his seat. 4 enjoy the privilege of
these government grazing grounds.
and l ought to be perfectly willing to
pay the fee. These forests are the
property OF the whole nation. They
Ire public @lands and should yield a
revenue to the whole nation. 1t Is
silly to expect the government to go
on enrfching d few Of US stockmen at
the expense Of others. I see this. and
/ accept the. change"
ftessy0aEs~SM HEh At II. SAID
Gregg.
.Well. haven't youY retorted Red
Geld. "Are you 30 greedy that nothing
will stop you"
Gregg growied ont: "Tm not letting
any Of my rights slip. Ill have your
head. Mr.. Supervisor. III carry ms
fight to the secretary"
every WE'LL" returned RedAeld,
"carry 1t to the president II you wish.
/ simply repeat that your sheep must
correspond to your permit. and IT you
don't send up and emo the extra
number | viii do 1t myself. ] don't
make the rules Of the department. My
job Is to carry them out"
BY this time every person In the
room was tense with interest. They
oil knew Gregg and his imperious
methods. Some OF the eattlemen in the
room had suffered from his greed. and.
while they were not partisaus of the
supervisor, they were glad to see him
face his opponent f~eariessly.
Lie delivered a parting blow: "BuIl-
frog. you and me are old timers. We're
on the losing side. We belong to the
| good old days when the Fork raj a
mans town and to be shot up once
a week kept us in news. But them
times are past. You can't run the
range that way any more. Why. man.
youth have II buy and fence your own
pasture in a few years more or else
pay rent same as I do. You stockmen
kick like steers over paying a few ole
cents a head for Ave months range.
you'll be mighty glad to pay a dollar
one of these Days. Take your medicine
that's my advice And she went
back to her cash drawer.
Redfieid's voice was cuttingly con-
temptuous as he said quite calmly:
you're all kinds of asses. you sheep
men. You ought TO pay the fee for
your cattle with secret Joy. So long
as you can get your stock pastured