Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-02-18
: Ranger
BY HAMLN GARLAND
Copyright. 1910. by Hxmiin Garland
Copyright. 1910. by Hxmiin Garland

Couldn't do It, joe" she sighed.
4These last few days I've been about
ss homeless as an eel. Funny the way
Q fellow Keeps going when he's go.
something to do that has to be done
I'll tell you what, II you want to take
me and Lee up to Sulphur I'll go you.s
Sure thing. What dayF"
mot for a day or two. I'm not quite
up to 1t Just now, but by Saturday I'll
be saddlewise again"
Joe turned joyously to Lee. "That
will be great! Won't you come out fol
a spin this minuteY'
Fol a moment Lee was tempted.
Anything to get away from this horri.
Bile little den and the people who In.
tested 1t was her feeling, but she dis.
trusted Gregg, and she knew that ev.
cry eye in the town would be upon her
II she went, and, besides, Ross might
return while she was away. mo; not
today" she replied finally, but her
voice was gentler than 1T had ever
been to him,
The young fellow was moved to *.
plain his position to Lie. "You don't
think much Of me, and l don't blame
you. l haven't been much use so far,
but I'm going to reform. If / had a
girl like Lee Virginia to live up to I'd
make asgreat citizen. I don't lay my
arrest up against Cavanagh. I'm ready
to pass that by. And as for this other
business-this free range war In which
the old man Is mixed up-I want you
to know that I'm against It. Dad
knows his day Is short; that's what
makes him SO hot. But he's a bluff
Just a fussy old bluff. He knows he
grass than anybody else, but he's go
ing to get ahead of the cattlemen If be
can"
Does he know who burned them
sheep herders?"
"Of course he knows, but amt CO.
ing to say so. You see, that old
Basque who was killed was a monopo-
list too. He went after that grass
without asking anybody's leave. More.
over, he belonged to that Mexican
dago outfit that everybody hates. The
old man isn't crying yer that job; It's
money In his pocket. All the same,
it's too good a chance to put the hooks
into the cattlemen; hence his offering
a reward, and it looks as IL something
would really be done this time. They
say Neill Ballard was mixed up in 1t
and that old guy that showed me the
sheep. But / don't take much stock
in that. Whoever did it was paid by
the cattlemen, sure thing" The young
fellows tone and bearing made a ia
vorable impression upon Lie. She
had never seen this side Of him. for
the reason hat he had hitherto treat
ed her as a bartender. She was acute
enough to understand that her social
status had changed along with her re-
lease from the cash register, snd she
was slightly more reconciled. although
she could not see her way to provid-
ing a living for herself and Lee. For
all these reasons she wal unwontedly
civil to Joe and sent him away highly
elated with the success Of his inter
view.
I'm going to let him take as up to
Sulphur" she said to Lee. 81 want to
20 to town"
Lee was silent, but a keen pang ran
through her heart, for she perceived
in this remark by her mother a tacit
acknowledgement OF Ross Cavanagh's
desertion Of them both. His invita-
ton to them to come and camp with
him was only a polite momentary i'm
pulse. "Tm ready to 60" she an
nounced at last. I'm tired Of this
place. Let US 60 tomorrow"