The Delta independent., 1911-06-02
By HAMLIN GARLAND
Copyright. 1910. BY Hamlin Garland

l can't! Please let me stay!'
81 beg of you go back"
The roar of the stream made it nee
ess:lry to speak loudly. and he could
not put into his voice the tenderness
he felt at the moment, but his face
was knotted with pain as he asked.
"Don't you see you add to my uneasi-
ness-my pain?"
We're so anxious about you" she
answered. at seems as though we
should be doing something to help
you"
He understood and was grateful for
the tenderness which brought her so
near to him, but he was forced to be
stern.
There is nothing you can do-noth-
ing more than you are doing. 1t helps
me to know that you are here, but
you must not cross the bridge Please
60 back!" There was pleading as well
rs command in his voice. and with a
realization of the passion his voice
conveyed she retraced her steps. her
heart beating quickly with the joy
which his words conveyed.
AT sunset Redfield returned, bringing
with him medicine, but no nurse. NO
body will come up here" he said. II
reckon Ross is doomed to fight it out
alone. The solitude, the long trail.
scares the bravest of them away. !
tried and tried-no use. Eleanor would
have come, of course-demanded t,
come-but I would not permit tho.
She commissioned me to bring yon
both down to the ranch"
int lat,
Grated her wish to stay until all pos
sible danger to Cavanagh was over
Redfeld crossed the bridge and laid
the medicines down outside the door.
THE nurse from Sulphur refused to
come when she found that her patient
was in a mountain cabin. I'm sorry.
old man. ] did the best l could
Never mind" replied Cavanagh.
"Tm still free from any touch of
fever. I'm tired. Of course, but good
for another night of it. My main anx-
iety concerns Lee. Get her to go
home with you If you can"
III do the best l can." responded
Redfield, but meanwhile you must
not think Of getting out Of the forest
service. l have some cheering news
for you. The president has put a
good man into the chiefs place"
Cavanagh's face lighted up. "That'll
help some" he exclaimed. But who's
the MANI"
Redfield named him. He was a
student under the chief. and the chief
says he's all right. which satisfies me.
Furthermore. he's real forester and
not political jobber or a corporation
attorney
That's good" repeated Cavanagh.
land yet" he said sadly. lit leaves the
chief out just the same"
No; the chief is not out. He's
where he can fight for the idea to bet
ter advantage than when he was Il
subordinate under another man. Any
how. he asks us all to line up for the
work and not to mind him. The work
he says. is bigger than any man.
Here's that resignation of yours he
said. taking Cavanaghs letter from
his pocket. 81 didn't put it on file
What shall do with it?''
Throw it to me-" said Cavanagh
curtly.
Redfield tossed 1t over the hitching
pole. and Ross took it up. looked at II
for a moment in silence. then tore il
into bits and threw it on the ground.
what are your orders. Mr.. Super
visor?" he asked. with n faint. quiZzi
cal smile around his eyes
There's nothing you can do buI
take care of this man. But as soor
as you are able to ride again I've got
some special work for you. / wan
you to join with young Bingham. the
ranger on Rock creek. and line up the
Triangle cattle. Murphy is reported
to have thrown on the forest nearly 8
thousand head more than his permit
calls for. | want you to see about
that. Then complete your maps Sc
that l can turn them in on the 1st Of
November. and about the middle OF
December you are to take charge o
this forest in my stead. Eleanor ha
decided to take the children abroa,
for a couple Of years, and as l am t
be over there part of the time don
feel justified in holding down the su
pervisor's position. shall resign Il
your favor Wait now!' he calle,
warningly. "The district forester an
framed all this up as we rode dow
the hill yesterday. and it goes. OF
yes, there's one thing more. Old ma
Dunn
Il know"
"How did you learn it?"
"a reporter came boiling over tn
ridge about noon today wanting me t
give him the names which Dunn ha
given me- / was strongly tempted t
do as he asked me to-you know thes
newspaper men are sometimes tn
best kind OF detectives for runnin
down criminals-but on second though
concluded to wait until l had di,
cussed the matter with you. / haven