The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-04-08
CdvdndQll,
tiNf
The Great Conserva-
tion Novel
ScoNTINuEp.,
CHAPTER Xxx.



tlihg than any she had ever
- read. In Imagination she was
able to look back and down upon the
Fork as " she had been carried into
anotber world-a world that was at
once primeval. yet peaceful: world
OF dreaming trees. singing streams aud
silent peaks. realm ia which law
and order rclgued. maintained by one
determined young man whose power
was derived from the president him.
seif, She felt safe--entirely sufc-for
Just across the roaring mountain tor.
rent the two intrepid g,iardaus OF the
forest were encamped, One Of them.
" Is true, came OF Swedish parcntage.
s1d the other was u native OF Eng.
And. but they were both AHerichn In
the high sense Of being loyal to the
federal WILL and she trusted them
more unquestioningly than any other
men in all that west save only Red.
field. She had no doubt there were
others equally loyal. equally to be
tplsted. but she did not know them
She rose to a complete understand.
ing OF Cavanagh's love for the high
country" and his enthusiasm for the
cnuse. a cause which was able to
bring together the student from Yale
and the graduates OF Bergen and Of
Oxford and make them comrades In
preserving the trees and streams Of
the mountain states against the en-
croachments of some OF their own citl.
zens. who were openly. shortsightedly
and cynically bent upon destruction.
spoliation and misuse.
She had listened to the talk OF the
forester and the supervisor. and she
bad learned from them that Cavanagh
was sure Of swift advancement now
that be had shown his courage and
his skill. an6 the thought that he
might leave the state to take charge
OF another forest brought her some
uneasiness, for she and Lie had plan.
ne1 TO 20 TO Sulphur City. She had
consented 10 this because It still left
10 her the possibility OF occasionally
seeing or hearing from Cavanagh. But
the thought that he might go away al
together took some OF the music out Of
tho sound OF the stream aud made the
IuLure NaSucly SaQ. I....
For the next two days Cavanazh
slept but little. for his patient grew
steadily worse. AS the fame OF his
fever mounted Wetherford pleaded
for air. The ranger threw open the
doors, admitting freely the cool swee,
mountain wind. HE might as well
die of p draft as smother" was his
thought, and by the use Of cold cloths
he tried to allay the itckug and the
pain su. s- ...
with the coming OF the third night
Wetherford was unconscious and un-
recognizable TO any one who had
Known him in the days OF 'the free
range" He was going as tho wild west
was going, discredited. liberated. poi.
soned, incapable OF robirth. vet carry.
ing something fine TO his grave. He
had acted the purt of brave man:
that shall be said OF him He had
zone TO the rescue Of the poor Basque
tnstinctiveiy. with the sale' reckless
disregard OF consequences to himself
which marked his character when "a
q COW boss on the range he bad set
own rope or gun. His regard for the
ranger into whose care he was now
about TO commit his wife and daugh
ter persisted in spite of his suffering
In him was his hope. his stay. Once
again. In lucid moment he reverted
10 the promise which he had drawn
from Cavsnagh
"lf go YOU must take core-of my
girl-take care uf Lie too Promise
me that Do You promise?" he insist
ed
II promise on hOuur." Ross repeat.
ed, and. with u faint pressure OF his
hand $50 slender aud weak, Wether
ford sank away into the browse which
deepened hour by hour. broken now
and then 10y commissions, which wrung
the stern hcart of The ranger till his
hands trelnbled for pity.
The day was well advanced when the
sound OF rattllug Pebbles on the hill
back of his cabin drew his attention
and few moments later man on n
weary horse rode up TO his door and
dropped heavily from the saddle. He
WIS small. dark individual with
spectacles, plainly ~ The city
Beware, Smallpox" called Ross as
his visitor drew near the door
The newcomer waived Ills hand ron
telnptuously. ave had IT, are you
Ross CavanaghT"
~ ann
MY name is Hartley represent
the Denver Roundup, I'm Interested
in this sheep berder killing merely
as reporter" he 1dded. with n deel
ing smile did you know old man
Dunn of Deer Creel had committed
suicido1'
Cayauagh Siarird aud his face SCI
Nor f.ti
'srhcy found him shot through the
neck and dying ihi4 morning As hr
WAS gasplng his lusi breath he snid
The ranger Knows and WHEN they
asked. What iunGprT be sdid. Cnvu
NIGH When | heard thai | jumped
horse and bVai 'em all over here. L.
this Tue; Did br tell you who tn"
murderers aref'