The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-02-19

mothers health"
It hurt him to hear her can Eliza
Wetherford mother. He wanted to
forget her origin for the moment. He
was not ln love with her-fAr from It'll
But she was 20 alluring. and the pro-
prietrsss Of the Wetherford House
was not nice, and that made one
doubt the daughter.
She broke the silence. TT seems
dreadfuIly dark and mysterious mp
there" She indicated his path.
ut isn't Is bad as It looks There Is
. good trail, and my pony knows It
as wen as do. I enjoy riding by
night"
sBut there are bears and other wild
things, are there notfs
mot N much az wish there were"
"Why do you say that?"
II hate to see all the wild life killed
on. Some day all these forests win
have game refugees like the Yellow
stone National park. They are COM
ing each year to have greater and
greater value to the people Of the
plains. They are Fairgrounds, like
the Alps. II should ever settle down
to a home It would be In canyon
Ike this, with great psak at my
front door"
ut Il beautiful the girl said in the
tone Of sadness with which we con-
front the perfect night, the perfect
flower, the nawiess landscape. TT Is
both grand and peaceful"
This tone Of sadness pleased him.
Il showed her depth Of perception.
and he reflected that she had not ut
tered a vacuous or silly phrase since
their first meeting. "Shs is capable
Of great development" be thought.
Aloud he said: You are strange
mingling Of east and west. Do you
realize itr'
I'm what way?" she asked, feeling
something ardent IN his tone.
You typify to me at this moment
this whole state. You ill me with en-
thusiasm for its future. Here you
are, derived from the lawless west.
yet taking on the culture and restraint
Of tho east so readily that you seem
not in. the least related to-
He checked himself at this point.
and she said, my mother IS not as
rough as she seems, Mr.. Cavanagh."
"She must b more Of the woman
than appears or she could not have
borne such a daughter. But do you
feel your relationship to her? Tell me
honestly, for you interest me-"
II didn't at first. but do now.
begin to understand her, and, besides
/ feel In myself certain things that are
|, In her, though think am more like
the Wetherfords. My fathers family
home was In Maryland"
Ross could have talked on all night
80 alluring was the girls dimly seen
yet warmly felt figure at his side, but
a sense Of danger and knowledge
that he should be riding led him at
last to say: ut is getting chill. We
must go In, but before we do so let me
say how much I've enjoyed seeing you
again. hope the doctor will make ia
vorable report on your mothers case.
You'll write me the result Of the ex-
animation, won't your
sf you wish me to-"
II shall be most anxious to know"
They were standing very near to
each other at the moment, and the
ranger, made very sensitive to wo-
mans charm by his lonely life, shook
with newly created love Of her. A
suspicion, a hope, that beneath her cul-
t1vated manner lay the passionate ma.
ture Of her mother gave an added force
to his desire. He was sorely tempted
to touch her, to test her, but her sweet
voice, Z little sad and perfectly I'm.
conscious Of evil. claimed him. She
said:
" hope to persuade my mother to
leave the Forks ALI the best people
there are against us Some Of them
have been very cruel to her and to me
and. besides. despise and fear the
men who come to our table,"
'You must not exchange words with
Them" he all but commanded. BE
ware Of Gregg; he is vile lot Do not
trust him for an instant. Do not per.
init any Of those loafers to talk with
you, for Il you do they win go away to
defame you I know them. They are
unspeakably vile. It makes me angry
to think that Gregg and his Ike have
the right to speak to you every day
while can see you only at long inter
walls. I wish my station were not sc
far away. But TIL ride down as OTTER
as my duties win permit. and you must
let me know how things go. And Il
any Of those fellows prosecute yoJ
you'll tell me. won't you? ] "ish you't
look upon me ~ your big brother
VIII you do that7" His voice entreat
ed. and az she remained silent he con
tinued: Roaring Fork Is one OF tn
worst towns In the state, and CIR
Ike you needs some one a. protector