The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-04
. Ranger
By HAMLIN GARLAND
Copyright. 1910. by Hamlin Garland


tried to run me out Of Deer Greek, but
I'm there to stay. I have 10000 more
on the way. and the man that tries to
stop me will find trouble"
The car was descending into the val
ley Of the Roaring Fork now, and wire
fences and alfalfa fields on either side
gave further evidence Of the change In
the lands dominion. Down past the
courthouse. refurbished and deeper
sunk In trees, Lee Virginia rode. re-
calling the wild night when 800 armed
and vengeful cowboys surrounded it.
holding three cattle barons and their
hired invaders against all Corners, res
olute to be their own judge. jury and
hangman. 1t was all as peaceful as a
Sunday afternoon at this moment,
with no sign of the fierce passions of
the past
The ear crossed the Roaring Fork
and drew up before two small shacks,
one OF which bore a faded sign. ''The
Wetherford House." and the other in
fresher paint, 1.-The Wetherford Cafe"
On the sidewalk a group of Indians
were sitting and half dozen SLOUGH
ing white men stood waiting at the
door.
As Lee went past the hotel porch
her. heart beat hard and her breath
shortened. In q fash she OWNED the
truth. She understood why her moth
er had discouraged her coming home.
It was not merely on account Of the
money. It was because she knew that
her business was wrong.
What squalid little den it was!
How cheap. bald and petty the whole
town seemed Of a sudden! Lee vir-
ginia halted and turned. There was
was to make herself known She re-
traced her steps, pulled open the bro
ken screen door and entered the cafe.
It was a low. dingy dining room filed
with the odor Of ham and bad coffee.
At the tables ten or fifteen men, mot
ley throng, were busily feeding their
voracious jaws, and on her left. behind
q showcase filed with cigars, stood
her mother, looking old. unkempt and
worried. The changes in her were 80
great that the girl stood In shocked
alarm. At last she raised her veil,
Mother" she said. don't you know
mew
. A look of surprise went over the
older woman's fabby face-a glow
which brought hack something Of her
other. self, as she cried. why, Lee
Virginny. where did you come fromT'
The boarders stopped chewing and
stared In absorbed interest. while Vir-
ginia kissed her blowsy mother.
by the Lord. it's little Virginny!"
said one old fellow. Its her daugh-
ter" :, s@
Upon this mntter Of establishment
arose, and the waiter girls, gfggling,
marvefing and envious. paused, their
platters in hand, to exchange comment
on the newcomers hat and gown. A
cowboy at the washing sink In the
corner suspended his face. polishing
and gaped over his shoulder in silent
ecstasy. Some of the men came for
wardto greet her, and. though she had
some difficulty In recognizing one or
two. Of them $50 hardly had the years
OF her absence used them. she even
tually succeeded In placing them all.
At length her mother led her through
the archway which connected the two
shanties, thence along narrow hall
into a small bedroom, into which the
western sunset fell 1t was shabby
place. but as refuge from the crowd
In the restaurant it was grateful.
Lie looked at her daughter critical
ly. 81 don't know what I'm going to
do with a girl like you. Why. you're
purty-purty as a picture. You were
skinny as child. I'm fair dazed
Great snakes. how you have opened
ont! You're the living image Of your
dad. What started you back? I told
you to stay where you was"
~ had no place to go after Aunt
Celia died. I had to come home"
"You wrote they was willing to keep
you"
'"They were, but couldn't ask 1t OF
and, besides. Mrs. Hail wrote me that
you were SICK
u am, but didn't want you to come
back. Lay OF your things and come
out to supper Well talk afterward."
The eating house. the rooms and
Railways were all of that desolate
shabbiness which comes from shiftless.
nesssjoined with poverty. Everything
on which the girls eyes fell contrasted
strongly with her aunt's home on the
Brandywine-not because that house
was large or luxurious, but because II
was exquisitely In order and sweet
with flowers and dainty arrangement.
Of color.
She regretted bitterly that she had
ever left her eastern friends. Her
mother, in truth, showed little pleasure
at her coming and almost nothing OF
the Illness Of which a neighbor had
written. 1t was, indeed, this letter
which had decided her to return to the
west. She had come, led by sense OF
duty, not by affection, for she had
never loved her mother as daughter
should-they were in some way anti
pathetic-and now she found herseli
an unwelcome guest.
With aching head and shaking knees
Virginia re-entered the dining room
which was now nearly empty Of its
guests" but was still misty with the
steam Of food and swarming with dies
These pests buzzed like bees around
| the soiled places on the tablecloths