The Delta independent., 1911-04-28
By HAMLIN GARLAND
Copyright. 1910. by Hamlin Garland

eT1OTu ledueu uedNhy Ou Ills
and stared at the ranger with wide
eyes. His face was drawn and his
dips dry. They'll get me! They'll get
mev' he said.
.'Oh. no. they won't" reJoined Cava-
nagh. You're all right yet. They
suspect nothing How could they.
with you in uniform and in my COM
pany?"
''All the same. I'm scared. That
man Haines had his eyes on me every
minute. He saw right through me.
They'll get me. and they'll charge me
up with that killing"
No, they won't. I tell you" insisted
the ranger "Haines suspected nothing
l had his eye. He never saw you be-
fore and has nothing but descrip-
tion to go by, so cheer up. Your uni
form and your position with me will
make you safe-perfectly safe. They'll
find the Basque's camp burned and
the sheep in charge of the dog. and
they'll fancy that you have skipped
across the range. But see here, old
man." and he turned on him sharply,
you didn't tell me the whole truth.
,Eou said you were out on parole"
COuIuu L lell JOu llc W uOle u ulu-
replied the fugitive But l will now.
i was In for a life sentence. l was
desperate for the open air and home
sick for the mountains, and l struck
down one of the guards. l was will
ing to do anything to get out. l
thought If could get back to this
country and my wife and child I'd be
safe. l said I'd be willing to go back
to the pen IL necessary. but I'm not.
i can't do it. I'd die there. You must
save me for my girls sake"
His voice and eyes were wild with
kind Of desperate fury of fear. and
Cavanagh. moved to pity. assured him
of his aid. Now. ~listen." he said.
I'm going to shield you on account
of your work for that poor shepherd
and for your daughters sake. It's my
duty to apprehend you, Of course, but
I'm going to protect you. The safest
ahing for you to do Is to go back to
my cabin. Ride slow. so as not to get
there till they're gone. They'll ride
over to the sawmill without doubt. II
they come back this way remember
that the deputy saw you only as a
ragged old man with a long beard and
IudL 11dlutS uotuhuS Oot a
description to go by. There's no use
trying to flee. You are marked
man In that uniform. and you are
safer right here with me than any
where else this side of Chicago
HaInes is likely to cross the divide in
the belief that you have gone that
way. and If he does you have no one
but the deputy to deal with"
He succeeded at last in completely
rousing the older mans courage.
Wetherford rose to meet his opportu-
nifty. iii do it," he said firmly.
That's the talk!" exclaimed Cav
anagh to encourage him. You can
throw them of the track this time. and
when l come back tomorrow I'll bring
sOme other clothing for you. and then
we'll plan some kind of scheme that
will get you out of the country. I'll
not let them make a scapegOat Of you.
The ranger watched the fugitive as
he started back over the trail in this
desperate defiance of his pursuers with
far less confidence in the outcome than
he had put into words.
"All depends on Wetherford himself
If his nerve does not fail him. II they
not carry the matter to the supervisor
we will pull the plan through" And
In this hope he rode away down the
trail with bent head. for all this bore
heavily upon his relationship to the
girl waiting for him in the valley. He
had thought Lie a burden, a social
disability, but a convict father now
made the mothers faults of small ac-
count.
The nearer he drew to the meeting
with Lee Virginia the more important
shat meeting became. Cavanagh had
seen Virginia hardly more than a score
Of times. and yet she filled his thought,
confused his plans. making of his brain
q place of doubt and hesitation. For
her sake he had entered upon a plan
10 shield a criminal, to harbOr an es
capped convict. 1t was of no avail to
argue that he was moved to shield
Wetherford because of his heroic ac-
tion on the peak. He knew perfectly
well that 1t was because he could not
see that fair. brave girl further dis
graced by the discovery of her fathers
Identity, for in the searching inquiry
with would surely follow his secret
would develop.
To marry her. knowing the character
of her father and her mother, was
madness, and the voice within him
warned him of his folly. "Pure wa
ter cannot be drawn from corrupt
sources" It Is said. Nevertheless ths
thought of having the girl with hin
In the wilderness filled him with di
vine recklessness. While still he de
bated. alternately flushed with resolve
to be happy and chilled BY sOm'