Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-18

% they went % their beds, and.
though she shivered, Lie was updis.
mayed. 'Thsfso aching The matter
With ny Asart." ~ exalted II don'e
believe there Was anything really sssi-
Gus The matter with me, anyway. I
reckon I was Just naturally srouehy
and worried over you and Reaa"
CHAPTER Xxx.
WTTH THE AID o. THE PRESS.
y EE VIRGINIA was now living 4
romance stranger ana more star
Ting than any she had ever
IL read. In Imagination she was
able to look back and down upon the
Fork 40 II she had been carried into
another world-a world that was at
once primeval, yet peaceful; q world
II dreaming trses singing streams and
silent peaks: . realm In which law
and order rsignsd. maintained BY ono
determined young man whose power
was derived from the president him
self. She felt safs-entirely safe.for
just across the roaring mountain tor
rent the two intrepid guardians Of the
forest Were eucamped. One Of them.
It II true, came Of Swedish parentag &c.
and the other was a native of Eng.
land, but they were both American 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
trusted. but she did not know them.
She rose to complete understand
ing Of Cavanagh's love for 1.-THE high
country" and his enthusiasm for the
cause, q 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 citi.
sens. who were openly, Enthusiastically
and cynically bent upon destruction,
spoliatio and misuse.
She had listened to the talk Of the
forester and the supervisor, and she
had learned from them that Cavanagh
was sure Of swift advancement now
that he had shown his courage and
his skill. and the thought that he
might leave the state to take charge
Of another forest brought her some
uneasiness, for she and Lie had plan
ned to 90 to Sulphur City. She had
consented to this because It still left
to her the possibility Of occasionally
seeing or hearing from Cavanagh. But
the thought that he might 90 away a.
together took some Of the music out Of
the sound Of the stream ana made the
future vaguely sad.
For the next two days Cavanagh
slept but little. for his patient grew
steadily worse. AZ the fame Of his
fever mounted. wetherford pleaded
for cir. The ranger threw open the
doors, admitting freely the cool, sweet
mountain wind ''He might - well
die Of . draft ~ smother" was his
thought, and BY the use Of cold cloths
he tried to allay the itching and the
pain.
With the coming Of the third night
Wetherford was unconscisus and I'M
recognizable to any one who had
known him In the days Of 1.-The Tree
range" He WAS going - the wild west
was going, discredited. liberated. poi
soned. Incapable Of rebirth, yet carry.
ing somsthing nne to his grave. He
had acted the part Of 4 brave man:
that shall b said Of him. He had
gone to the rescue Of the poor Basque
instinctvely. with tho same reckless
disregard Of consequences to himself
which married his character when -
. COW bon On the range he had Ut
aside the most difficult tasks Tor liz
own rope or gun. His regard for the
ranger into whose cafe Be 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 Z lucid moment, he reverted
to the promise which he had drawn
from Cavanagh.
III 20 you must take care-of my
girl-take care OF Lie too. Promise
me that Do you promtssT' he insist.
"a.
II promise-on honor" Ross repeat.
ed, and, with . faint pressure Of his
hand 10 slender and weakly, Wether-
ford sank away into the drowse which
deepened hour BY hour. broken now
and then BY convulsions. which wrung
the stern heart Of the ranger till his
hands trsmbled for pity.
The day was well advanced when the
sound Of rattling pebbles on the hill
back Of his cabin drew his attention.
and few moments latsr q man on Q
weary horse rode up to his door and
dropped heavily from the saddle. He
was q small, dark individual, with
spectacles. plainly Of the city.
Beware! Smallpox!' called Ross -
his visitor drew near the door.
The newcomer waived his hand con.
temptuously. i've had It. Are you
Ross Cavanash?'
II am"
my name Is Hartley. I represent
the Denver Roundup. I'm interested
49,