Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1911-03-16
The Great Conserva..
ton Novel

fhe theme for caustic comment In the
eastern press for a day and then be
forgotten"
AS his hot blood cooled he lost faith
in even this sacrifice. Could anything
change the leopard west into the tame
ness and serenity Of the OK? "No," he
decided; nothing but death will do
that. This generation, these fierce and
bloody hearts, must die. Only in that
way can the tradition Of violence be
overcome and a new state reared"
At the foot of the toilsome. upward
winding trail he dismounted and led
his weary horse. Over his head and
about halfway to the first hilltop lay
a roof Of feecy vapOr. faint purple
in color and seamless in texture.
Through this he must pass, and 1t SYM
bolized to him the line Of demarcation
between the plain and the mountain.
between order and violence.
Slowly he led his horse along the
mountain side. grasping with eager de-
sire at every changing aspect of the
marvellous mountain scene. 1t was in
finitely more gorgeous, more compel
ling, than his moonlight experience the
night before.
As he led his horse out upon a pro-
1ecting point Of rocky ledge to rest his
love for the range came back upon
him with such power that tears misted
his eyes and his throat ached. where
else will I find such scenes at this ~
he asked himself. "Where in all the
aowiands could such splendors shine?
How can I leave this high world in
which these wonders come and go? l
win not! Here will I bring my bride
and build my home. This is my
world"
But the mist grew gray. the aureole
of fire faded. the sun went down be-
hind the hills. and the chill Of evening
deepened on the trail. and as he re-
mainly to man the thought Of camping
there beside those charred limbs call
ed for heroic resolution. He was hun
cry, too. and as the air pinched he
shivered.
AT the best the sheriff cannot reach
here before midnight" he said. and
settled down to his unsought. revolving
vigil.
His one relief lay in the mental COM
position of a long letter to Lee Vir-
ginia. whose life at that moment was
comfort to him. III such purity.
such sweetness. can come from viO-
lence and vulgarity then surely new
and splendid state can rise even out
of the ashes Of these murdered men.
Perhaps this Is the end of the Old
he mused. perhaps this is the begin
ming Of the new" and as he pondered
the last faint crimson died out Of the
west. $50 must the hate and violence
die out of America" he said. leaving
the clear, sweet air. of liberty behind
He was near to the poet at the mo-
ment, for he was also the lover. His
allegiance to the great republic stood
the test His faith in democracy was
shaken. but not destroyed. II will
watt" he decided This shall be the
sign. If this deed goes unavenged
then will put off my badge and my
uniform and go back to the land where
for hundred years at least sucf
deeds as these have been impossible
He built fire as night fell to serve
both as a beacon and as a defense
against the cold. He felt himsei1
weirdly remote in this vigil. From
his far height he looked abroad upoI
the tumbled plain as If upon an ocear
dimly perceptible, yet august. "At THU
moment" he said. 'curious and per
haps guilty eyes are wondering wha
my spark Of freight may mean"
His mind went again and again t.
that tall old man in the ditch. Wha
was the meaning Of his scared an,
sorrowful glance? Why should on
so peacefully employed at such tim
and in such place wear the look o
hunted deer? What meant the tire
NOR in his voice?
Was 1t possible that one so gentl
should have taken part in this deed
"Preposterous suspicion. and yet b
had guilty look"
AT last. far in the night. he hear
the snort Of a horse and the sound O
voices. The law (such as it was) wa
creeping up the mountain side in til
person Of the sheriff Of Chauvene
county and was about to relieve tn
ranger from his painful responsible
as guardian of the dead.
At last he came. this officer Of tn
law, attended dixie Cheyenne chic
by dozen lesser warriors Of variou
conditions and kinds. but among thel
indeed. second only to the sheriff
was Hugh Redfeld. the forest supe
visor, hot and eager with haste.
AS they rode up to the fire the Office
called out: "Howdy, ranger? Ho'
about it?'
Ross stated briefly. succinctly. wh'
ne had discovered. and as he talke
other riders came up the hill and gait
cred closely around to listen in wor'
less Silanpo-in u,,flty cilapcQ II