Putnam patriot., 1911-04-07
Cdvdnagh, The Great Conserva-
 ton Novel

law sad iI was bis. but the ia" niu not mean 10 reward the freebooter Yet that ls exactly what it did Al first ouiy few outlaws took adyan- fage of it. but hard years came on. the cattle business became less and less profitable. we were forced 70 lay of our men. and so at last the range swarmed with idle cowpunchers. Then came the breakdown in our scheme The cowboys took 10 mayericking on Their own account Some of them had fhe grace to go into partnership with some farmer and so claim small bnnch of cows. but others suddenly and mraeulo8sIy acquired herds of their oWu From keeping within the law they passed 10 violent methods. They silt the tongues of calves for tbe purpose of separating them from their mothers. Finding he eouId not suck. bossy would at last wander away from his dam and SO become maverick In short. anarchy reigned on the range"
 But surely my father had nothing 10 do with thlsf"
 No. your father up 10 this lime bad been on good terms with eryb9dy. He had a small herd of cattle down The river. which he owned in common with nam named Hart"
 T remember him
 qHe WIS well thought of by all the big outfits and when The situation be- came infoerabic and we got together to weed oat 'the rHsGers, as these eat tie thieves were called, your father was approached and converted 10 q belief in drastic measures. He had suffered less than tAe rest of us be cause of his small herd and the fact thai he was very popular among the cowboys So far as 1 was concerned, inc use of violent methods revoltcd me My training in tbe east had made me respecter of the law. Change the law said The law is all right they replied. the trouble is with these rustlers We'll hang few of 'em, and that will break up the business.
 Parts of this story came back to the girls mind producing momentary flashes of perfect recollection. She heard again the voices of excited men arguing over and over the question of "mayercklng. and she saw her ia ther as he rode up to the house that last day before he went south.
 Redheld went on. The whole plan as developed was silly, and l wonder stin that Ed Wetherford. who knew should have lent his aid t0 il. The cattlemen. some from Cheyenne. some from Denver and few from New York and Chicago, agreed 10 finance a sort of vigllante corps composed of men from the outside on the under standing that this policing body should be commanded by one of their own number Your father was chosen sec ond in command and was to guide the party. for he knew almost every one of the rustlers and could ride directly to their doors.
 "I wish he hadn't done that" mur= mured the girl.
 ''l must be frank with you, Virginia. ! can't excuse that in him. Ii was n kind of treachery He must have been warped by his associates. They con vinced him by some means that it was his duty. and one fine day the Fork was startled by messenger who rode in 10 say that the cattle harons were coming with hundred Texas bad men to clean out the town and 10 put their own men into office. This last was silly rot to me. but the people believed it.
 The girl was tingllng now "l re member remember the men who rode into the town 10 give the alarm. was scared almost -breathless.
 T was in Sulphur City and did not hear of it tin it was nearly all over. Redned resumed, his speech showing Il little of the excitement which thrill ed through the girls voice. Well, the first act of vengeance was so i'll con sidcred that it practically ended the whole campaign 1he invaders fell upon and killed two ranchers. one of whom Was probably uet rustler at all. hut peaceuhlc settler aud the other oue they most harharonsA hanged More thau this, they attack cd and vuiby tried to kil TWO settlers whom#they met on the road German farmers. with no connection, So far as known, with the thieves These men escaped and gave the alarm. In a few hours the whole range was udame with yeugeul fire. The Forks. as you may fecua. was like sWarm of bum blebees Every man and boy was armed and mounted The storeeeepers distributed guns and ammunition. leaders developed, aud the embauled 'punkm rollers. ruStlers and towns men rode out to meet the invaders "
 The girl palcd with memory of 1t. Ut was terrible went all day with out eating. and for two nights we were all too excited to sleep lt seem cd as if the world were coming to an end Mother cried because they wouldn't let her go with them She didn't know father WAS leading the other army.
 ''She must have known soon. for it was reported that your father was among them. She certainly knew when they were driven to earth in that log fort, for they were obliged 10 restrain her by force from going to your fa. ther. As | run over those furious days it all seems incredible. like sud. den reversioa to barbarism."
 How did it all endl The soldiers same. didn't they T'
 Yes, the long arm of Uncle Sam