Semi-weekly herald., 1911-02-27

you and Mrs. Redfield will come with
him."
I'D like It above everything" she
responded fervently. Then her voice
changed. But all depends on my
mothers health"
| 1t hurt him to hear her call Eliza
Wetherford mother. He wanted to
forget her origin for the moment He
/ was not In love with her-far from It!
But she was so alluring, and the pro-
prietress Of the Wetherford House
was not nice, and that made one
doubt the daughter.
She broke the silence. at seems
dreadfully dark and mysterious up
there" She indicated his path.
at isn't as bad as 1t looks. There is
as well as l do. 1 enjoy riding by
night"
But there are bears and other wild
things, are there not?"
mot as much as wish there were"
"Why do you say that?'
81 hate to see all the wild life killed
Off. Some day all these forests will
have game refugees like the Yellow
stone National park. They are COM
ing each year to have greater and
greater value to the people of the
plains. They are Fairgrounds, like
the Alps. II should ever settle down
to home 1t would be in a canyon
like this, with great peak at my
front door"
at is beautiful" the girl said in the
tone of sadness with which we con-
front the perfect night, the perfect
flower, the fawless landscape. SIT is
both grand and peaceful
This tone of sadness pleased him.
1t showed her depth of perception.
and he reflected that she had not ut
tered vacuous or silly phrase since
their first meeting "She is capable
of great development" he thought
Aloud he said "You are n strange
mingling Of east and west Do you
! realize it?"
"In what way" she asked, feeling
something ardent in his tone.
you typify to me at this moment
this whole state. You fill me with en-
thusiasm for its future. Here you
are, derived from the lawless west,
yet taking ON the culture and restraint
of the east so readily that you seem
not in the least related to-"
He checked himself at this point
! and she said, "My mother Is not as
rough as she seems, Mr.. Cavanagh."
"She must be more of the woman
than appears or she could not have
borne such n daughter. But do you
feel your relationship to her? Tell me
honestly, for you interest me-"
II didn't at first, but do now. !
begin to understand her, and, besides,
feel In myself certain things that are
in her, though think l am more like
the Wetherfords. My fathers family
home was In Maryland"
Ross could have talked on all night,
SO alluring was the girls dimly seen
yet warmly felt figure at his side, but
sense Of danger and knowledge
that he should be riding led him at
last to say: "It is getting chill. We
must go in, but before we do so let me
say how much I've enjoyed seeing you
again. I hope the doctor will make IA
vorable report on your mothers case.
You'll write me the result of the ex-
animation, won't your
"If you wish me to-
81 shall be most anxious to know"
They were standing very near to
each other at the moment, and the
ranger, made very sensitive to wo-
mans charm by his lonely life. shook
with newly created love Of her. A
suspicion, hope that beneath her cul-
tivated manner lay the passionate na-
ture of her mother gave an added force
to his desire. He was sorely tempted
to touch her, to test her, but her sweet
voice, little sad and perfectly un-
conscious of evil calmed him. She
said:
81 hope to persuade my mother to
leave the Forks All the best people
there are against US. Some Of them
have been very cruel to her and to me,
and, besides, despise and fear the
men who come to our table"
"You must not exchange words with
them" he all but commanded. BE
ware of Gregg; he is vile lot. Do not
trust him for an instant. Do not per-
NIT any Of those loafers to talk with
you, for If you do they will go away to
defame you. l know them. They are
unspeakably vile. 1t makes me angry
to think that Gregg and his like have
the right to speak to you every day.
while / can see you only at long inter
vals. / wish my station were not SO
far away. But I'll ride down as often
as my duties will permit, and you must
let me know how things go. And II
any of those fellows persecute you
you'll tell me, won't you? I wish you'd
look upon me as your big brother.
VIII you do that?" His voice entreat-
ed, and as she remained silent he con-
tinued: Roaring Fork is one of the
worst towns in the state. and girl
!. like you needs some one as a protector.
I don't know Just how to put 1t 30
that you will not misunderstood me,
but, you see, protect the forest, the
streams and the game, / help the set
tier In time OF trouble, am kind of
; all round big brother to everybody
who needs help In the forest. In fact,
: I'm paid for protecting things that
can't protect themselves and sO"-herc