Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-04-06

to see you, Reddy. Sit down. You've
got to hear my little spiel this time"
Redfeld, perched on the edge OF a
tawdry chair, looked about dixie the
charity visitor in a slum kitchen) with
out intending to express disgust, but
it was a dismal room in which to be
sick, and he pitied the woman the
more profoundly as he remembered
her in the days when "all outdoors"
was none too wide for her.
Lie began abruptly: I'm down,
but not out. In fact, l was coming up
to see you this afternoon. Lee and l
are just about pulling out for good"
Indeed. Why not go back with
me?"
"You can take the girl back if you
want to, but now that I'm getting my
chance at you l may not 60"
Redfeld's tone was entirely cordial
as he turned to Lee. II came hoping
to carry you away. Will you Gomez"
I'm afraid l can't unless mother
goes" she replied sadly.
Lie waved an imperative hand.
Fade away, child. l want to talk
with Mr.. Redfeld alone. Go-see"
Thus dismissed, Lee went back to
the restaurant, where she found the
forester just sitting down to his lunch
con. "Mr. Redfeld will be out in a
few minutes" she explained.
won't you join me?" he asked in
the frank accent of one to whom wom-
en- are comrades. "The supervisor has
been telling me about YOU"
She took a seat facing him, feeling
something refined in his long, smooth
ly shaver, boyish face. He seemed
very young to be district forester, and
his eyes were a soft brown, with small
wrinkles of laughter playing round
their corners.
He began at once on the subject of
his visit. "Redfeld tells me you are a
friend Of Mr.. Cavanagh's. Did you
know that he had resignedw
She faced him with startled eyes.
"No, indeed. Has he done sol"
Eyes. The supervisor got a letter
yesterday i~nclosing his resignation
and asking to be relieved at once.
And when l heard of it l asked the
supervisor to bring me down to see
him. He's too good a man to lose"
"Why did he resign?"
"He seemed very bitter over the
chiefs dismissal. But I hope to per-
suade him to stay in the service. He's
too valuable a man to lose just now,
when the war is so hot. | realize that
his salary is too small. But there are
other places for him. Perhaps when
he knows that l have a special note
to him from the chief he will recon
slider. He's quite capable of the SUI
pervisor's position, and Mr.. Redfield is
willing to resign in his favor. I'm
telling you all this because Mr.. Red
field has told me of your interest in
Mr.. Cavanagh, or, rather, his interest
in you"
Sam Gregg, entering the door at this
er's table. He was followed by the
sheriff, a bearded old man with a soil
ed collar and a dim eye.
Gregg groWled out, you'd better
keep your man Cavanagh in the hills,
Mr.. Forester, or somebody will take a
pot shot at him."
"Why, what's new?
His assistant is down with small
pox."
"Smallpox!" exclaimed Dalton.
LNvnrv ia" x-,S fvn1 onH nunrU nun
turned upon the speaker.
"Smallpox" gasped Lee.
Gregg resumed, enjoying the sensa-
ton he was creating. Eyes, that
Basque herder of mine, the n up
ear Black Tooth, sent word he was
sick, so l hunted up an old tramp by
the name of Edwards to take his place.
Edwards found the dago dying of pox
and skipped out over the range, leav-
ing him to die alone. Cavanagh went
up and found the dago dead and took
care Of him. Result is he's full of
germs and has brought his apprentice
down with it, and both of EN- must be
quaraDtined right where they are"
"Good heavens, man." exclaimed
Dalton, this is serious business! Are
you sure it's smallpox"
Zone of my men came from there
last night. l was there myself on
Monday; SO was the deputy. The sher-
iff missed Tom this morning, but l
reached him by phone, and Cavanagh
admitted to US that the Basque died
of smallpox and that he buried him
with his own hands"
The sheriff spoke up. The criminal
part of ii is this, Mr., Dalton-Cava-
nagh didn't report the case when he
came down here, just when about leav-
ing a trail of poison, Why didn't he
report it? He should be arrested"
wait a moment" said Dalton. per
haps it wasn't pox; perhaps it vas only
mountain fever. Cavanagh is not the
kind of man to involve others in a
pestilence. l reckon he knew it was
nothing but a fever, and, not wishing
to alarm his friends, he just slid into
town and out again."
A flash of light, Of heat, of joy, went
through Lees heart as she listened to
DaltOn'S defense of Cayanaph. 'aThat