The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-06
So Ranger
BY HAMLIN GARLAND
Copyright. 1910. by Hamlin Garland

Nhn -1@.'tS arSs-. LOU QOu Z CdlK iIie
an Englishman. and yet you are not
like the men out here"
II shouldn't care to be like some OF
Them" he answered. MY being here
| is quite logical. / went into the cattle
business like many another. and
| went broke. / served under Coione
Roosevelt in the Cuban war and after
my term was out naturally drifted
back. l love the wilderness and have
some natural taste for forestry. and
can ride and pack a horse as well as
most cowboys; hence my uniform
| I'm not the best forest ranger in the
service, I'll admit, but fancy I'm a
fair average"
And that is your badge-the pine
tree?"
Yes. and am proud OF it. Some OF
the fellows are not. but SO far as am
concerned ! am glad TO be known as q
defender of the forest. A tree means
much to me. never mark one for
telling without sense of responsible
ityNtO the future"
Her questions came slowly. like
those of child. Where do you live:"
| Directly up the South Fork abou,
| twenty miles,
what do you do?"
| He smiled. mot much. ride the
trails. guard the game. put out fires.
scale lumber. burn brush. build bridges,
herd cattle. count sheep. survey land
and few other odd chores. It's sup
posed to be a soft snap, but / can't
see 1t that way
do you live aIone"
Eyes. for the larger part OF the time.
/ have an assistant. who is with me
during part of the summer months.
| Mostly / am alone. However, l am
supposed to keep open house. and !
catch a visitor now and then"
do you expect to do this always?"
He smiled again. There you touch
! my secret spring. have the hope of
being chief forester some time-l mean
| we all have the prospect Of promotion
| to sustain US. The service is SO new
that any one with even knowledge
| of forestry is in demand. By and by
real foresters will arise"
Size returned abruptly to her own
problem. II dread to go back to my
mother, but / must. Oh. how l hate
that hotel. ioathe the dies. the
smells. the people that eat there. the
waiters-everything" She shuddered.
MANY of the evils You mention
could be reformed. except. of course
some of the people who come to eat.
/ fear several Of them have gone be-
yond reformation"
| AS they started back down the street
she saw the motor stage just leaving
the door Of the Office. THAT settles
away till tomorrow"
Where would you 60 IL you broke
camp-back to the eastY'
mo. My mother thinks there Is a
| place for me in Sulphur City"
"Your case interests me deeply.
wish / could advise you to stay. but
| this is rough town for girl like
| you. Why don't you talk the problem
over with the supervisors" His voice
became frmer. Mrs. RedfeId is the
very one to help you"
"Where does she live?"
Their ranch lies just above Sal
| phur. at the mouth of the canyon
| May tell him what you've told me;
| He's a good sort. is Redfeld-much
better able to advise than | am"
| Cavanagh found himself enjoying
| the confidence Of this girl so strangely
! thrown into his care. and the curious
comment OF the people in the street
did not disturb him except as it bore
upon his companions position in the
| town.
| At the door Of the hotel some half q
dozen men were clustered. AS the
| young couple approached they gave
way. but short. powerful man. whom
Lee Virginia recognized as Gregg, the
| sheepman. called to the ranger:
II want to see you before you leave
town. Mr.. Ranger"
Every well. | shall be here all the
forenoon" answered Cavanagh in the
tone Of a man accepting challenge
Then. turning to the girl. he said ear
| nestly: II. want to help you. l shall
be here for lunch. and meanwhile
| wish you would take Redfield into
| your confidence. He's wise old boy
and everybody knows him. No on,
doubts his motives. Besides. he has /
family and is rich and unhurried
Would you like me to talk with him?'
III you will. l want to do right
Indeed. l do
I'm sure of that" he said. will
eyes upon her flushed and qulverin,
face. There's a way out, believ'
me-"