The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-03-22


anxious What a nuisance that the
telephone line is not extended to this
point. Ross has been insisting on its
value for months"
Lee saw the doctor go with some
dismay. Young as he was. he was at
least a reed to cling to in case the
grisly terror seized upon the ranger.
Mr.. Redfeld. can't you send a real
doctor7 1t seems so horrible to be
left here without Instructions"
The forester, before going, again be-
sought Cavanagh not to abandon his
work In the forestry service and init
mated that at the proper time adj
yancement would be offered him. ''Ths
whole policy is but beginning" SAID
he, "and a practical ranger with your
experience and education will prove Of
greatest value"
To this Ross made reply: "At the
moment / feel that no promise of adj
yancement could keep me In this coun-
try of grafters, poachers and assassins.
I'm weary of it and all It stands for.
However, If l could aid in extending
the supervision Of the public ranges
and in stopping forever this murder
and burning that go on outside the
forestry domain might remain in the
west"
Would you accept the supervisor
ship of the Washable forest?" demand
ed Dalton.
Taken by surprise, he stammered, II
might. but am the MANI"
''You are. Your experience cts you
for position where the fight is hot
The Washable forest is even more a
bone Of contention than this. We have
laid out the lines OF division between
the sheep and the cows. and it viii
take a man to enforce our regulations.
You viii have the support OF the best
citizens. They VIII all rally. with you
as leader, and so end the warfare
there"
''It can never end till Uncle Sam
puts rangers over every section OF pub
lie lands and lays out the grazing lines
as we have done In this forest" re-
torted Cavanagh.
IT know. but to get that requires a
revolution In the whole order of
things" Then his fine young face
lighted up. But we'n get It. Public
sentiment Is coming our way. The old
order il already so eaten away that
only its shell remains"
at may be. II these assassins are
punished l shall feel hopeful Of the
change"
81 shall recommend you for the su-
pervisorship OF the Washable forest"
concluded Dalton decisively. "And so
goodby and good luck"
England, his blood relatives, even
the Redfelds, seemed very remote to
the ranger as he stood In his door that
night and watched the sparkle Of
Swenson's campfire through the trees.
With the realization that there waited
brave girl Of the type that loves sin
gle heartedly, ready to sacrifice every
thing to the welfare OF her idealized
subject he felt unworthy, selfish, vain.
'Tf should fall sick she would in
Eist on nursing me. For her sake
must give Swenson the most rigid or
ders not to allow her, no matter what
happens, to approach. will not have
her touched by this thing"
Beside the blaze Lee and her mother
sat for the most part in silence, with
nothing to do but to wait the issue of
the struggle going on In the cabin, SO
near and yet 30 inaccessible to their
will. 1t was as If magic wall, crys-
tai clear, yet impenetrable. shut them
away from the man whose quiet hero
ism was the subject OF their constant
thought.
1t was marvellous, as the dusk fell
and the air nipped keen, to see how
Lie Wetherford renewed her youth.
The excitement seemed to have given
her fresh hold on life. She was
wearied, but by no means weakened,
by her ride and ate heartily of the
rude fare which Swenson set before
her. This is what I needed" she ex-
ultantiy said-"the open air and these
trout I feel ten years younger al
ready. Many's the night I've camped
on the range with your father with
nothing but a purp tent to cover us
both and the wolves bowling round
us. I'd feel pretty fairly gay If 1t
wasn't for Ross over there in that
cabin playing nurse and cook all by bis
lonesomeness."
Lee expressed a deep satisfaction
from the fact Of their nearness. "If
he Is Ill we can help him." she reiter-
| ated.
There was touch Of frost in the afr
as they went to their beds, and,
though she shivered. Lie was undis-
mayed ''There's nothing the matter
with my heart" she exulted. ''I don't
believe there was anything really seri-
Gus the matter with me, anyway. ]
reckon was just naturally grouchy
and worried over you and Ross