The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-09-18

dog that fears his masters hand.
Ross wondered about this afterward,
but at the moment his mind was busy
with the significance of this patient
toiler with n spade. lie was a prophet
ic figure in the most picturesque and
sterile land Of the stockman. Here.
within twenty miles of this peaceful
fruit grower" he said. lis the crown
ing infamy OF the freebootlng cowboy"
lie wondered as he rode on whether
the papers Of the state would make a
Jest of this deed "wil this be made
the theme for caustic comment in the
eastern press for a day and then be
forgottenT"
AS his hot blood cooled he lost faith
In even this sacrifice. Could anything
change the leopard west into the tame.
ness and serenity Of the OK? NO" he
decided; nothing but death will do
that. This generation. these fierce and
bloody hearts. must die. Only In that
way can the tradition Of violence be
overcome and new state reared"
At the foot of the toilsome. upward
winding trail he dismounted and led
his weary horse. over his head and
about halfway to the first hilltop lay
a roof Of feecy vapor, faint purple
in color and seamless In texture.
Through this he must pass. and II sym
bolized to him the line OF demarcation
between the plain and the mountain.
between order and violence.
Slowly he led his horse along the
mountain side. grasping with eager de-
sire at every changing aspect OF the
marvellous mountain scene II was in
finitely more gorgeous. more compel
ling. than his moonlight experience the
night before.
As he led his horse out upon a pro
jecting point Of rocky ledge to rest his
love for the range came back upon
him with such power that tears misted
his eyes and his throat ached where
else will find such scenes at thisY
he asked himself. Where in all the
lowlands could such splendors shine?
How can | leave this high world in
which these wonders come and 60?
VIII uOl. iieIt VIII DIlHS my uIlue
and build my home. This is my
world"
But the mist grew gray. the auNole
of fire faded. the sun went down be-
hind the hills. and the chill of evening
deepened on the trail. and as he re-
mainly to man the thought Of camping
there beside those charred limbs call
ed for heroic resolution. He was hun
cry, too, and as the air pinched he
shivered.
AT the best the sheriff cannot reach
here before midnight" he said, and
settled down to his unsought. revolving
vigil.
His one relief lay in the mental com
position of long letter TO Lee Vir.
ginia. whose life at that moment was
comfort TO him. IF such purity,
such sweetness. can come from vio-
lence and vulgarity then surely new
and splendid state can rise even out
Perhaps this is the end Of the I'D"
he unused, perhaps this is the Begin
ming of the new" and as he pondered
the last faint crimson died out of the
west. 80 must the hate and violence
die out of America" he said. leaving
the clear. sweet air of liberty behind"
He was near TO the poet at the mo-
ment. for he was also the lover. His
allegiance TO the great republic stood
the test. His faith in democracy was
shaken. but not destroyed. 81 will
wait" he decided This shall be the.
sign. II this deed goes unavenged
then will put Off my badge and my
uniform and go back to the land where
for a hundred years at least such
deeds as these have been impossible"
He built fire as night fell TO serve
both as beacon and as a defense
against the cold. He felt himself
weirdly remote In this vigil. From
his far height he looked abroad upon
the tumbled plain as II upon an ocean
dimly perceptible. yet august. AT this
moment" he said. curious and per
haps guilty eyes are wondering what
my spark OF freight may mean"
His mind went again and again TO
that tall old man In the ditch. What
was the meaning OF his scared and
sorrowful glance? Why should one
so peacefully employed at such a time
and in such a place wear the look Of
a hunted deer? What meant the tire.
NOR in his voice?
Was It possible that one so gentle
should have taken part In this deed2
'Preposterous suspicion. and yet he
had a guilty look"
At last, far in the night, he heard
the snort Of a horse and the sound OF
voices. The law (such as 1t was) was
creeping up the mountain side In the
person Of the sheriff Of Chauvenet
county and was about to relieve the
ranger from his painful responsibility
as guardian of the dead
At last he came, this officer Of the
law, attended like a Cheyenne chief
by dozen lesser warriors of various
conditions and kinds. but among them
indeed, second only TO the sheriff
was Hugh Redfeld. the forest super
visor hot and on COR with hasta