The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-10-02
Cavanagh,
Forest
Ranger
The Great Conservation
Novel
By HAMLIN GARLAND
r A.y~t <t,S MN ~, H.~ut:1 C.~l..l
SYNOPSIS.
BY HAMLIN GARLAND
Copyright. 1910. by Hamlin Garland

SYNOPSIS.
Lee Virginia wetherford. who has been
20 an eastern school for years. returns
20 Roaring Fork Her mother. a coarse.
masculine woman. is running q shabby
boarding house. where whisky Is sold
without license
Lee meets Ross Cavanagh. forest ran
ger. and Forest Supervisor Redheld. Cav
anagh and Lee become interested in each
other
Lie wetherford. Lees mother. becomes
Ill Lee starts in to improve the charac-
ter of the boarding house. Cavanagh and
Redfield compliment her
Gregg, a ranchman. threatens Cavanagh
Lee is disguised with her surroundings
Lie ceases her elicit whisky selling. Mrs
Redfield invites Lee to visit Elk Lodge
Redfeld tells Lee about Cavanagh's In
teresting career and explains the work
and troubles OF the faEsst ssrylca
lee Is delighted with The culture shown
At Elk Lodge Cavanagh rides sixty miles
TO spend the evening with her.
Cavanaghs love for Lee grows. Mrs
Redfield likes Lee. but dislikes her moth
er and thinks vsnagh's love affair Is
foolish.
The doctor orders Lie to cease work
and diet herself She rebels. Cavanagh
arrests Gregg's son and a stranger named
Edwards as poachers.
Roaring Fork rowdies attempt to rescue
the prisoners. but Lie and Lee arm
themselves and help Cavanagh.
They drive away the roughs. and Cav
anagn delivers his prisoners to Judge
Higley for trial.
Edwards. whose fine has been paid.
Joins Cavanagh at his cabin. He tells
Cavanagh he is Ed Wetherford, Lees
father. Lee thinks he Is dead.
Wetherford and CaVanagh ind a sheep
herder with smallpox. wetherford be-
comes nurse. Cavanagh finds two sheep
herders murdered.
Cavanagh calls the sheriff to the scene.
Cattlemen are suspected OF the murders.
The smallpox victim dies.
officers are hunting for Ed wetherford.
who Is an escaped convict President
Taft lets Pinchot go. and Cavanagh re-
signs.
The constable. smoking his pipe be-
side the fireplace. did not present an
anxious face. On the contrary, he
seemed plumply content as he replied
to the rangers greeting. He repre-
scented very well the type Of officer
produce. Brave and tireless when
working along the line of his preju-
dices, he could be most laxly inefficient
when his duties cut across his own or
his neighbours interests. Being a cat
teman by training, he was glad Of the
red herring which the Texas officer
had trailed across the line of his pur-
suit.
This attitude still further inflamed
Cavanagh's indignant hate Of the coun-
try The theory which the deputy de-
veloped was transparent folly. 1T was
Just a case Of plain robbery" he ar
gued. zone Of them dagoes had mon
ey, and Neil Ballard and that man Ed
wards just naturally follered him and
killed the whole bunch and scooted.
That's my guess"
An hour later the sound Of a horses
hoofs on the bridge gave warning Of a
visitor, and as Cavanagh went to the
door Gregg rode up. seeking particu-
lars as TO the death of the herder and
the whereabouts Of the sheep.
The ranger was not in a mood to in |
vite the sheepman in, and, besides, he
perceived the danger to which wether-
ford was exposed; therefore his an.
swers were short. Gregg. on his part. |
did not appear anxious to enter.
What happened TO that old hobo .
sent up?" he asked
Cavanagh briefly retold his story. and
at the end Of it Gregg grunted. you
say you burned the tent and all the
beddingT
Every thread OF it. 1t wasn't safe .
TO leave It,"
what allied the man."
81 don't know, but It looked and
smelled like smallpox"
The deputy rose with a spring.
SMALLPOX! You didn't handle the
cuss?"
Cavanagh did not spare him. Some
body had TO lend a hand. | couldn't
see him die there alone, and he had to
be buried. so did the job
Gregg recoiled step or two, but the
deputy stood staring. the Implication
OF all this sinking deep. Were you
wearing the same clothes you've got
onT
Eyes. but used a slicker while
working around the body"
Good king~ The sweat broke out
on the mans face. you ought TO be
arrested"
Ross took a step toward him. I'm
at your service"
Keep orr shouted the sheriff.
Ross smiled then became very Sc
rious. Il took every precaution, Mr.
Deputy. destroyed everything that
could possibly carry the disease.
burned every utensil, including the
saddle-everythlng but the mans
horse and his dog"
The officer caught up his hat and
coat and started for the door Its
me for the open air" said he.
As the men withdrew Ross followed
them and. standing In his door, de-
livered his final yolley. III this state
does not punish those fiends every de-
cent man should emigrate out Of II,
turning the land over to the wolves,
the wildcats and other beasts of prey"
Gregg as he retreated called back:
That's all right, Mr.. Ranger. but
you'd better keep 10 the hills for