The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-09-11

M rEH RtNLD 4 CHARMED HANDl
horses head. he rode toward IL 10
stamp II out II was not upon his
patrol. but that did not matter His
duty was clear
As he drew near he began 10 per
ceiye signs Of broken camp. The
ground was Uttered with utensils IL
was not an ordinary campfire, and the
rangers heart quckencd Another
sheep herder has been driven out and
his tent and provisions burned he cx.
claimed wrathfuly
His horse snorted and SHE'D "a he
rode nearer and then n shuddcr passed
through the rangers heart as he per.
ceiyed In the edge Of the smoldering
embers n boot heel aud then-d charrcd
hand In the smoke OF that FIRE was
the reek Of human flesh
For long time the ranger sat on his
horse, pecring down into those ashes
until M last Il became evident 10 bis
eyes that AZ least two sheep hcrdcrs
had been sacrificed on the cattlemans
altar Of hate aud greed
All about on the sod the story was
written all too plain. Two men. pos.
sibly three. had been murdered cut TO
pieces and burned not many hours be
fore. There stood the bloody spade
with which the bodies had been dis
membercd, and there lay an empty can
whose oil had been poured upon the
mingled camp utensils. tent aud wagon
OF the herdcrs IN the attempt to incin-
crate the hacked and dismembered
limbs OF the victims The lawlcssncss
OF the range had eliminated The
ferocity Of the hcrder had gone beyond
the savage Here In the sweet autumn
air the reek of the cattleman's venge-
ance rose like some hideous vapor.
poisonous aud obscene
The ranger sickcncd as the bloody
tale unfolded Itself before him. Then
n fierce hate 81 such warfare famed
I'm his heart. Could this enormlty be
committed under any other civilized
flag? Would any other government in
termigglc so foollshly. 50 childishly. it's
state and federal authority as to per
NIT such diabollsm?
In his horror. his sense OF revolt. he
cursed the state Of which he was a
citizen lie would have resigned his
commission az the moment. so intense
was his resentment OF the supine. care
less, jovial, slattcrn government under
which ne was serving
by the Lord" he hreathcd. with
solemn intensity. III this does not
shame the people Of this state into/
revolt. II these ncnds are not hound
cd and hung. ! Will myself harry them
] cannot. livc and do my duty here un
less this crime is avenged by law"
Chilled, shaking and numb. he set
spurs TO his horse and rode furlously
down the trail toward the nearest
town, so eager 10 spread the alarm
that he could scarcely breathe a deep
breath ON the steep slopes he was
forced 20 walk, aud his horse led so
badly that his agony Of impotence
was dcepcncd lie had vision OF the
riding fast into far coun.
tries. Each hour made their appre,
hensiOn progressively the more dini
cult
"Who were thcyf" he asked himself
nGain and again. What kind Of mar
did this thing? Was the leader a man
like Ballard? Even so. be was hired
by whom? by ranchers coyetous OF
the range; that was absolutely Ger
tain"
II was long after noon before he
zane TO the end Of the telephone line
IN little store and postoflice at the
lpper falls of Deer creek The tele.
phone had booth fortunately. and he
soon had Redheld's ear. but his voice
was so strained and unnatural that his
'hief did not recognize II.
us that you. Ross? What's the mat.
err Your voice sounds hoarse."
fro ne CONTINUED
Dear Little Man.
Angry Man Madam, your little Cos.
no just threw 4 brick through our win.
low. Cosmos Would you bring
ne the brickY Were keeping an little
of his Nouthful nranLa