The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-09-25

hanging over the door. Go In an,
make yourself comfortable"
The deputy thanked him and wn,
about TO ride on when Cavanagh add
ed: II burned that Basque's tent anC
bedding for fear Of contagion. Iii,
outfit was worthless anyhow. You'll
hnd the sheep just above my cabir
and the horse In my corral"
THE old man didn't take the horse
eh? Well, that settles It; he's sure al
one of the camps. Much obliged. Good
day"
As the two officers rode away weth
erford leaned heavily on his pommel
and stared at the ranger with wide
eyes. His face was drawn and his
lips dry. They'll get mel They'll get
me- he said.
"Oh, no, they won't" rejoined Cava.
nagh. You're all right yet. They
suspect nothing How could they.
with you In uniform and in my com
pany?"
"All the same. I'm scared. That
man Haines had his eyes on me every
minute. lie saw right through me.
They'll get me. and they'll charge me
up with that killing"
mo, they won't. I tell you" insisted
the ranger "Iains suspected nothing
had his eye. He never saw you be-
fore and has nothing but a descrip-
ton TO go by. so cheer up. Your uni
form and your position with me will
make you safe-perfectly safe. They'll
6nd the Basque's camp burned and
the sheep In charge of the dog and
they'll fancy that you have skipped
across the range. But see here. old
man." and he turned on him sharply.
you didn't tell me the whole truth.
You said you were out on parole"
Il couldn't tell you the whole truth"
replied the fugitive But ! will now.
was In for a life sentence. l was
desperate for the open air and home
sick for the mountains, and ! struck
down one Of the guards. I was WILL
Ing to do anything to get out
thought IL could get back to this
country and my wife and child I'd be
safe. said I'd be willing to go back
to the pen II necessary. but I'm not.
can't do it. I'd die there. You must
save me for my girls sake"
His voice and eyes were wild with a
kind Of desperate fury Of fear. and
Cavanagh. moved to pity. assured him
Of his aid. Now. listen" he said.
I'm going to shield you on account
Of your work for that poor shepherd
and for your daughters sake. It's my
duty to apprehcnd you. Of course, but
I'm going TO protect you. The safest
thing for you to do Is TO go back to
my cabin. Ride slow. so as not to get
there till they're gone. They'll ride
over TO the sawmill without doubt. II
they come back this way remember
that the deputy saw you only as a
ragged old man with long beard and
that Halnes has nothing but a printed
description To go by. There's no use
trying TO flee. You are marked
man in that uniform, and you are
safer right here with me than any
where else this side of Chicago.
Haines Is likely to cross the divide In
the belief that you have gone that
way. and IL he does you have no one
but the deputy TO deal with"
He succeeded at last in completely
rousing the older mans courage.
Wetherford rose TO meet his opportu
nifty. IN do it," he said firmly.
That's the talk" exclaimed Cav
anagh TO encourage him. You can
. b., 81 h. nd
when come back tomorrow I'll bring
some other clothing for you, and then
well plan some kind OF scheme that
will get you out of the country. I'll
not let them make a scapegoat of you"
The ranger watched the fugitive as
he started back over the trail in this
desperate defiance Of his pursuers with
far less confidence in the outcome than
he had put into words.
IAN depends on Wetherford himself
II his nerve does not fail him, IL they
take the uniform for granted and do
not carry the matter to the supervisor.
we will pull the plan through" And
In this hope he rode away down the
trail with bent head, for all this bore
heavily upon his relationship to the
girl waiting for him in the valley. He
had thought Lie burden, a social
disability. but convict father now
made the mothers faults of small ac-
count
The nearer he drew TO the meeting
with Lee Virginia the more important
that meeting became. Cayanagh had
seen Virginia hardly more than a score
Of times. and yet she filed his thought,
confused his plans. making Of his brain
a place OF doubt and hesitation. For
her sake he had entered upon a plan
to shield a criminal. TO harbor an es-
capped convict. II was Of no avail to
argue that he was moved TO shield
Wetherford because Of his heroic &C.
ton on the peak. He knew perfectly
well that II was because he could not
zee that fair. brave girl further dis
0raced by the discovery OF her fathers
identity, for In the searching inquiry
which would surely follow his secret
would develop.
To marry her, knowing the character
OF her father and her mother, was
madness, and the voice within him
warned him Of his folly. Pure wa
ter cannot be drawn from corrupt
sources" Al IL said NavarthaIaSa tho