Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-06

tell your father that I'll help you in
the Office | can learn. I'm ready to
use a typewrlter-anything."
He was silent In the face Of her
naive expression of self sacrificing
love, and after moment she added
hesitatingly; II wish | could meet your
father Perhaps he'd come up here If
you asked him to do So"
He seized upon the suggestion. by
George. believe he would! | don't
want to go to town. l just believe III
wire him that I'm laid up here and
can't come"
A knock at the door interrupted Way
land, and Mrs. McFarlane's voice, filed
with new excitement, called out, Der
rie. the district office is on the wireW
Berrie opened the door and confront
ed her mother, who said ''Mr. Ewing
ham phones that the afternoon papers
contain an account Of fight at Coal
City between Settle and one Of Alec
Belden's men and that the district for
ester is coming down to investigate It,"
Let him come" answered Berrie de-
tiantly. ''He can't do us any harm.
What was the row about?"
81 didn't hear much Of it. Your ia
ther was at the phone"
"What is 1t all about, father?" ask
ed Berrie.
"Why, 1t seems that after left yes
ha
with Belden's outfit, and they all got
to drinking, ending in row, and Tony
beat one Of Belden's men almost to
death. The sheriff has gone over to
get Tony, and the Beldens declare
they're going to railroad him. That
means wen all be brought into 1t.
Belden has seized the moment to pre-
fer charges against me for keeping
Settle in the service and for putting
nonresident on the roll as guard.
The whelp will dig up everything he
can to queer me with the office, All
that kept him from doing 1t before
was Cliffs interest in you"
"He can't make any of his charges
stick" declared Berrie.
"Of course be can't. He knows that.
But he, can bring us all into court. You
and Mr.. Norcross will both be called
as witnesses, for it seems that Tony
was defending your name. The pa
pers call 1t a fight for a girl Oh it's
| q sweet mess. You and Berrie and Mrs.
McFarlane must get out OF here before
you are subpoenaed."
"And leave you to fight it out alone|
exclaimed his wife. II shall do moth
Ing OF the kind. Berrie and Mr.. Nor
cross can 60"
"That won't do" retorted McFarlane
| quickly. "That won't do at all. You
must go with them. can take care
of myself. | will not have you drag
ged into this muckhole."
Berrie now argned against running
away. Her blood was up. She joined
her mother. "We won't leave you to
| inherit all this trouble. Who will look
after the ranch? Who will keep house
for you?
McFarlane remained firm. "Pl man.
age. Don't worry about me. Just get
out Of reach. The more consider this
thing the more worrisome 1t gets. Sup
pose Cllff should come back to testifyf"
"He won't. If he does I'll have him
arrested for trying to kill Wayland,"
retorted Berrie.
"And mako the whole thing worse!.
No; you are all going to cross the
range. You can start out as IL for
little turn round the valley and just
naturally keep going 1t can't do any
harm, and 1t may save a nasty time in
court"
"0ne would think we were lot of
criminals remarked Wayland.
That's the way you'll be treated"
retorted McFarlane. "Beden has re-
tanned old Whitby, the foulest old brute
in the business, and he'll bring you
all into 1t If he can"
But running away from 1t will not
prevent talk" argued his wife.
mot entirely, but talk and testimony
are two different things. Suppose they
call daughter to the stand? Do you
want her cross examined as to what
basis there was for this gossip? They
know something Of Cliffs being let out
and that will inhame them. He may
be at the mill this minute
81 guess you're right" said Norcross
sadly. Our delightful excursion into
the forest has led us into a predica-
ment from which there is only one
way of escape, and that is flight"
McFarlane was again called to the
telephone. Landon, with characteristic
breylty. conveyed to him the fact that
Mrs. Belden was at home and busily
phonlng scandalous stories about the
country. IF you don't stop her she's
going to poison every ear in the val
ley" ended the ranger.
you'd think they'd all know my
daughter well enough not to believe
anything Mrs. Belden says" respond
ed McFarlane bitterly.
IAN the boys are ready to do what
Tony did. But nobody can stop this
old fools mouth but you. Clln has
disappeared, and that adds to the ex-
element"
THANK the boys for me-" said Nc
Farlane, "and tell them not to fight.
Tell em to keep cool. 1t will all be
l.I. a