Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-04-09
CHAPTER ~.

IL was on the day that John Cardi.
gan received the telegram from Bryce
saying that, following four years at
Princeton and two years Of travel
abroad. he was returning to Sequoia to
take over his redwood heritage-that
he discovered that stranger and not
the flesh of his flesh and the blood of
his blood was to reap the reward of
his fifty years of endeavor.
For a long time he sat there lethar
gle with misery. Eventually he
reused himself, reached for the desk
telephone, and pressed n button on
the office exchange-statlon. His man
ager, one Thomas Sinclair, answered.
Thomas" he said calmly, "you
know. of course, that Bryce is CON-
ing home. Tell George to take the
big car and go over to Red Bluff for
him."
George Sea Otter, son OF Bryce
Cardigan's old hnlf-breed nurse, was
person In whose nature struggled
the whites prediction for advertise
ment and civic pride and the red
mans instinct for adornment. For
three years he had been old man
Cardlgan's chauffeur and man-of-all-
work about the latter's old-fashloned
home, and in the former capacity he
drove John Cardigan's single evidence
OF extravagance-a Napier car. which
was very justly regarded by George
Sea Otter as the king OF automobiles.
since It was the only imported car In
the county. Upon receipt of orders,
therefore, from Sinclair TO drive the
Napier over to Red Bluff and meet
his future boss and one-tme play.
fellow, George Sea Otter arrayed him
self In a pair OF new black, corduroy
trousers. yellow button shoes blue
wooden shirt with large scarlet silk
handkerchief tied around the neck. n
pair of beaded buckskin gloves with
fringe dependent from the gauntlet,
and broad white beaver hat with n
rattlesnake-skln band. Across the
windshield of the Napier he fastened
an orange-colored pennant bearing
In bright green letters the legend
MY CITY-SEQUOIA. AS safety.
first precaution against man and
beast en- route, he buokled gun.
scabbard to the spare tires on the
runnlng-board and slipped rifle into
the scabbard within quick and easy
reach OF his hand; and arrayed thus
George descended upon Red Bluff al
the helm Of the king OF automobiles
When the overland train coasted
into Red Bluff and slid to a grinding
halt, Bryce Cardigan saw that the
Highest Living Authority had de-
scended from the train also, He had
elected to designate her thus in the
absence OF any information anent hel
Christian aud family names. and FOL
the further reason that quite obvious
ly she was q very superior person.
Bryce could see that she was the
little daughter OF some large rich
man. The sparsity OF jewelry ant
the rich simplicity of her attire proved
that, and moreover she was accom-
panied by a French maid 10 whom
she spoke In French In manner
which testified that before acquiring
the French maid she had been In th'
custody OF French nurse. She pos
sessed poise. For the rest. she hat
wonderful jet.black hair. violet eyes
and mllk-whlte skin. correct nose
but q somewhat generous mouth
Bryce guessed she was twenty OF
twenty-one years old and that she hat
temper susceptible of being aroused
The fact that this remarkabl,
young woman had also left the trail
at Red Blum further interested him
for he knew Red Blum and while Civ
ing credit to the many lovely damsel!
of that little ambitious city. Bryc,
had suspicion that no former Rec
Bluff girl would dare to Invade tn.