Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-11-20
CHAPTER XII
Burning Memory


and August. On Blue Lake ranch life
nowed smoothly. Men were too busy
with each days work to sit into the
nights prophesying trouble ahead.
And in truth it seemed that if Bayne
Trevors had ever actively opposed the
success of the. Sanford venture he had
by now accepted the role of inactiv-
ity forced upon him by circumstance.
He was with the Western Lumber
company, as direcq5r and district SUI
perintendent, seemingly giving all his
dynamic force to the legitimate at
fairs of the company.
But there were those who placed no
faith In the obvious. Bud Lee kept
In touch with Rocky Bend and learned
that Ouinnion had not come back
that no one knew where he had gone.
Carson's man, Shorty, was sought by
Emmett Sawyer and his disappearance
was like that Of a prfcked bubble; 1t
seemed that Shorty had no actual
physical existence or that, II he had,
he had taken it into some other corner
of the world. Quinnfon's friends had
also gone from Rocky Bend, like Quin-
Mon leaving behind them no sign to
show where they had gone.
Knowing Quinnion as he did, and
having his own conception of the
character of Bayne Trevors, Bud Lee
said to himself that too great quiet
portended strife to come. If Quinnion
was the man to carry in his breast the
hate that drove him to the murder OF
.Judith's father, then he was the man
to remember the humiliation he had
suffered at Lees hands, to remember
and to strike back when the time was
ripe.
Judith had heard Of the night in
Rocky Bend, lurid and wonderfully
distorted account from Mrs Simpson,
who had received 1t in a letter from
her daughter.
$50 that was what Bud Lee did
after he kissed me!' unused Judith.
She sent immediately for Carson
and forced from him the full story.
Dismissing Carson, she remained for
a Iong while alone. Only one re-
mark had she made to the cattle fore
man, and that a little aside from the
Issue occupying his mind:
"Keep your weather eye open for
what's in the wind" she told him
briefly. Behind Quinnion is Trevors,
and the year isn't over yet.
The ranch was stocked to its ut
most capacity. Carson had bought
another herd Of cattle; Lee had added
to his string of horses. The dry sea-
son was on them, herds were moved
higher up the slopes into the fresh
pastures. Carson, converted now to
the silos, was man with one idea
and that idea ensilage. Again the al
faIfa acreage was extended, so that
each head of cattle might have its
daily auxiliary fodder. Carson now
agreed with Judith in the matter of
holding back sales for the high prices
which would come at the heels Of the
lean months.
The man Donley, who had brought
to the ranch the pigeons carrying
cholera, was tried in Rocky Bend. The
evidence, though eircumstantial, was
strong against him, and the prosecution
was pushed hard. But it was little
surprise to, any one at the ranch when
the trial resulted in hung jury. The
ablest lawyer in the county had de-
Tended Donley, and finally, late in Au-
gust, secured his acquittal. The man
himself did not have ten dollars in
the world; the attorney taking his
case was a high-priced lawyer. OBJ
viously, to Judith Sanford at least,
Bayne Trevors was standing back of
every play his hirelings made.
Doc Trip had the hog cholera In
hand And every day, out with the
live stock whose well-being was his
responsibility, he worked as he had
never worked before, watchful, eager,
suspicious.
If they'll drop cholera down on us
out of the blue sky" he snapped, I'D
like to know what they won't try"
.
For the first few days following the
dance Bud Lee had within his soul
room but for one emotion: he had
held Judith in his arms. He had set
his lips on hers. He went hot and
cold with the remembrance. Being a
man, he made his man-suppositions of
the emotions that ranked in her
breast He imagined her contempt of
a man who by his strength had forced
her lips to wed his; he pictured her
scorn, her growing hatred. He told
himself that he should go, rid the
ranch of his presence, take his de-
parture without word with her. For,
already, he had fitted her into his
theory of the perfect woman, lifting
her high above himself and above the
human world. 1t was continued in
suit for him to remain here.
But, after careful thought he re-
gnembered what Judith had already
told him; he was one Of the men
whom she could trust to do her work
for her. one of the men she most need
ed, a man whom she would need sore
ly If Bayne Trevors were lying quiet
now but to strike harder, unexpected
1y, later.
Judith did not dismiss him, &c ut
first he had been sure she would. So
he stayed on, reiaaining away from
the ranch headquarters, sleeping when
ne could In the cabin above the lake,
spending his days with his horses,
avoiding her but keeping her person