River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1925-07-02
Branded In the
Valley
BY MARTHA PIERCE
wNU Service

rode down from the mountain and
struck into the trail that leads across
the mesa. They rode in silence, save
once when the leader half turned In
his saddle and spoke to the rider
nearest him.
How far is 1t, Jim?"
"Jim lifted his bride reins, and his
horse sprang alongside the big gray
of the leader.
"'Bout thirty miles yet" he said
briefly; "we'll make 1t by nine O'CLOCK"
The moon climbed up over high
bluff and looked down upon little
valley where a small. swift stream ran
through green meadows. In the midst
of the valley one tree stood like
sentinel near low log house set
stones throw from the brink Of the
stream.
A fire that leaped upon the hearth
and flung it's rudy light through the
small windows served to light the rude
interior, it's uncertain CLEANS half re-
vealing, half concealing the rough
uncouthness of man who sat before
the fireplace holding child upon his
knee.
"Now tell me-" he was saying, why
you didn't go home with Mrs. Potter
today, when she rode all the way over
here on purpose. Mrs. Potter's right
about 1t bein' too lonesome for you TO
stay here when I'm out in the hills.
It is mighty lonesome for a little girl
like you. You better let me take you
over tomorrow" She shook her head
until her misty hair flew out like an
oriole.
"Who'd keep house for you" she
asked, as if that question settled the
whole matter.
He laughed weakly. "You do take
pretty good care of youl old dad, don't
you? And you're all the housekeeper
he's had for a good spell now"
"Since ma went to heaven" said the
child gravely.
He started and looked at her curl
ously.
"Who told you thatF ne salu' al'
most roughly.
"Told me what?"
She was looking at the fire intendy
and had a half-absorbed expression.
"That ma went to heaven. Oh, she
told me herself, before she went, and
she made me promise I'd come, too.
She told me all about the angels and
God and everything. She said the
angels were all around, every place.
and since she died know it's true.
cause I've seen EN-. There's one
right there in the fire now. I've been
seeing it ever so long. A liCtle baby
angel with it's wings spread out to NY.
See, pa? Right there, in the middle
of the brightest-see?
"No," said the man, slowly, Il can't
quite make it OUT Suddenly he
started
whats that"
He opened the door and looked out.
Three men on horseback confronted
him. He was covered instantly.
"We're onto you," said one lacon-
ically, "say your prayers"
He grew pale beneath the bronze,
but he faced them resolutely. and
stood a trifie straighter.
"What does this mean, men" he
said. "What have l done?
The leader laughed grimly.
"When a mans too handy with his
brandin' irons he's apt to run up
against trouble some day. You've got
about two minutes to make your last
will and testament"
At last, after a minute as long as
years, he spoke stumblingly, as If
words of entreaty came hardly to his
lips.
"You have homes, men, and little
ones, maybe. Think of the child, and
have mercy" He caught her up sud
denly and held her before them.
Startled by the sudden movement,
the big gray reared and paved the
air. There was a sharp report and
shrill scream through the stiffness of
the valley then the father stood look
Ing SIupluly at the imp anu SShoSASS'
thing he held in his arms, and the
swift red stream that dyed his shirt
sleeve.
The big gray had bolted, and after
a moment of Mortified waiting the two
who were left wheeled their horses
and rode away through the night leav-
ing the outcast alone with his dead.
The sun climbed up over the high
bluff and looked down on the green
valley where the one tree stood by the
low log house. Under the tree a man
was STOPPING over little mound by
the side of long one, patting it soft
ly and babbling to himself about his
baby, and the little angel in the fire
After awhile he wandered away hat
less and coatless toward the mountain
No one lives in the house In the
valley. They say that when the moon
is full fire leaps upon the deserted
hearth and filings rudy glow through
the windows, and he who listens may
presently hear the shrill scream OF