Gavanaqh,
n n t" ... "-' .i
U U UL
The Great Conserva
tion Novel
By IIAMUN GARLAND
Copyright, 1910. by Hamlin Garland
(fen p3nn DCS I
Forest
Ranger
3 KUa&imlzyIiSJ B
CHAPTER yi.
IN TIIK VIOLENT PASV.
TALKIMJ about Cavnnagb was
quite too absorbingly Interest
ing to both Lee and Redfleld to
permit of auy study of the land
scape, which went by as If dismissed
by the chariot wheels of some con
temptuous magician. Redfleld's eyes
were mostly on the road (in the man
ner of the careful auto driver), but
-when be did look up it was to admire
the color and poise of bis seat mate,
who made the landscape of small ac
count. She kept the conversation to the de
sired point. "Mr. Cavanagh's work
Interests me very much. It seems very
Important, und It must be new, 'for I
never beard of a forest ranger when
I was a child."
"The forester Is new, at least in
America," be answered. "My dear
young lady, you are returned just in the
most momentous period In the history
of the west. The old dominlon-the
cattle range is passing. The suprem
acy of the cowboy is ended. The cow
boss is raising oats. The cowboy la
pitching alfalfa and swearing horribly
as he blisters his bands. Some of the
rangers at the moment are men of
western training, like Ross, but whose
allegiance Is now to Uncle Sam. With
others that transfer of allegiance is not
quite complete: hence the Insolence of
men like Gregg, who think they can
bribe or intimidate these forest guards
arid so obtain favors. The newer men
are college bred, real foresters. But
you can't know what it all means till
you see Rosa or some other ranger on
his own heath. We'll make up a little
party some day and drop down upon
him and have him show us about It'a
a lonely life, and so the ranger keeps
open house. Would you like to go?"
"Oh, yes, Indeed. I'm eager to get
into the mountains. Every night aa I
nee the bud go down over them I won
der what the world is like up there." '
Then he began very delicately to in
quire about her eastern experience.
There was not much to tell. In a love
ly old town not far from Philadelphia,
where her aunt lived, she had spent
ten years of happy exile. "1 was hor
ribly lonely and homesick at first," she
ald. "Mother wrote only short let
ters, and my father never wrote at all.
I didn't know he was dead then. lie
was always good to me. He wasn't a
bad man, was he?"
"No," responded Redfleld without
hesitation. He was very like the rest
of us. only a little more reckless and
a little more partisan, that's all. He
vii s a dashing horseman and a dead
nhot and so naturally a leader of
these daredevils. He was popular
with both sides of the controversy up
to the very moment when he went
south to lead the Invaders against the
rustlers."
"What was it all about? I never un
derstood It. What were they fighting
about?"
'.'In a sense It was all very simple
You see. Uncle Sara in bis careless, d
nothing way has always left his range
to the man who got there first. Tbat
was the cattleman. At first there was
grass enough for us all. Imf as we
built sheds and corrals about water
ing places we came to claim rights on
the range. We usually secured by
fraud homesteads in the sections con
taining water and so. gun In hand,
'stood ofl" the man who came after.
Gradually, after much shooting and
lnwlng, we parceled out the range and
nettled down, covering practically the
whole state. Our adjustments were
not perfect, but our system was work
ing smoothly for us who controlled the
range. We bad convinced ourselves
and pretty nearly everybody else that
the state was only fit for cattle graz
ing and tbat we were the most com
latent graders; furthermore, we were
in possession, and no man could come
in without our consent.
"However, a very curious law of our
own making was our undoing. Of
course the "nester" or 'punkin roller.'
as we contemptuously called the small
farmer, began sifting iu here and there
In spite of our guns, but he was only a
mosquito bite lu comparison with the
trouble which our cowpiinchers stirred
up. Perhaps you remember enough
about the business to know that an
itnbrandcd yearling calf without lis
mother Is called n maverick ?"
"Yes; I remember that. It belongs
to the man who find him and brand
blm."
"Precisely. Now. that law worked
Tory nicely so long as the poor cow
boy was willing to catch and brand
blm for tils employer, but It proved a
'Joker' when he woke up and said to
tils fellows. 'Why brand these mav
erieks at $f per head for this or that
outfit when the law says they belong
to the man who Minis them?"
lice Virginia looked up brightly.
"That seems right to me."
"Ah, yes, but wait: We cattloi
bud large herd, and the prohabltri
were that the calf belonged to
tme of us. whereas the cowboy, having
iio herd at all, knew the maverick be
longed to some one's held. True, tlie
law mild It win tils, but the law did
ixt lui'iiii to reward the freebooter.
2ivL 'bat Is exactly what it did. At
first only a few outlaws took advan
tage of it, but bard years camo on, the
cattle business became less and less
profitable, we were forced to lay oft
our men, and so at last the range
swarmed with Idle cowpunchers. Then
came the breakdown in our scheme.
The cowboys fook tomavericKTiig' on"
their own account. Some of them had
the grace to go into partnership with
some farmer and so claim a smalt
btmch of cows, but others suddenly
and miraculously acquired herds of
their own. From keeping within the
lnw they passed to violent methods.
They silt the tongues of calves for-the
purpose of separating them from their
mothers. Finding he could not suck,
bossy would at last wander away from
bis dam and so become a maverick. In
short, anarchy reigned on the range."
"But surely my father had nothing
to do with this?"
"No; your father up to this time had
been on good terms with everybody.
He bad a small herd of cattle down
the river, which be owned In common
with a man named Hart"
"I remember him."
"He was well thought of by all the
big outfits, and when the situation be
came intolerable and we got together
to weed out 'the rustlers,' is tbese cat
tie thieves were called, your father
was approached and converted to a
belief in drastic measures. He bad
suffered less than the rest of us be
cause of bis small herd and the fact
that be was very popular amoug the
cowboys. So far as I was concerned.
the use of violent methods revolted
me. My training in the east bad made
me a respecter of the law. 'Change
the law.' I said. 'The law is all right.'
they replied; 'the trouble Is with these
rustlers. We'll hang a few of 'em, and
tbat will break up the business.'"
Parts of this story came back to the
girl's mind, producing momentary
flashes of perfect recollection. She
heurd agaiu the voices of excited men
arguing over and over the question of
"nmverlcklug," and she saw her fa
tber as he rode up to the house that
Inst day before be weut south.
' Redfleld went on. "The whole plan
as developed was silly, and 1 wonder
still that Ed Wetberford. who knew
the 'nester' and the cowboy so well
should have lent bis aid to it. The
cattlemen, some from Cheyeune. some
from Denver and a few from New
York and Chicago, agreed to finance a
a sort of vigilante corps composed of
men from the outside on the under
stnudlug thnt this policing body should
be commanded by one of their own
number. Your father was chosen sec
ond iu command and was to guide the
party, for be knew almost every one of
the rustlers and could ride directly to
their doors."
"I wish ? hadn't done tbat," mur
mured the girl.
"I must be frank with you. Virginia
I can't excuse that in blm. It was a
kind of treachery, lie must have been
warped by his associates. They con
vinced him by some means tbat it was
bis duty, and one fine day the Fork
was startled by a messenger who rode
in to say that the cattle. barons were
coming with a hundred Texas bad men
'to clean out the town' and to put their
own men Into office. This last was
silly rot to me. but the people believed
it."
The girl was tingling now. "I re
member! I remember the men who
rode Into the town to give the alarm,
I was scared almost breathless."
"I was In Sulphur City and did not
hear of It (III It was nearly all over,
Redfleld resumed, bis speech showing
a little of the excitement which thrill
ml throuuh the girl's voice. "Well, the
first art of vengeance was so III con
sldered that it practically ended the
whole campaign. The Invaders fell
iinnn imil killed two ranchers, one of
whom was probably not a rustler a
all. but a peaceable settler, and the
other one they most barbarously
banged. More than this, they attack
ed and vainly teled to kill two settlers
whom thev met on the road-(iertnau
farmers, with no connection, so far a
known, with the thieves. These nieii
psenm-d ami L'ave the alarm. In a
few hours the whole range was a Hum
with vengeful fire. The Forks, as you
may recall, was like a swarm of bum
blebees. Every man and lxy wa
armed and mounted. The storekeepers
distributed guns nud ammunition,
lenders developed, and the embattled
'punkin rollers,' rustlers and towns
men mde out to meet the Invaders."
The girl paled with memory of It.
"It was terrible. 1 went alfrday with
cut cjiln. an (r two jdgjits we
were all tin excited to sleep. It seem
ed as If the world were comlug to au
end. Mother cried because they
wouldn't let her go wttfc them. She
didn't know father was leadlug the
other army."
She must have known soon, for It
was reported that your father was
among them. She certainly knew when
rhey were driven to earth In that log
fort, for they were obliged to restrain
her by force from going to your fa
ther. As I run over those furious
days it all seems incredible, like a sud
den reversion to barbarism."
"How did It all end? The soldiers
came, didn't they?"
"Yes; the long arm of Uncle Sam
reached out and took hold upon the
necks of both parties. I guess your
father and his band would have died
right there had uot the regular army
interfered. It only required a sergeant
wearing Uncle Sam's uniform to come
among those armed and furious cow
boys and remove their prisoners."
"1 saw that. It was very strange
tbat sergeant was so young and so
brave."
He turned and smiled at her. "Io
you know who that was?"
Her eyes flashed. She drew her
breath with a gasp. "Was it Mr. Cuv-
auagb?"
"Yes, It was Ross. He was serving
in the regular army at the time. He
bas told me since that he felt no fear
whatever. 'Uncle Sam's blue coat was
like Siegfried's magic armor,' he said.
'It was the kind of .thing the mouuted
police of Canada had been called upon
to do many a time, aud I went in and
got my men.' That ended the war,
so far as violent measures went, and
It really ended the sovereignty of the
cattleman. The power of the 'nester'
has steadily Increased from that mo
ment." "But my father what became of
him? They took him away to the east,
and tbat is ull I ever knew. What do
you think became of him?"
"I could never make up my mind.
All sorts of rumors come to us con
cerning him. As a matter of fact, the
state authorities sympathized with the
cattle barons, and my own opinion is
tbat your father was permitted to es
cape. He wns afterward seen in Tex
as, and later it was reported that be
bad been killed there."
The girl SaY still, listening to the tire
less whir of the machine and looking
out at the purpling range with tear
mist eyes. At Inst she said. "I shall
never think of my father as a bad man
be was always so gentle to uie."
"You need not condemn blm, my
denr young lady. The people of the
Forks some of them, at least con
sider him n traitor and regard you as
the daughter of a renegade, but what
does it matter? Each year sees the
old west diminish aud already. In the
work of the forest service, law and or
der advance. Notwithstanding all the
shouting of herders and the beating
to death of sheep, no hostile shot bas
ever been fired within the bounds of a
national forest. In the work of the
forest rangers lies the hope of ultimate
peace and order over all the public
lands.
The girl fell silent again, her mind
filled with larger conceptions of life
than her Judgment bad hitherto been
called upon to meet. She knew that
Redficld was right, and yet tbat world
of the past the world of the swift
herdsman aud his trampling, long
homed, half wild klne still appealed
to her Imagination. The west of her
girlhood seemed heroic lu memory.
Even the (inlet account of It to which
she had Just listened could not conceal
its epic largeness of movement. The
part which troubled her most was her
father's treachery to his neighbors.
That he should fight, that he should
kill men In honorable warfare, she
could understand, but not bis recrean
cy, bis desertion of her mother and
herself.
She came back to dwell at last on
the actlou of that slim young soldier
who bad calmly ridden through the
Infuriated mob. She remembered tbat
she had thrilled eveu then at the
vague and Impersonal power which be
represented. To her childish mind he
seemed to bear a charm, like the he
roes of her story books sometblug
which made blm invulnerable.
After a long pause Redfleld spoke
again. "The memory of your father
will make life for a time a bit hard
for you In Roaring Fork. Perhaps
your mother's advice Is sound. Why
not come to Sulphur City, which is
almost entirely of the new spirit?'
"If I can get my mother to come,
too, I will be glad to do so, for I bate
the Fork. But I will uot leave ber
there, sick aud alone."
"Much depends upon the doctor's
examination tomorrow."
They had topped the divide now be
twees the Fork and Sulphur creek
basin, and the green (lelils. the alfalfa
meadows and the painted farmhouses
thickened beneath them. Strange how
significant all these signs were now!
A few days ago they bad appeared
doubtful Improvements; now they rep
resented the oncoming dominion of the
east. They meant cleanliness and de
cent speech, good bread anil sweet
butter.
Redfleld swept through the town,
then tiT""'' 'tp f'e "t renin directly to-
1177
r n
WILL BE CELEBRATED IN GRAND
Plattsmouth,
n
umproveo woeir ov
-ft GRAND OLD FASHIONED PROGRAM IS BEIT1G PREPARED!-
Good Speaking! Splendid Band Music! Many Sports! - Grand Display of Fireworks!
Watch these columns for further announcements, and make it a point to
- elebraie in PlatismoutihS -
ward the high wall of the range, which
was ragged and abrupt at this point.
They passed several charming farm
houses, and the western sky grew ever
more glorious with its plum color and
saffron, and the range reasserted Its
mastery over the girl. At last they
came to the very Jaws of the canyon,
and there, in a deep natural grove of
lofty cottonwood trees, Redfleld passed
before a high rustic gate which mark
ed the beginning of his estate. The
driveway was of gravel, and the Inter
mingling of transplanted shrubs and
plue trees showed the care of the pro
fessional gardener.
The house wns far from being
castle. Indeed. It was very like a
house in Rryn Mawr, except that It
was built entirely of half hewn logs,
with a wide projecting roof. Giant
hydrangeas and other flowering shrubs
bordered the drive, and on the rustic
terrace a lady in white was waiting.
Redfleld slowed down and scrambled
ungracefully out. Rut bis voice was
chu rinlug as be suld: "Eleanor, this
Is Miss Wetberford. She was on the
point of gottlng the blues, so I brought
ber away," be explained.
Mrs. Redfleld, quite as urban as the
bouse, was a slim little woman of deb
Icate habit, very far from the ordinary
conception of a rancher's wife. Her
manner was politely considerate, but
not heatedly cordial (the visitor was
not precisely hers), and, though she
warmed a little after looking Into Vir
ginia's face, she could not by any
stretch of phrase be called cordial.
"Are you tired? Would you like to
lie down before dinner?" she asked.
"Oh, no, Indeed. Nothing ever tires
me," Virginia responded, with a smile.
"You look like one in perfect health,"
continued her hostess In the envious
tono of one who knew all too well
what 111 health meant. "Let me show
you to your room."
The house was not precisely the pal
are the cowboy had reported It to be,
but It was charmingly decorated, and
the furnishings were tasteful. To the
girl H was ns"lT"bTTo had icn trans
ported with instant magic from the
horrible little cow town back to tin
hoiiie o? oiioo? TicFTleareHt frleiTHs'ln
Chester. She wns at once exalted and
humbly grateful.
"We dlno at 7," Mrs. Redfleld was
saying, "so you can take a cup of tea
without spoiling your dinner. Will you
venture It?"
"If you please."
"Very well, come down soon and I'll
have It ready. Mr. Redficld, I'm sure,
will want some."
Virginia's benrt was dancing with
delight of this home as she cnine down
the stairs a little later. As they talked
Mrs. Redileld studied the girl with In
creasing- Interest and favor and soon
got at her point of view. She even
(tired a lltllo inoreof her story, which
- Wfff 11911 1
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
n R
"ir.F.ANOH, THIS 18 WISH WKTIII HKOItD."
malclied Tifirly ' well wnli Ti.FTiccoiinl
her husband had given. Her preju
dices were swept away, and she treat
ed her young guest us ouo well born
and well educated woman treats an
other. At Inst she said: "We dress for din
ner, but any trock you have will do.
We are not Ironclad In our rules
There will be some neighbors lu, but
It isn t In any seuso a 'party.' "
Lee Virginia went to ber room borne
high upon a new conception of the pos
sibilities of the west It was glorious
to think that one could enjoy tho re
finement, the comfort, of the cast at
the same time that one dwelt wlthlu
the Inspiring shadow of tho rnnge.
Her bands were a-tremblo as she put
on the bright muslin gown which was
all she had for evening wear. She
felt very much like the schoolgirl
again, and after she had done ber best
to look nice she took a sent In the little
rocker with Intent to compose herself
for ber meeting with strangers. "1
wish we were dining without visitors."
sho said as she heard a carriage drive
up. A little later a galloping horse en
tered tho yard and stopped at the door.
She heard voices In the hall nud
among them one with a very English
accent, one that sounded precisely like
those she had heard ou the stage.
At last she dared wait no longer and,
taking courage from necessity, de
scended the stairs, a pleasant picture
of vigorous yet somewhat subdued
""idiitiluunl
(To He Continued.)
Good Roads Meeting at Louisville.
There will be a meeting at
Louisville on Monday afternoon,
June 12, at 1:30 o'clock. Every-,
one interested in the movement
for better roads should be on
band, when a
permanent or
ganization will be effected.
STYLE AT
Meb
J
THE
n m
THE RELIANCE LIFE INSUR
ANCE COJF PITTSBURG
One of the Strongest Companies
Ever Organized In the United
States or Europe.
Toiluy lifu insurance, of the
substantial sort, is recognized
throughout this country as the
one legitimate business proposi
tions deemed u necessity and a.
duty by every man between the
ages of 20 and 05 years. II is the
one legitimate business proposi
lion upon which ull men stand
eiuul and are dealt with equally.
The man who tills the soil, oven
though he may not own an acre,
can buy life insurance on equal
terms and with equal results with
tho banker, Ihe merchant and the
millionaire. No oilier business
proposition is like it.
The Reliance Life Insurance
Company of Pittsburg, one of the
strongest companies ever or
ganied in I lie history of life in
surance, now lias au agent iu this
community iu the person of W, J,
Thomas, Ccneral Agent for
Southeastern Nebraska.
In addition to the usual libera)
features which most old-line com
panies incorporate in their
policies, the Reliance policies nro-
vide that all premiums shall cease
Biioubl the insured become totally
and permanently disabled for life
by bodily injury or disease.
The Reliance Life refers by
permission to II. .N. Dovey,
Cashier of the First National
Hank of IMaltsmoulh.
Prosecuting State Egg Vendors.
The pure food commissioner is
prosecuting the stale egg vendors
in every part of (lie slate. We
have heard of no prosecutions ii
this section, and we hope there
will be no cause for bringing such,
action, yet we would advise our
farmer friends and the merchants
to be on the lookout. We have
known of several who have pur
chased eggs at the stores recently
that were unfit for use.
Adjust I. Pearlman Loss.
The Fireman's Insurance com
pany of New Jersey adjusted the
loss on (lie I. I'curlman property,
paying the carpenter's estimate
without objection. The estimate
, was placed at, iMf, and Mr. Pearl
man received a chock for the
amount.