624 CONSERVATION 



'1 understand that you quarreled with mentioned ; then he looked resigned 



my father up in Tuolumne last week at and grieved, till a good many of the 



the cattlemen's meeting. You and he boys thought perhaps the boss had been 



talked right out at each other, as I hear, pretty hard on him, and crowded him, 



Now, my father's the best man in we didn't know exactly how. 



that country, and blank you, here's "After a bit, though, we discovered 



my resignation !' for ourselves that Jack was no good ; 



"The district ranger just looked at just a sneak and a liar inside." 



the youngster and sat down on a rock There was a long pause. The pipes 



and laughed till the tears ran down his went out, the fire burned low. I 



cheeks. Then he slapped the boy on the thought to have heard all that was com- 



shoulder and said : 'Wish I had a boy ing about Jack Yoacum. But it was a 



like you. Now, hit the trail on leave night for confidences, and the old 



with pay. It's Saturday night moon- ranger replenished the fire, refilled his 



light and you'll get home for break- pipe, and began again : 



fast. You can come back by Snow "When he was on that other forest 



Creek and see the school-teacher, too. he got up charges against one of the 



You tell your father all about it, and boys he had camped with one of the 



ask him what he thinks of our quarrel.' best rangers in the service. You know, 



"By Monday noon the young ranger I was on that forest, too, before I mar- 

 was back, and, walking up to the dis- ried and came down here. Well, he 

 trict man, said : 'Mr. Williams, my sent these charges clear up to the Presi- 

 father laughed till I thought he'd bust, dent and the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 and said you was white all through.' "We had an inspector, and more 

 Then the boy got red in the face, but fuss, and affidavits and interviews, and 

 he kept right on, and said : 'He says two months of worry." 

 you'll make a man of me yet, and I "What did he say about that ranger?" 

 hope you will.' "Said that on a certain date at a cer- 



"Pretty soon a Congressman came tain place the ranger had taken hush- 

 up here fishing, and wanted to borrow money to keep still about a timber tres- 

 a ranger to show him where to go, you pass, and had got gloriously drunk on 

 remember. I guess now it was just a the money, lying drunk all day in a 

 new kind of try-out for Jack, but you miner's cabin." 



gave him several easy jobs that month, "In the same letter to the higher-ups 



and his brag grew on him like a jimson he expressed his love for the service 



weed. He told the boys he was going and his 'extreme regret' over the af- 



to be a tourist ranger better grub, fair. He hinted, too, that that ranger 



lots of free cigars, and short hours, had been throwing down the Service for 



Then, when you pulled the rope in on years that way." 



him just a little, he talked pretty warm The listening rangers around the 



an' said that if things couldn't be fixed campfire spat upon the ground in silent 



for him thus and so he would sure re- disgust. There is no more significant 



sign. I guess he must have said some- expression of human contempt known 



thing like that to you, for I noticed he on the frontier ; it is not mere expecto- 



didn't stay in the office more than five ration ; it is of oriental intensity. Thus 



minutes before he took the road, a truly the son of the desert does to this day 



ex-ranger goin' home to tell his loving when he hears the name of one who has 



wife how mean the Service was. been a traitor to the tribe. 



"His wife took in plain washing "But how did that ranger pull out?" 



miners' shirts an' overalls, an' such one asked. "I suppose it was just his 



heavy things, to support the family till word against Jack's, for, of course, if 



her Jack should settle into 'something he had taken hush-money, the feller 



suitable.' If she saw through him, she that gave it would say he hadn't." 



never let on. He kept smiling and "Well, in the first place, that ranger 



cheerful except when the Service was did what most of you fellers don't do. 



