Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-07-24

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Alone in the Rain?"
skin in dealing with lawless men and
no man has ever succeeded so we'll as
this terrible man sou have heard
about. He rs terrible. my dear. 10 law.
less men. not 90 any one else lie Is
terrible in resource and in daring. but
not ia anything else know OF. and !
knew him when he was boy and
wore pink worsted scarf when he
went skating"
Il should like 20 have seen that
scarf" said Dicksie. refectively. She
rose and looked around the tent. In
few minutes she made Marion lie
down on one Of the cots. Then she
walked 20 the front OF the tent. opened
the ZAP. and looked out
Whispering Smith was sitting be
fore the ERE. Rain was falling. but
Dicksie put on her close fitting black
coat. raised the door-nap. and walked
noiselessly from the tent and up be.
hind him Alone ia the rain" she
asked.
She had expected 20 see him star,
az her voice. but he did not. though
he rose and turned around. NO,
now he answered as he offered her
his box with a smile.
Are YOU taking your hat on for me
In the rain? Put t on again." she In.
sisted with little tone OF command
and she was conscious OF qualification
when he obeycd amiably.
Il won't take your box unless you
can find another" she said. "Oh. you
have another, I came out 10 tell you
what a dreadful man I thought YOU
were and 90 apologize"
Sever mind apologizinE Lots OF
people think worse than that OF me
and cont apologize. I'm sorry have
no shelter 10 oner you. except TO sit
on this side and take the rain"
why should you take the rain FOR
me?"
You are a woman"
But stranger 20 YOU"
Only In "a way"
Dicksic gazed for q moment az the
fire. You won't think me- abruDt. will
you?' she said. turning 20 him. but
as truly as live. cannot account for
YOU, MI smith. I guess az the ranch
We don't know what goes on in the
world. Everything I see of you con.
tradicts everything / have heard OF
you"
You haven't seen much OF me vet
you know, and you may have heard
much better accounts OF me than /
deserve. Sun. II isn't surprising you
can't account for me: in fact. il would
be surprising II you could. Nobody
pretends 20 90 that You must not be
shocked II can't even account for
myself Do YOU know what z derelict
IS? \ ship that has been abandoned
but never wholly sinks"
Please don't make fun OF me- How
did you happen TO come into the
mountains? ! do want 20 understand
things better"
Why, YOU are in real earnest
aren't you? But am not making fun
OF you. Do you know President Bucks?
MOI Too bad, He's a very handsome
old bachelor. And he is one of those
men who get all sorts OF men 10 do
All sorts of things for them. You
know, building and operating railroads
in this part of the country is no Joke
The mountains are filed with men
that don't care for God. man, or the
devil. Sometimes they furnish their
Own ammunition 20 fight with and
don't bother the railroad for years; at
such times the railroad leaves them
alone. For my part. / never quarrel
with man that doesn't quarrel with
the road. Then comes a time when
they get after US. shooting our men or
robbing our agents or stopping our
trains. OF course we have to get
busy then. a few years ago they wor.
ried Bucks till they nearly turned his
hair eray. At that unfortunate time
l happened into his ONCE with q letter
OF Introduction from his closest Chi
cago friend, Willis Howard prince OF
good men, the man that made the
Palmer house famous-yes. Now |
had come out here. Miss Dunning-I
almost said Miss Dicksie. because I
hear IL so much"
Il should be greatly set up TO hear
you call NE Dicksie. And | have won.
dered a thousand times about your
name. Dare I ask--why do they call
you Whispering Smith? You don't
whisper"
He laughed with abundance OF good