Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-08-19


no defiance seemed to disturb the
Crawling stone, which kept alarming
ly nj work.
Above the alfalfa lands on the long
bench north of the house tho river, IN
changing its course many years earli
or, had left depression known az
Mud lake. It had become separated
from the main channel Of the Crawling
Stone by high. narrow barrier in the
form of bench deposited by the re-
cedng waters OF some earlier food,
and added to by sandstorms sweeping
among the willows that overspread IL.
Without an effective head or definite
system of work the efforts Of the men
at the Stone ranch were Of no more
consequences than II they had spent
their time in waving blankets at the
river. Twenty men riding in together
r 20 tell Lance Dunning that the river
was washing out the tree claims above
Mud lake made no perccptlblo differ
encc in the event. Dicksie. though an
inexperienced girl. saw with helpless
clcarness the futility CT It all.
Terror seized Dicksic. She tele-
phoned in her distress for Marion.
begging her to come up before they
should all be swept away; and Marion,
turning the shop over to Katie Dan
cling got into the ranch wagon that
Dicksie had gent and started for the
| Crawling Stone.
| At neon Marion arrived. The ranch
house was deserted. and the men were
all at the river PuGs stuck her head
out of tho Kitchen window, and Dick
sic ran out and threw herself into
Marion's arms. Late news from the
front had been the worst; the cutting
above Mud lake had weakened the last
barrier that held Of the river, and
every available man was fighting the
current at that point.
Marion heard II all while eating a
luncheon. Dicks!e. beset with anxiety,
could not stay in the house. The man
that had driven Marion over. saddled
horses in the afternoon and the two
women rode up above Mud lake, now
become through rainfall and seCpaEo
from the river long, shallow lagoon.
For an hour they watched the shovel.
Ing and carrying of sand-bags, and
rode toward the river to tho very edge
Of the disappearing willows. where
the bank was melting away before the
undcrcut of the rosistless current
They rode away with a common feel
inE--a conviction that the fight was a
losing one. and that another day would
see the ruin complete.
"Dickeie," exclaimed Marion-they
were riding to the house as she spoke
TIL toll YOU what we can do" She
hesitatei q moment Il will tell you
what we can do Are you plucky?"
Dicksic locked at Marion pathet
ically
If you are plucly enough to do it
we can keep the river off yet. have
an idea will go, but you must come
along
Marion. what do you mean? Dom
you think | would go anywhere Il
save the ranch? ! should like to know
where you dare go in this countr.
that I dare mott"
Then ride with me over to the rail
road camp by the new bridge. We viii
ask Mr.. McCloud to bring some of hi
men over. He can stop the river; h,
knows how"
Dicksie caught her breath. "Oh
Marion. that would do no good, evel
could do it, Why, the railroad ha
been all swept away III the lower val
ley"
How do you snow?"
80 every one SAYS"
"Who is every ono?"
, Cousin Lance, Mr. Sinclar-all tn,
, men. | heard that a week ago"
"Dicksie, don't believe it, You don
, know lhese railroad men They under
| stand this kind OF thing: cattlemcn
you know, don't. If You will 60 viii
me we can get help. | feel Just a
, sure that those men can control tn
river as do that | am looking at yol
, that is, if anybody can. The question
. is do you want to make the effort?
They talked until they left tn
horses and entered the house. Whel
they sat down, Dcksie put her hand
TO her face. "Oh, wish you had SAT-
nothing about 1t. How can | so I,
HIM and ask for help now-after Cous
in Lance has gone into court about tho
line and everything? And OF course
my name is in it all
"Dicksie. don't raise specters tina
have nothing to do with the case.
We go to him and ask him for help HI
will give It to us If he can; II h'
can't. what harm is done? He ha
been up and down the river for three
weeks, and he has an army OF mel
camped over by the bridge. ! know
that, because Mr.. Smith rode In iron
there a few days ago.
What, Whispering Smith? on,
, he is there | would not go for WORLDS
, Pray, why not
"Why, he is such an awful mani"
l "That is absurd, Dicksic.'
Dicksie looked grave Marion, n
| man in this part Of the country ha
, a good word to say for Whisperin
Smith"
r Perhaps You have forgotten, Dicl
sic, that you live in very rough par
< OF the country" returned Marion
o coolly mo man that he has eve
0 hunted down would have anything
z pleasant to say about him; nor woul
@ the friends of such a man be likel
3 to say good word Of him. There ar
o many on the range. Dicksie, that hay
d no respect for life or law or anythin
r also md they naturally hate n ma