The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-12-16
CHAPTER xxxIv.



McCloud and Dicksie met them at
the porch door. Marion. unnerved.
went directly 10 her room. Whisper
ing Smith stopped to speak to Dicksie
and McCloud interposed. Bob Scott
telephoned the Office Just now he had
a man from Oroville who wanted to
see you right away. Gordon" said he.
Il told him to send him over here. II
10 Wickwire."
''Wickwire," repeated Whispering
Smith. ''wickwire has no business
here that l know Of; no doubt It Is
something l ought to know of. And.
by the way. you ought to see this
man." he said. turning again to Dick
sic. IF McCloud tells the story right.
wickwire is a sort of protege Of yours.
Miss Dicksie, though neither Of you
seems to have known II. He is the
tramp cowboy who was smashed UP In
the wreck at Smoky creek. He Is not
a bad man, but whisky. you know.
beats some decent men," A footstep
fell on the porch. There he comes
now, / reckon. Shall l let him In q
minute?"
"Oh, l should like TO see him. He
has been at the ranch at different
times, you know"
Smith opened the door and stepping
out on the porch talked with the new
conner. In a moment he brought him
in. Dicksie had seated herself on the
sofa, McCloud stood in the doorway OF
the dining room, and Whispering
Smith laid one arm on the table al he
sat down beside II with his face above
the dark shade Of the lamp. Before
him stood Wickwire. The half-light
threw him up tall and dark. but 1t
showed the heavy shock Of black hair
falling over his forehead. and the
broad, thin face Of a mountain man.
He has just been telling me that
Seagrue is loose" Whispering Smith
explained, pleasantly. who turned
the trick, Wickwire?"
"Sheriff Coon and a deputy jailer
started with Seagrue for Medicine
Bend this morning. Coming through
Horse Eye canyon. Murray Sinclair and
Barney Rebstock got a clean drop on
them, took Seagrue. and they all rode
of together. They didn't make any
bones about it, either. Their gang
has got lots Of friends over there. you
know. They rode into Atlantic City
and stayed over an hour. Coon tracked
them there and got up a posse Of six
men. The three were standing In
front of the bank when the sheriff
rode into town. Sinclair AID SeagTue
got on their horses and started CT
Rebstock went back to get another
drink. When he came out Of the ga
loon he gave the posse a gun-fght al
by himself, and wounded two men and
made his getaway"
Whispering Smith shook his head
and Lis hand fell on the table with
a tired laugh. Barney Rebstock," be
murmured, "of all men, Coward
skate, filler-in. Barney Rebstock-
stale-beer man, sneak. barnyard thief!
Hit two mezl" He turned TO McCloud
What kind Of a wizard is Murray Sin
clair? What sort Of red-blood toxin
does be throw into his gang to draw
out a spirit like that? Murray Sin
clair belongs to the race of empire
builders. BY heavens. it is pitiful {
man like that should be out Of job
England, McCloud. needs him. And
here he is holding up trains on the
mountain diyision!"
"They are all up at Oroyille Will
the Williams Cache gang. celebrating.
continued Wickwire.
Whispering Smith looked at the
cowboy. ''Wickwire. you made good
ride ana thank you. You are al
right This Is the young lady ana