Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-17
Frank II.
Spearm0n
Illustrations
by Andre
BowLes
Copyright, 1905, BY ChAA Scribner's sons
SYNOPSIS.

l4dlu oiHCldlT pledQeQ innocence, Qecldr-
ing it only amounted to a small sum-a
treat for the men. McCloud discharged
the whole outfit and ordered the wreck
age burned.
CHAPTER III.-McCloud became &C
Guainted with Dicksie Dunning, girl Of
the west. who came to look at the wreck
She gave him message for Sinclair.
CHAPTER IV.-"Whisperfng' Gordon
Smith told President Bucks IF the rail-
road, of McClouds brave fight against a
gang Of crazed miners and that was the
reason for the superintendent appoint
ment to his high office. McClOud ar
ranged to board at the boarding house
Of Mrs. Sinclair, the eX-foremans desert
ed wife.
CHAPTER V.-Dicksie Dunning was
the daughter Of the late Richard Dun
ming, who had died Of broken heart
shortly after his wife's demise, which
occurred after one year Of married life
CHAPTER VI-Sinclair visited Marion
.SinClair's shop and a fight between him
and McClOud was narrowly averted.
CHAPTER VII.-Smoky Cheek bridge
was mysteriOusly burned. McClOud pre-
pared to face the situation. President
Bucks notified Smith that he had work
ahead.
CHAPTER VIII.-McCloud worked for
days and finally got the division running
in fairly good order. He overheard Dick
sic criticising his methods, to Marion
Sinclair.
CHAPTER IX.-A stock train was
wrecked by an open switch. Later a pas
senger train was held up and the express
car robbed. Two men Of a posse pursuing
the bandits were killed. McCloud was
notified that Whispering Smith was to
hunt the desperadoes.
CHAPTER X.-Bill Dancing a road
lineman. proposed that Sinclair and his
gang be sent to hunt the bandits.
stranger, apparently with authority, told
him to go ahead. Dancing was told the
stranger was Whispering Smith
CHAPTER XI.-smith approached Sin
clair. He tried to buy him off, but failed
He warned McCloud that his life was in
danger.
CHAPTER XII.-McCloud wa carried
forcibly into Lance Cummings presence
Dunning refused the railroad a right-of-
way, he had already signed for. Dick
sic interfered to prevent a shooting af-
tray.
CHAPTER XIIL-Dickse met McCloud
on lonely trail to warn him his life was
In danger On his way home a shot
passed through his hat.
CHAPTER XIV.-Whispering Smith re-
ported that Du Sang, one Of Sinc,air's
gang, had been assigned to kill McCloud
He and Smith saw Du Sang.
CHAPTER XV.-Whispering Smith
tainted Du Sang and told him to get out
Of Medicine Bend or suffer. Du Sang
seemed to succumb to the bluff.
CHAPTER XVI.-McCloud's big con-
6truction job was taken from him be-
cause of an injunction issued to Lance
Dunning by the United States court. A
Good stifled further railroad operations.
% CHAPTER XVII.-Beset by flood Dick
gie asked Marion to visit her. Marion
proposed asking aid to stem the flood
From McCloud. At first Dicksie refused
Then she agreed.
CHAPTER XVIII.-Arriving at the
camp they learned Smith had followed
them from the ranch to be sure of their
safe journey. McCloud offered the aid Of
q 100 men and equipment.
CHAPTER XIX.-Smith told Dicksie
Che story of his railroad career.
CHAPTER XX.-Lance Dunning read
fly accepted the aid of McClOud's men,
who made much progress Smith enter
tained Dicksie.
CHAPTER XXI-McCloud succeeded
IN halting the flood. He accepted Dun
ninEs hospitality.
CHAPTER XXII.-DickSie and Marion
visited Sinclair at his ranch. He tried to
persuade his deserted Wife to return to
him. She refused.
CHAPTER XXIII.-A train was held
up and robbed, the bandits escaping.
Smith and McCloud started in pursuit
CHAPTER XXIV.-They hit the wrong
trail, righted themselves and again start.
ed pursuit
CHAPTER XXV.-At Bags ranch Du
Sang killed old Bags. Whispering Smith
oefriended his ten-year-old son.
CHAPTER XXVL-They came to VIII.
uams Cache. Smith was certain the ban
dts were there. He impOrtuned REQ.
stock, king Of the cache" to give up Dr
ne would clean out the whole gang, in
GLIDING Rebstock.
CHAPTER XXYu.-Smith came Npor
the bandits, Du Sang among them. Sin
8le-handed he routed them all. He set il
pursuit Of one, the other two being hope
leSSlv woundAd
1t was not the first time the Wi
Eams. Cache gang had sworn to ge
him and had worked together to do il
but for the first time it looked as
they might do it. A single chance wa
left to Whispering Smith for his life
and with his coat slashed with bullets
he took it. For an instant his lif
hung on the success of trick so al
pallingly awkward that clever ma
might have failed in turning it. If hi
rife should play free in the scabbar
=. IS he reached for it, he could fall t
the ground, releasing it as he plunge
from the saddle, and make a fight o
his feet. If the rife failed to releas
ne was dead man. To so narrow a
issue are the cleverest combination
sometimes brought by chance. H
dropped his empty revolver, ducke
like a mud-hen on his horses necl
threw back his leg, and, with all tn
precision he could summon, caugh
the grip of his muley in both hands
He made his fall heavily to tn
ground, landing on his shoulder. Bu
Q as he keeled from the saddle the las
thing that rolled over the saddle, lik
the flash of porpoise fin, wasthe barr,
of the rife, secure in his hands. Kari
on horseback, was already bendin
over him, revolver in hand, but tn
shot was never fired. A 5000 bullt
from the ground knocked the gun int
the air and tore every knuckle frol
Karg's hand. Du Sang spurred |
from the right. A rihe-slug like an a
at the root caught him through th
middle. His fingers stifened. H
six-shooter fell to. the ground and b
clutched his side. Seagrue, duckin
low. nut snurs to his horse, Sod Viii
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