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

now" he answered a. he offered hes
his box with smile.
Are you taking your hat Oh for NE
in the rain? Put It on again." she in.
sisted with little tone Of command.
and she was conscious Of gratincation
when he obeyed amiably.
Il won't take your box unless you
can find another" she said. "Oh, you
have another! came out to tell you
what dreadful man ! thought you
were. and to apologize"
Never mind apoogizins. Lots Of
people think worse than that Of me
and don't apologize. I'm sorry l have
no shelter to offer you. except to sit
on this side and take the rain
why should you take the rain for
me-"
You are woman" VII.
But stranger to you"
only in a way"
Dickse gazed for a moment at the
fire. You won't think me abrupt, will
YOU" she said. turning to him. but,
as truly as live. cannot account for
you, Mr.. Smith. guess at tho ranch
We don't know what goes on in the
world Everything I see OF you con-
tradicts everything I have heard OF
you"
You haven't seen much Of me yet,
you know, and you may have heard
much better accounts Of me than
deserve. STILL II isn't surprising you
cant account for me: in fact, II would
be surprising II you could. Nobody
pretends to do that You must not Be
shocked II can't even account for
myself. Do you know what . derslict
Isl A ship that has been abandoned
but never wholly sinks"
Please don't make fun Of me! How
did you happen 10 come into the
mountains? do want to understand
things better"
why, you are in real earnest,
aren't you? But am not making fun
OF you. Do you know President Bucks!
No? Too bad! He's . very handsome
old bachelor. And he 10 one Of those
men who get all sorts OF men to do
all sorts OF things for them. You
know, building and operating railroads
in this part Of the country 10 no joke.
The mountains are filled with men
that don't care for God. man, or the
devil Sometimes they furnish their
own ammunition to night with and
don't bother the railroad for years; At
such times the railroad leaves them
alone. For ny part. I never quarrel
with a man that doesn't quarrel with
the road Then comes a time when
they get after us, shooting our men or
robb.ng our agents or stopping our
trains. OF course we have to get
busy then. A few years ago they wo<
ried Bucks till they nearly turned HE
hair Gray. At that unfortunate time
/ happened into his once with letter
Of Introduction from his closest Chi.
oago friend, Willis Howard, prince Of
good men. the man that made the
had come out here, Miss Dunning-I
almost said Miss Dicksie, because I
hear II 80 much"
Il should be greatly set up to hear
you call me Dicksie. And I have won.
dered a thousand times about your
name. Dare ask-why do they call
you Whispering Smith? You don't
whisper
He laughed with abundance Of good
humor. That Is a ridiculous accident,
and It all came about whom lived In
Chicago. Do you know anything about
the internal climate there! Well. In
Chicago used 10 lose my voice when
ever caught q cold-sometimes fol-
weeks together. So they began call.
ing me Whispering Smith. and I've
never been able to shake the nsmA
Odd, isn't IT. But ! came out to 60
into the real estate business. was
looking for some gold-beartng farm
lands where I could raise quarts. don't
you know. and such things-yes. I
: don't mind telling you this. though
wouldn't tell 1t to everybody"
Certainly not" assented Dcksis.
t drawing her skirt around to cit IN
, closer confidence.
( 81 wanted to get rich quick" muir.
. INJURED Whispering Smith, conf
! dentially.
Almost criminal. wasn't ~"
'T wanted to have evening clothes.
Yes"
And for once in my life two pairs
, Of suspenders--a modest ambition, bu>
, a enawing one. Would you believe II!
Before left Bucks once ne had hired
me for a railroad man. When he asked
me what I could do, and admitted
!, little experience In handling real o.
. tate. he brought his hst down on the
. table and swore I should be his right
A of-way man"
,. How about the mining"
$ whispering Smith waved hts hand
4 In something OF the proud manner II
| which Bucks could wave hts prssi
A Dental hand my business, Bucks
q said, need not interfere with that, MOI
In the least: ne said that could d
= all the mining wanted to. and
o have done all the mining I wanted to
n But here Is the singular thing tina
a happened: opened up my slaee al
q had nothing to DO; they didn't seen Il
d want any right Of way Just then.
kept getting my check every month
y. and wasn't doing . hands turn but nd
\ Ing eyes. tie :coYnllz seS sle4tinl