The Huttig news., 1909-10-02

| led the two women toward the house "Cowmen make poor housekeepers, but you must feel at home." And when Dicksie, looking at his Indian rugs on the floors. the walls, and the couches, said she thought he had little to apologize for Sinclair looked grati- fled and took off his hat again. Just a moment he said. standing at the side of the door I've never been | able to get Marion over here before, so it happens that womans foot has never entered the new house. l want to watch one of you cross the thresh- old for the first time.'
 Dicksie, moving ahead, retrea ed with a laugh. You first, tLen, Marion.'
 No. Dicksie, you"
 Never! you first" So Marion, quite red and wretchedly i'll at ease, walked into the ranchhouse first
 Sinclair shone nowhere better than as a host. When he had placed his uests comfortably in the living room he told them the story of the building of the house. Then he made cicerone Oi osio S-NHidiA0d, HiNh ming comments. each feature of his l plan as he showed how it had been carried out through the various rooms Surpr sed at the attractiveness of 'hings. Dicksie found herself making mental notes for her own use. and be- gan asking questions. Sinclair was superb in answering, but the danger of admiring things became at once ap- parent. for when Dieksie exclaimed over a handsoree bearskin. rich dark. brown grizzly skin of unusual size, Sin clair told the story of the killing, barred his tremendous forearm to show where the polished claws had ripped him, and, disregarding Dicksie's protests, insisted on sending the skin over to Crawling Stone ranch as a souvenir of her visit.
 T live great deal alone over here" he said, waving Dicksie's continued re fusal magnifieently aside as he moved into the next room. I've got a few good dogs, and I hunt just enough to keep my hand in with rife" Dicksie quailed a little at the smile that went with the words. The men, at least the kind I mix with, don't care for grizzly skins, and to enjoy anythin you've got 10 have sympathetic con pany-don't you know that?" he asked looking admiringiy at Dicksie i've got ano' her skin for you-a silver-tip, ? he added in deep gentle tones. ad
 'ressfng Marion Tt has a fine head as fine as l ever saw in the Smithson. l IL aa. being dressed and mounted By the way, I've forgotten to ask you, Mis- . Dieksie. about the high water. How did you get through at the ranch?"
 Dicksie, sitting on the piano bench locked up with resolution. 'Bravely," she exclaimed. MT McCloud came to our rescue with bags and mattresses vetment LOGO feet long Oh, We are regular river experts at our house now. Had you any trouble here. MT l Sinclair?"
 No. the Frenchman behaves brett, we'll in the rock We had 40 feet si water here one day. though; 40 feet that's right. McCloud, yes; able fel low, 1 guess. too, though he and l l don't hit it off" Sinclair sat back in his chair. and as he spoke he spoke magDanimoGsly. He doesn't like me but that is no fault of his; railroad men. and good ones, too sometimes get started wrong with one another We'll, I'm glad he took care of you | Try that piano. Miss Dicksie, will you? | I lon tx,, xat, at.x that ought to be good one l would wheel the player over for you, but any one that plays as beautifully as | you do ought not to be allowed to use player. Marion. 1 want to talk few minutes with you, may |? Do you mind going out under the cottonwood? ?" Dicksie's heart jumped. Don't be gone long, Marion. she exclaimed. i'm l pulsively, for you know. Mir Sinclair we must get back by two o'clock. And Dicksie. pale with apprehension, looked at them both. Marion, quite composed, nodded reassuringly and l followed Sinclair out of doors into the sunshine.
 For a few minutes Dieksie fingered wildly on the piano at some. half.for-
 
 | gotten air. and in fever of excite ment walked out on the porch to sec where they were. To her relief she saw Marion sitting near Sinclair un- i der the big tree in front of the house, where the horses stood. Dicksie. with her hands on her girdle. walked for lornly back and forth, hummed tune, sat down in a rocking chair famed herself, rose, walked back and forth again. and reflected that she was per fectly helpless. and that Sinclair might kill Marion a hundred times before she could reach her And the thought that Marion was perhaps wholly nm conscious of danger increased her anxiety.
 She sat down in despair How could i Whispering Smith have allowed any one he had a care for to be exposed in