The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1909-10-01

against him were the homesteaders,
the railroad men. the common people
and the men who everywhere hate
cruelty and outrage and the making
of lie.
Lance Dunning had never concealed
his friendliness for Sinclair, even aft
er hard stories about him were known
to be true. and 1t was this confidence
OF fellowship that made Sinclair, "a
hours after he had left Oroville, ride
down the hill trail to Crawling Stone
ranchhouse.
The morning had been cold, with a
heavy wind and dull sky. In the aft
ernoon the clouds lowered over the
valley and misting rain set in. Dick
sic had gone into Medicine Bend on
the stage in the morning, and, after a
stolen half-hour with McCloud at
Marion's. had ridden home to escape
the storm. Not less, but much more,
than those about her she was alive to
the situation in which Sinclair stood
and Its danger to those closest to her
In the morning her one prayer to Nc
Cloud had been to have care of HIM
self. and to Marion to have care of
herself; but even when Dicksie left
them 1t seemed as II neither quite felt
the peril as she felt 1t.
In the afternoon the rain, falling
steadily. kept her In the house, and
she sat In her room sewing until the
light failed. She went downstairs.
Puss had lighted the crate in the
living room. and Dicksie threw herself
into chair. The sounds of hoofs
aroused her and she went to a win
dow. To her horror. she saw Sinclair
walking with her cousin up to the
front door. She ran into the dining
room, and the two men entered the
hall and walked into the office. Chok-
ing with excitement. Dicksie ran
through the kitchen and upstairs to
master her agitation.
In the office Sinclair was sitting
down before the hot stove with n
tumbler OF whisky. "Lance,"-he
shook his head as he spoke hoarsely-
Il want to say my friends have stood
by me to man, but there's none of
them treated me squarer through
thick and thin than you have. Well,
I've had some bad luck. 1t can't he
helped. Regards"
He drank. and shook his wet hair
again. Four days of hard riding had
left no trace on his iron features. Wet
TO the bone. his eyes flashed with fire
He held the glassful Of whisky In a
hand as steady as spirit.level and
tossed II down a throat as cool as
dew.
Il want to say another thing,
Lance: had no more intention than
n child OF hurting Ed Banks. warned
I'D months ago to keep out OF this
hight, and / never knew he was in II
TIL 1t was too late. But I'm hoping he
Will pull through yet. II they don't
kill him In the hospital to spite me. I
never recognized the man at all TIL It
was too late. Why. one OF them used
to work for me! A man with the
whole railroad gnng In these noun.
tains after him has got to look out for
himself or his life amt worth n glass
OF beer. Thank you. Lance, not any
more. l saw two men, with their
hana.a. ~, "o, 'VoA's ,or me- :
and ready. as all my friends know.
and will let no man put drop on
- w." ".'e' w. .a, before
49,. e",Aou nm Ia,seu ms rihe'
,",, a ns o".s 'eason = mfeu' MOI 30
wn,, {. he .. ~, 81 W., 'un. u you piease'
- n 'uoo" n's o,ack haif us ne
,.a,, T., 'a . n's menu. n",es 10 better
W. ;" "v,ee eo""'',es' ne paused
40 ne '" ~, anu Sc. the lumber
w. .ai.. =" '"''"s soou'py 10
W. '"o'''''''s'
iou 10 not going AWAY Tor good.
murray
I'm going away for good. What's
,ne use ror TWO years these railroad
eu''hroa's nave been trying to put
something on me: you know that.
Iheyvc been trying to mix me up