The Huttig news., 1909-12-25


 down tue wash and out into the Crawl Of getting away in the night; and if the third man should be Barney Reb- stock Whispering Smith knew that Sinclair thought only of escape. Smith alone, of their pursuers. could now intercept them, but second hope re- mained: On the left Aick%ire was high enough to command every turn in the bed of the river. He might see them and could force them to cover with his rife even at long range. Cast ing up the chances, Whispering Smith, riding faster over the uneven ground than anything but sheer recSlessness would have prompted hastened across the waste. His rife lay in his hand, and he had pushed his horse to run. A single fearful instinct crowded now upon the long strain of the week A savage fascination burned like fever in his veins, and he meant that they should not get away. Taking chances that would have shamed him in cooler moments. he forced his horse at the end of the long ride to within 100 paces of the river, threw his lines, slipped like lizard from the saddle, and, darting with incredible swiftness from rock to rock. gained the waters edge.
 From up the long shadows of the wash there came the vail of an owl. From it he knew that Wickwife had seen them and was warning him but he had anticipated the warning and stood below where the hunted men must ride. He strained his eyes over the waste of rock above. For one half hour Of daylight he would have sold, in that moment. ten years of his life. What could he do if they should be able to secrete themselves until dark between him and Wickwire? Gliding under cover of huge rocks up the dry wstercourse. he reached a sHot where the floods had scooped a long, hollow curve out Of a soft ledge in the bank, leaving stretch of smooth sand on the bed Of the stream. At the upper point great powders pushed out of the river He could not inspect the curve from the spot he had gained without reckless exposure. but he must force the little daylight left to ] him. Climbing completely over the lower point. he advanced cautiously, and from behind a sheltering spur stepped out upon an overhanging table of rock and looked across the river bottom. Three men had halted on the sand within the curve. Two lay on i.af ~;f h. paces from Whispering Smith. The third man. Seagrue, less than 50 yards away, had got off his horse and was laying down his rife, when the hoot~ owl screeched again and he looked un easily back. They had chosen for their halt spot easily defended, and needed only darkness to make them safe. when Smith stepping out into pla Il sight. threw forward his hand.
 They heard his sharp call to pitch up, and the men under the point jumped. Seagrue had not yet taken his hand from his rife. He threw 1t to his shoulder. As closely together as two fingers of the right hand can be struck twice in the palm of the left, two rife. shots cracked across the wash. Two bullets passed so close in flight they might have struck One cut the dusty hair from Smiths temple and slit the brim of his hat above his ear: the other struck Seasrne under the ieit eye, plowed through the roof of his mouth, and, coming out below his sar, splintered the rock at his back.
 The shock alone would have stag sered a bullock. but Seagrue, laughing. .ame forward pumping his gun. Sin .lair, at 120 yards, cut instantly into sne fight, and the ball from his rifle creased the alkali that crusted Whis- pering Smiths unshaven cheek AS he fired he sprang to cover.
 For Seagrue and Smith there was n the open and Seagrue. with his rifle tt his cheek, walked straight into it. reking for moment the fire of the thsee guns, Whispering Smith stood perfect target outlined against the SKY. They whipped the dust from his coat. tore the sleeve from his wrist and ripped the blouse collar from his neck; but he felt no bullet shock. He saw before him only tle buckle of Seagrue's belt 40 paces away, and sent bullet after bullet at the gleam of brass between the sights Both men were using high-pressure guns, and the deadly shocks of the sluss made seagrue twiteh and ssagser The man was dying as he walked. Smiths hand Was racing with the lever, and had a cartridge damned, the steel would have saspped like a match.
 It WAS beyond human endurance to support the leadea death. The little square of brass between the sights wavered. Seagrue stumbled doubled on his knees, and staggering plunged loosely forward on the sand. Whis- pering Smith threw his fire toward the howlder behind wkich Sinclair and Barney Rebstoek had disappeared
 Suddenly he realized that the bullets from the point were not coming his way He was aware of seeond rife duel above the bend. Wiekwire worm ing his way down the stream. had un-