The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-08-15

On the morning of the third day
Dicksie Dunning. who had gone home
from Medicine Bend and who had been
telephoning Marion and George Nc
Cloud two days for news, was trying
to get Medicine Bend again on the
telephone when Puss came in to say
that a man at the kitchen door wanted
TO see her.
who is it. Puss?'
Il dino, Miss Dicksie; deed, I never
seen him bfore."
Dicksie walked around on the porch
to the kitchen. A dust-cOVered man
sitting on a limp horse threw back the
brim OF his hat as he touched it, lifted
himself stiffly out Of the saddle, and
dropped to the ground. He laughed al
Dicksies startled expression. Don
you know me?" he asked putting out
his hand. 1t was Whispering Smith.
He was a fearful sight. Stained
from head 10 foot with alkaH, saddle
cramped and bent his face scratched
and stained, he stood with smllln4
appeal in mis- blOOdshOt eyes.
Dicksie gave a little uncertain cry
clasped her hands, and, with scream
threw her arms impulsively around has
neck. "Oh, did not know you! What
has happened? I am so glad to see
you! Tell me what has happened
Are you EuIls
He stammered like q schoOlboy.
Nothing has happened. 1 didn't real
ize what a tramp / look or I shouldn
have come But / was only mile
away and I had heard nothing for fOur
days from Medicine Bend. And how
are you? Did your ride make you III?
No? By heaven, you are a game girl
That was a ride! How are they ali .
Where's your cousin2 In town, is he.
i thought I might get some news If
rode up, and, oh, Miss Dicksie-jiminy.
some coffee. But I've got only two min
utes for il all, only two minutes; do you
think Puss has any on the stove2'
Dicksie, with coaXing and pulling. got
him into the kitchen, and Puss tum-
bled over herself to set out coffee and
rolls. He showed himself ravenously
hungry. and ate with d simple direct
ness that speedily accounted for every
thing in sight. you have saved my
life. Now 1 am going, and thank you
a thousand times. There, by heaven,
I've forgotten WickWire. He is with
me-waiting down in the cottonwOods
at the fork Could Puss put up a
lunch I could take to him? He hash
had a scrap for twenty-four hours. But,
Dicksie. your tramp is hummer I've
tried to ride him down and wear him
out and lose him, and. by heaven, he
turns ND every time and has been of
more use to me than two men,"
she put her hand on Whispering
Smiths arm. Il told him if he would
stop drinking he could be foreman
here next. season" Puss was putting
up the lunch. why need you hurry
away?" persisted Dicksie. I've got a
thousand things TO say
He looked at her amiably. This Is
really a case of must"
Then, tell me, what favor may 1 do
for you?" She looked appealingly into
his tired eyes. 4 want to do something
for YOU. I must! Don't deny me. Only,
what shall it be-"
Something for me? What can I say
You'll be kind to Marion-I shouldn't
have to ask that. What can 1 ask.
StOpl there is one thing. I've got poor
little devil OF an orphan UP in the Deep
Creek country. Du Sang murdered his
father You are rich and generous,
Dicksie; do something for him, will
you? Kennedy or Bob Scott will know
all about him. Bring him down here,
will you, and see he doesn't go to the
dOgs2 You're a good girl. What's this,
crying? Now you are frightened.
Things are not so bad as that You
want TO know everything see it III
your eyes. Very WELL let's trade. You
tell me everything and III tell you
everything. Now, then: Are you en-
gaged?"
They were standing under the low
porch with the sunshine breaking
through the trees. She turned away
her face and threw all of her happiness
into a laugh. Il won't tell"
"Oh, that's enough. You have told."
declared Whispering Smith. Il knew
why, OF course I knew-but I wanted
to make you own up Well here's the
way things are. Sinclair has run us
all over Gods creation for two days to
give his pals a chance to break into
Williams Cache to get the Tower W
money they left with Rebstock. For
q fact, we have ridden completely
around Sleepy Cat and been down in
the Spanish Sinks since I saw you.
He doesn't want to leave without the
money, and doesn't know it is i'm Ken
nedy's hands, and can't get into the
Cache to find out. Now the three
whoever the other two are-and Sim
ClaiT-are trying to join forces some
where up this valley, and Kennedy,
Scott, Wickwire and Tare after them:
and every outlet is watched, ana it
must ali be over. my dear, before sun
set tonight. Isn't that fine? I mean
to have the thing wound up somehow
Don't look worried"
DO not-do not let him kill YOU"
she cried, with a sob.
He viii not kill me; don't be
afraid"
7 am afraid. Remember what your
life is to all of Usi'
Then, of course, I've got to think
of what il is to myseIf-being the only
one I've got. Sometimes I don't think
much of it; but when I get a welcome
ike this it sets me up. If L can once
get out of the accursed manslaughter-
ing business, Dicksie- How old are
you? Nineteen Well, you've got the
finest chap in all these mountains. and
George McCloud has the finest"
With a bubbling laugh she shook her
finger at him. Now YOU are caueht.
Say the finest woman in these noun
tains, if you dare! Say the finest WON'T
AM"
"The finest woman of 10 in all crea-
toni" He swung with a laugh into the
saddle and waved his hat. She watched
him ride down the road and around the
hill. When be Feappeared she was still
looking and ne was ganoping along the
lower road. A man rode out at the fork
to meet him and trotted with him over
the bridge. Riding leisurely across the
creek, their broad hats bobbing un-
evenly in the sunshine, they spurred
swiftly past the grove of quaking asps.
and in a moment We're lost beyond the
trees
CHAPTER XII.
Cra,,Ifno cFone ANaeb