The Huttig news., 1909-09-11
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDpf B0WIFs
I'm rot wet" declared Mario iia rrinn hnnlr

drawing back
 Nonsense, you gre wet as rat Tell me" he asked. looking at Dicksie "about your trouble up st inc bend
 xnow something about it. sre the mer fhcre tonight? Given up, ta7e they TGo baa! Do open your ia = aa, iry to 1ry yourselves. beth of YOU. an I'll take look at the river "Suppese-I only say supnose--yor first take a lock at me" The voice came from behind the group at th, fire. and the three turned together.
 By heaven, Gordon Smith ex claimed Nc loud. Where did yo, come from?"
 Whispering Smith stood in the gleou in patience. Where do I look as if had come from? Why don't you asl me whether Pm wet? And won't vo, introduce me-but this is Miss Dick sic Cunning. 1 am sure"
 Marion with laughter hastened ths introduction.
 And you are wet of course. saiC McCloud. feeling Smiths shoulder.
 4NC. pBlA Sodktu. nave i2llP0 1Dtf the river two or three times, and ths last time a biz rhnoceros of your! down the grade. section foreman named Klein. was obiaing enough tt pull me out. Oh. not was not look ing for you" he ran on. answering McCloUd's question. mot when he pulled me out. l was just lookins for farm or ladder or something Klein. for man named Small. is tbe biggest Dutchnfan | ever saw. Tel Eia. Klein l asked, after he had aui, dragging me out-hes Hano eriar where dit you get your pull? An how about your heighi9 Did yosli grandfather serve as grenadier undel old Frederick William and was he kid naped?' Rll don't feed my horse foi a while. And Klein tried to light cigar had inst taken from ny pocket and given him-faaeyi the Germans are a remarka ble people-and sal down 10 tell me his history. when some friend down the line began bawline through a megaphene. and all thal poor Klein had time to say was tha he had had no surper. nor dinner no: yet breakfast and would be obliged for some by the boat he forwarded me in And. in clos ng. Whispering Smith locked chcerfully around al Marion. at McCloul, and last ant longest of all al Dieksie Cunning. Did you come from across fhe river?' asked Djcksie. adjusting her wet skirt meekly over her knees.
 You are soaking wet" observed Whispering Smith. Across the ri9- err he echoed Well. hardly. ny dear Miss Cunning, Every bridge E out down the valley except the rail road bridge and there are few things 1 don't tackle: one is the Crawling Stone on tear. No. this was across little break in this man McClond's track. I came. to be frark, from the Dunnins ranch to look up two wome who rode away from there at seven o'clock tonight. and want to Sc that they gave me the ride of my life and Whispering Smith looked all around the circle and back again art smiled
 Dicksie snoke in amazement. How cid you know we roae away? You were not at the ranch when we left
 "Oh don't ask himi" cried Marion.
 ''He knows everything" explained McClcud
 Whispering Smith turned to Dieksie. ''I was interested Tn knowing that trey got safely to theIr destlnation-w what ever Il might be. which was none of man trat nad seen them start, that was all. You dop't understand? Well, If you want ir in plain English I made it my business 10 see man who made # his business Jo see them. It's all very siiople. put tnese people like to make mystery or II. Good women aie scarcer than rIcnes. and more 10 be prized than me Kold-in my iudg- meut---so rous arIer them"
 Marion put ner nanu for a moment on his coa, sleeve: ne looked at Dick sic with another Isugn and spoke to her because ne uareu not look toward Marion. "GoinE DacK tonight, do you say? You never Arv!
 Dicksie anEwersa ouIte in earnest: "Oh. but ws aru. we must"
 Why dla you come. then? It's taken half the niKnr 10 get here, and will take a nIgnt ana half at least to get pacK.-
 We came to ask Mir McCloud f,r some g;aIr sacKs-you know, they have notninK I0 work with at the ranch" said Marion: and he said we might have some ana we are 10 ser q for them n the morning"
 'I see. DuI we may as we'll talk plainly" Smith looked at Dieksie. You are as prave ana as game as a girl can De. 1 Know. or you couldn't have done tnIs. Sacks full of sand with the noys ~ the ranch to handle them. would uo no more good to-mor TOW at inc bend than badders The river is fowinR into squaw lake above there LOW. A nunured men that know the game might cheek things yet if they're there sS daylight. Nobody else, and notnlns eise on Gods earth can"