The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-11-11
CHAPTER XXI.
The Call.

their separate and silent ways. Whis
pering Smith for two days seemed to
do nothing. Yet instinct keener than
silence kept the people of Medicine
Bend on edge during those two days, |
and when President Bucks car came |
in on the evening of the second day, |
the town knew from current rumors |
that Banks had gone to the French |
man ranch with warrant on seri- |
Gus charge for Sinclair. In the presi |
dents car Bucks and McCloud after |
a late dinner were joined by Whisper
ing Smith, and the president heard !
the first connected story of the events
of the fortnight that had passed.
Bucks made no comment until he had
heard everything. And they rode
Sinclair's horses" he said in con-
clusiou.
"Sinclair's horses" returned. Whis-
pering Smith, "and they are all &C.
counted for. One horse supplied by
Rebstock was shot where they crossed
Stampede creek. 1t had given out and
they had a fresh horse in the willows,
for they shot the SCRUB half mile up
one of the canyons near the crossing.
The magpies attracted my attention
to it. A piece of skin a foot square
had been cut out of the flank"
You got there before the birds"
1T was about an even thing" said
Smith. Anyway, we were there in
time to see the horse
And Sinclair was away from the
ranch from Saturday noon till Sunday
night?'
"a rancher living over on Siam
pede creek saw the five men when
they crossed Saturday afternoon. The
fellow was scared and lied to me
about it, but he told Wicl5wire who
they We're"
Now. who is Wickwire?" asked
Bucks.
you ought to remember Wickwire,
George" remarked Whispering Smith,
turning to McCloud You haven't
forgotten the Smoky creek wreck?
Do you remember the tramp who had
his legs crushed and lay in the sun all
morning? You put him in your car
and sent him down here to the rail-
road hospital and Barnhardt took care
of him. That was Wickwire. Not
bad fellow, either; he can talk pretty
straight and shoot pretty straight.
How do | know? Because he has told
me the story and I've seen him shoot.
There, you see, is one friend that you
never reckoned on He used to be
cowboy, and | got him a job working
Id tlas -,
has worked at Cummings and other
places on the Crawling Stone He
hates Sinclair with a deadly hatred
for some reason, Just lately Wick
wire set up for himself on Little
Crawling Stone"
81 have noticed that fellows ranch"
remarked McCloud.
Il couldn't leave him at Sinclairs,"
continued Whispering Smith, frankly.
| The fellow was on my mind all the
time. felt certain he would kill Sin
clair or get killed il he stayed there.
| And then, when took him away they
| sprang Tower w on me! That is the
| price, not of having conscience,
| for |. haven't any, but of listening to
the voice that echoes where my con
/ science used to be- said the railroad
man, moving uneasily in his chair.
Bucks broke the ash from his cigar
| into the tray on the table. you are
! restless tonight, Gordon--and it isn't
like you, either"
/ 1T is in the air. There has been
dead calm for two days Something
! is due to happen tonight, | wish |
could hear from Banks; he started
with the papers for Sinclalr's yester.
day while l went to Orovllle to sweat
Karg. Bloodpoisoning has set in and
1t is rather important to US TO get a
confession. There's a horsel" He
stepped to the window Coming fast
TOO. Now l wonder-no, he's gone
by"
Five minutes later a messenger
came to the car from the Wicliup with
word that Kennedy was looking for
Whispering Smith Bucks, MeCloud
and Smith left the car together and
walked up to McCloud's office
Kennedy, sitting on the edge of the
table. was tapping his leg neryously
with ruler. Bad news, Gordon"
Not from Ed 3anks?"
Sinclair got him this morning"
Whispering Smith sat down. &c
on"
Banks and l picked up Wickwire
on the Crawling Stone early, and We
rode over to the Frenchman, Wick
wire said Sinclair had been up al
Williams Cache the day before, anC
he didn't think he was home. o.
course ! knew the Cache was watched
and he wouldn't be there long, so EC
asked me to stay in the cottonwood:
aud watch the creek for him, He anC
Wiclwire couldn't find anybody home
when they got to the ranchhouse anC
they rode down the corral together t
look over the horses"
Whispering Smiths hand fell help