Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-10-06

away and unknown mountain gorge
once named by French trappers the
Cache. Years after these Outcasts had
come to infest it came one desperate
more ferocious than all that had gone
before. He made a frontier retreat of
the Cache, and left to it the legacy Of
his evil name, Williams. Since his
day it has served, as it served before,
for the haunt of outlawed men. No
honest man lives in Williams Cache,
and few men of any sort live there
long, since their lives are lives of vio-
lence; neither the law nor a woman
crosses Deep creek. But from the day
of Williams to this day the Cache has
had its ruler, and when Whispering
Smith rode with little party through
the Door into the Cache the morning
after the murder in Mission valley he
sent an envoy to Rebstock, whose sue
cess as a cattle thief had brought it's
inevitable penalty. 1t had made
Rebstock a man of consequence and
Of property and man subject to the
anxieties and annoyances of such re
sponsibility.
at Medicine Bend Rebstock had talked
with Whispering Smith. 81 used to
have good time,'' he grcwled. when
was rustling a little bunch of steers,
just a small bunch all by myself, and
hadn't cent in the world, no place to
sleep and nothing to eat, l had good
time. Now l have to keep my money
in the bank; that amt pleasant-you
know that. Every man that brings a
bunch of cattle across Deep creek has
stole 'em, and expects me to buy 'em
or lend him money. I'm busy with in
spectors all the time, deviling with
brands, standing off the Stock aSsocia-
ton and all kinds of trouble. I've got
too many COWS, too much money. I'm
afraid somebody will shoot me if l go
TO sleep, or poison me if l take
drink. Whispering Smith, I'd like to
give you a half-interest in my bust
ness. That's on the square. You're a
young man, and handy; it wouldn't
cost you cent, and you can have half
of the whole shooting-match if you'll
cross Deep creek and help me run the
gang" Such was Rebstock free from
anxiety and in a confidential moment.
Under pressure he was, like all men,
different.
Whispering Smith had acquaintance
even in the Cache, and after little
careful accommodating he found Grip
pled-up thief, driving a mich COW
down the Cache, who was willing to
take a message to the boss.
Whispering Smith gave his instruc-
tons explicitly, facing the messenger,
as the two sat in their saddles, with
an importunate eye. Say to Rebstock
exactly these words" he insisted.
''This is from Whispering Smith:
want Du Sang. He killed friend of
mine last night at Mission Springs.
happened to be near there and know
he rode in last night. He can't get
out; the Canadian is plugged. l won't
stand for the killing, and it is Du Sang
or a cleanup in the Cache all around,
and then I'll get Du Sang anyway. Re
cards."
Riding circumspectly in and about
the entrance to the Cache, the party
waited an hour for an answer. When
tory. Rebstock declined to appear
upon so trivial matter, and Whisper
ing Smith refused to specify further
grievance. More parley and stronger
messages were necessary to stir the
Deep creek monarch, but at last he
sent word asking Whispering Smith to
come to his cabin accompanied only
by Kennedy.
The two railroad men rode up the
canyon together. "And now 1 will
show you a lean and hungry thief
grown monstrous and misery, Far
rell," said Whispering Smith.
At the head of a short pocket be-
tween two sheer granite walls they saw
Rebstock's weather-beaten cabin, and
he stood in front of it smoking. He
looked noodily at his visitors out Of
eyes buried between rolls of fat.
Whispering Smith was a little harsh
as the two shook hands, but he dis
mounted and followed Rebstock into
the house.
What are you SO high and mighty
about?" he demanded, throwing his
hat on the table near which Rebstock
had seated himself "Why don't you
come out when 1 send a man to you,
or send word what you will do? What
have you got to kick about? Haven't
you been treated right?"
Being in no position to complain,
but shrewdly aware that much I'M
pleasantness was in the wind, Reb-
stock beat about the bush. He had had
rheumatism; he couldn't ride; he had
| been in bed three weeks and hadn't
seen Du Sang for three months. "You
amt chasing up here after Du Sang
because he killed a man at Mission
! Springs. 1 know better than that.
That amt the first man he's killed,
and it amt a goin' to be the last"
Whispering Smith lifted his finger