Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-09-23
CHAPTER XxXil.
The Call.


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 a warrant on a seri-
GUS charge for Sinclair. In the presi-
dents car Bucks and McCloud. after
late dinner, We're joined by Whisper
ing Smith, and tho pr sidcnt 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
Sinclairs horses" lie said in con
clusion.
"Sinclars horses" returned Whis-
pering Smith, "and they are all ac-
counted for One horse supplied b.
Rebstock was shot where they crossed
Stampede creek. II had given ont and
,hey had fresh horse in the willows.
or they shot the scrub half mile MP
sne Of the canyons near the crossing.
The magpies attracted rny attention
10 1t. iece of skin a foot square
had been cut out Of he flank
You got there before the birds.
at was about on even thing" said
Smith Anyway. we We're there il
irne to see the horse
And Sjncla was away from the
ranch from Saturday noon till Sunday
night"
"A rancher living over on STAN
pede creek saw the five men when
they crossed Saturday afternoon The
fellow was scared and lied to M
about it, but he told Wlckwire who
they We're"
Nov, who is Wickwire?" asked
Bucks.
you ought TO remember Wickwire,
George" remarked Whispering Smith
burning 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 al.
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 Wichwire. Not a
bad fellow, either. he car talk pretty
straight and shoot pretty straight.
How do ] know? Because he has told
ME the story and I've seer him shoot
There, you see, is one friend that you
lever reckoned on He used to be a
cowboy, and got him Job WORKING
for Sinclai' on the Frenchman he
has 'orket az Dunning's and Other
places or the Crawling Stone He
hates Sinclair with a deadly hatred
Tor 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 Snclair's
continued Whispering Smith frankly
1.-THE fellow was or my mind All Nc
time. ] felt certain he would XIII sin
clair or get killed If he stayed there
And then, when took him away they
sprang Tower W on me, That is tie
price, not of having q conscience.
for ] haven't any, but of listening 70
the voice that echoes where NY con
science used to be-" sail tho ratraat
man, moving uncasilv n hi7 chair
Bucks broke the ash from his cigar
MO 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
q dead cain ior two days Something
is due TO happen tonight | wish |
could hear from Banks, he started
with the papers for Snclair's yester-
day while I went 20 Oroy!.lo 10 sweat
Karg. Blool-poi5oring has set in and
It is rather important to Us 10 get IA
confession. There's q horse" lie
stepped 10 the window. Coming fast,
too. Now, | wonder-no, he's gone
by
Five minutes later messenger
came 10 the car from the Wickiup with
word that Kennedy was looking 70,
Whispering Smith Bucks, McCloud
and Smith left the car together and
walked up to McCioud's Office.
Kennedy, sitting On the edge OF the
table, was tapping his leg nervously
With a ruler Rad news, Gordon.
mot from Ed Banks"
Sinclair got him this morning
Whispering Smith sat down. &c
pu."
Banks and l picked up Wickwire
on the Crawling Stone early, and VIC
rode over to tho Frenchman. Wick
wire said Sinclair had been up al
Williams Cache tho dag before, anc
he didn't think he was horne. O
course knew the Cache wes watched
and he wouldn't be there long, so Et
asked me to stay in the cottonwood
and watch the creek for him, He nnC
Wickwiro couldn't find anybody hom'
when they got to the ranchhouse ant
they rode down the corral together t
look over the horses
Whispering Smiths hand fell help
lessly on the table. Rode down to
Yether! For Gods sake, why didn'
pne OF them stay at the house,"
Sinclair rode ont from behind thu
barn and hit Wickwire In the arm be
:ore they saw him Banks turned AM
opened on him, and Wickwire ducke,
|or the creek. Sinclair put soft buI
ut through Banks shoulder-tore |
pretty bad, GordOn--and made his get
away before Wickwire and | coul
reach the barn again got Ed on hi
horse and back to Wickwire's, an
W sent one OF the boys to Oroville 70
. doctor. After Banks fell out Of tn
saddle and was helpless Sinclair talke