Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-11-03

| eNk ~
"or Will One of You Roll Cigarette 2"
| coat to take the tobacco out of the
! breast pocket. An excuse to take that
| lapel in his left hand was, in fact, all
that Whispering Smith needed to put
not alone the three men before him
/ but all Oroville at his mercy. The
play of his right hand in crossing the
corduroy waistcoat to pull his revOl-
! yer from it's scabbard and throw it
into their faces was all too quick for
better eyes than theirs. They saw
only the muzzle of the heavy Colts
playing like a snakes tongue under
their surprised noses, with the good
natured smile still behind it. COR will
one of you roll cigarette?" asked
Whispering Smith, without break
between the two questions. II don't
smoke. Now don't make faces; go
right ahead Do anything you want
to with your hands. l wouldn't ask
man to keep his hands or feet still on
hot day like this" he insisted, the
revolver playing all the time. You
won't draw? You won't fight?
Pshaw! Then disengage your hands
gently from your guns. You fellows
really ought not to attempt to pull
gun in Oroville, and l will tell you
why-there's a reason for it." He
looked confidential as he put his head
forward to whisper among the crest
fallen faces. cat this altitude it is too
fast work. know you now" he went
onn as they continued to wilt. You
are Fatty Fiber he said to the thin
chap. Don't work your mouth like
that at me; don't do it. You seem
/ surprised. Really, have you the
asthma? Get over it, because you are
wanted in Pound county for horse
stealing. Why, hang it, Fatty, you're
good for ten years, and of course.
since you have reminded me of 1t, I'll
see that you get it. And you, Baxter"
said he to the man on the right, II
know / spoke to you once when l was
inspector about altering brands; that's
i've years, you know. You," he added,
scrutinizing the third man to scare
him to death-"I think you were at
Tower w. No? No matter; you two
boys may go, anyway. Fatty, you
stay; wen put some state COW on your
ribs. By the way, are you detective,
Fatty? Aren't you? See here l can
get you into an association. For ten
dollars, they give you German-silver
! star, and teach the Japanese method
Of pulling by correspondence Or you
might get an electric battery to han
die your gun with. You can get pocket
dynamos from the mail-order houses.
Sure! Read the big book"
When Gene and Bob Johnson rode
into town, Whispering Smith was sit
ting in chair outside the Blackbird,
still chatting with Fiber, who stood
with his arms around hitching-post,
holding fast a mail-order house cata-
logue. A modest crowd of hangers-on
had gathered.
Here we are, Gene" exclaimed
Smith to the deputy sheriff II was
looking for steers, but some calves
got into the drive. Take him away"
While the Johnsons were laughing,
Smith walked into the Blackbird. He
had lost 80 minutes, and in losing
them had lost his quarry. Sinclair
had disappeared, and Whispering
Smith made a virtue of necessity by
taking the upsetting of his plans with
an unruffled face. There was but one
thing more, indeed, to do, and that
was to eat his supper and ride away
OF hoI
much talk in Oroville that Smith de-
clined Gene Johnsons invitation to go
back to the house. It seemed a con-
venient time to let any other ambi-
tious rustlers make good if they were
disposed to try, and Whispering Smith
went for his supper to the hotel where
the Williams Cache men made their
headquarters.
When he rode away in the dusk his
face was careworn. John Rebstock
had told him why Sinclair lodged;
there were others whom Sinclair
wanted to meet first; and Whispering
Smith was again heading on a long,
hard ride, and after man on better
horse, back to the Crawling Stone and
Medicine Bend. There's others he
wants to see first or you'd have no
trouble in talking business to-day.
You nor no other man will ever get
him alive" But Whispering Smith
knew that.
See that he doesn't get you alive,
Rebstock," was his parting retort. IF
he finds out Kennedy has got the
Tower w money. the first thing ha