Gilpin observer., 1909-07-08

Bile began. DickSie Dunning was away
at school at the time, and Lance Dun
ming was celebrating with riding and
shooting fest and a barbecue.
The whole country had been invited.
Bucks was in the mountains on an in
spection trip, and Bill Dancing drove
him with party of railroad men over
from Medicine Bend The mountain
men for $50 miles around were out.
Gene and Bob Johnson, from Oroville
and the Peace river, had come with
their friends. From Williams Cache
there was not only a big delegation
more of one than was really desirable
but it was led by old John Rebstock
himself. When the invitation is gen.
eral, lines cannot be too closely drawn.
Not only was Lance Dunning some
thing of a sport himself, but on the
Long Range it is part of a stockman's S
creed to be on good terms with his
neighbors. At Thanksgiving day bar
becue not even a mountain sheriff
would ask questions.
Among the railroad people were
George McCloud, Anderson, the assis-
tant superintendent, Farrell Kennedy,
chief of the special service, and his
right-hand man, Bob Scott In espe-
cial, Sinclair's presence at the barbe-
cue was recalled. He had some cronies
with him from among his up-country
following, and was introducing his
new bridge foreman, Karg, afterward
known as Flat Nose, and George Sea-
grue, the Montana cowboy. Sinclair
fraternized that day with the Williams
Cache men, and it was remarked even
then that though railroad man he ap-
peared somewhat outside the railroad
circle. When the shooting matches
were announced a brown-eyed railroad
man was asked to enter. He had been
out of the mountains for some time
and was a comparative stranger
in the gathering, but the Will
liams Cache men had not for
gotten him; Rebstock, especially
wanted to see him shoot. While much
of the time out of the mountains on
railroad business, he was known to be
closely in Bucks counsels, and as to
the mountains themselves, he was re-
puted to know them better than Bucks
or Glover himself knew them. This
was Whispering Smith; but, beyond
low-voiced greeting or an expression
of surprise at meeting an old ac-
quaintance, he avoided talk. When
urged to shoot he resisted all persua-
sion and backed up his refusal by
showing bruise on his trigger finger.
He declined even to act as Judge in
the contest, suggesting the sheriff, Ed
Banks, for that office.
McCloud did not meet the host,
Lance Dunning, that day nor since the
day of the barbecue had Du Sang or
Sinclair seen Whispering Smith until
the night Du Sang spotted him near
the wheel in the Three Horses. Du
and left the room. Sinclair in the
meantime had undertaken a quarrel
some interview with Whispering
Smith.
Il supposed you knew was here"
said Smith to him. amiably. "Of
course l don't travel in a private car
or carry billboard on my back, but l
haven't been hiding"
The last time we talked" returned
Sinclair measuring words carefully,
you were going to stay out of the
mountains"
Il should have been glad to, Murray.
Affairs are in such shape on the di-
vision now that somebody had to
come, SO they sent for me-"
The two men were sitting at a table.
Whispering Smith was cutting and
leisurely mixing pack of cards.
We'll. so far as I'm concerned, I'm
out of it," Sinclair went on after a
pause, "but. however that may be, If
you're back here looking for trouble
there's no reason. l guess, why you
can't find it."
That's not it. I'm not here looking
for trouble; I'm here to fix this thing
up. What do you want?"
Not thing"
I'm willing to do anything fair and
right" declared Whispering Smith,
raising his voice a little above the
hum of the rooms.
Fair and right is an old song"
"And a good one to sing in this
country just now. I'll do anything l
can to adjust any grievance, Murray.
What do you want?"
Sinclair for a moment was silent,
and his answer made plain his unwill.
ingness to speak at ALL There never
would have been grievance IL I'd
been treated like a white man" His
eyes burned sullenly. i've been
treated like a dog"
THAT Is not it,
That is it," declared Sinclair, saw.
agely, "and they'll find it's it."
Murray. l want to say only this
only this to make things clear. Bucks
feels that he's been treated worse than
a dog"
Then let him put me back where