Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-15
CHAPTER xxx.
The LAUGH Of a Woman

" TUG 6du9U OF q WOIOaUs
= Within an hour, Marion, working
over hat in the trimming room, was
startled to hear the cottage door open
\ and to see Dfcksie quie unconcernedly
walk in. To Marion's exclamation OF
surprise she returned only laugh. II
have changed my mind, dear. l am
going to stay all night"
/ Marion kissed her approvingly.
Really, you are getting SO sensible
shant know you, Dicksie. In fact, I
believe this is the most sensible thing
4 you were ever guilty Of"
! Glad you think So" returned Dick
/ sic, dryly, unpinning her hat; Ger
tainly hope it is. Mr.. McCloud per-
suaded me it wasn't right for me to
i ride home alone, and knew better
\ than he what danger there was for
him in riding home with me-so here
! am. He is coming over for supper,
4 too, In few minutes
When McCloud arrived he brought
with him porterhouse steak, and
Marion was again driven from the
kitchen. At the end of an hour, Dick
sic, engrossed over the broiler, was
putting the finishing touches to the
steak, and -McCloud. more engrossed,
was watching her, when a diffident
and surprisedlooki person appeared
in the kitchen doorway and put his
hand undecidedly ON the casing. While
he stood, Dicksie turned abruptly to
McCloud.
'Oh, by the way, have forgotten
something! Will you do me favor?"
Certainly! Do you want money or
pass?"
mo, not money" said Dicksie, lift
ing the steak on her fork, though
you might give me pass"
But ] should hate to have you go
away anywhere"
Il don't want to go anywhere, but I
never had a pass, and think it would
be kind OF nice to have one just to
keep. Don't you?"
Why, yes; you might put 1t in the
bank and have it drawing interest"
"This steak is-Do they give inter-
est .on passes?"
"WelI, good deal Of interest is felt
in ,them-on this division at least.
What is the favor?"
Eyes, what is it? How can think?
Oh, know! II they don't put Jim in
box stall tonight he will kill some of
the horses over there. Will you tele-
phone the stables?"
won't you give me the number and
letsme telephone?" asked voice be-
hind them They turned in astonish-
ment and saw Whispering Smith. 81
am surprised" he added, calmly, ''to
see a man Of your intelligence,
George, trying to broil steak with
the lower door of your stove wide
open. Close the lower door and cut
out the draft through the fire. Don't
stare, George: put back the broiler.
And haven't you made radical mis-.
take to start with?" he asked, step.
ping between the confused couple.
Are you not trying to broil a roast of
beef?"
Where did you come from?" de.
manded McCloud, as Marion came in
from the dining room.
Don't search me the very first
thing" protested Whispering Smith.
But we've been frightened to death
here for "a hours. Are you really alive
and unhurt? This young lady rode in
20 miles this morning and came to the
Office in tears to get news Of you"
Smith looked mildly at Dicksie. did
you shed tear for me? / should like
to have seen Just one! Where did !
come from? reported in wild over
the telephone ten minutes ago. Didn't
Marion tell you? She is so forgetful.
That is what causes wrecks, Marion.
have been in the saddle since three
o'clock this morning, thank you, and
have had nothing for five days but
raw steer garAished with sunshine"
The four sat down to supper, and
Whispering Smith began to talk. He
told the story of the chase to the
Cache, the defiance from. Rebstock,
and the tardy appearance Of the men
he wanted. "Du Sang meant to shoot
his way through US and make dash
& Tor It. There really was nothing else
Tor him to do. Banks and Kennedy
we're up above, even If, he could have
.idden out through therupper canyon,
which Is very doubtful with all the
water now. After littleAea back
ind forth, Du Sang drew, and Of
course then 1t was every man for him
IeR, He was hit twice and he died
: lunday night, but the other two were
= lot seriously hurt. What can you do?
! Il either kill or get killed with those
allows, and. of course, I talked plain
to Du Sang. He had buttc!!::ered a
p nan at Mission Springs just the night
efors, and deserved hanging dozen
ines over. He.meant from the start,
told me afterward, to get me. Oh,
Z Iiss Dunning, maysI have some more
ofiee? Haven. an agreeable part
the railroad business, don't you
hink7 I shouldn't have pushed in
ere tonight, but ! saw the lights
vhen I rode by awhile ago; they
,oked so good couldn't resist"
McCloud leaned forward. you call
pushing In, do you, Gordon? Do
4 Oh know what this young lady did
hia morning? One Of her cowboys
anne down from the Cache early with
aes word that you had been killed In
height ysDu' Sang. He said he saw
gu drop from your saddle to the
round with Du Sang shooting at you.
he ordered up her horse, without q
lord, and rode 30 miles in IN hour
i'd half to md out here what We
I'd heard. She pushed In ct the
nckiup. where she never had been
efore IN her life, and wandered
lsnn9h it.alone locking Tor my once.