Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-12-10

s~r~~~~~~~~
Mountain Stock association-do you
want to see II? When we get these
cattle to the Door, any man In the
Cache may come forward and prove
his property. shall leave instructions
to that effect when we 60, for / want
you to 90 to Medicine Bend with me,
Du Sang, as soon as convenient, and
the men that are with me viii finish
the roundup"
what do you want me for? There's
no papers out against me, is therer =
mo, but I'm an oflcer, Du Sang.
I'll see to the papers; want you for
murder"
so they tell me. Well, you're after
the wrong man. But I'll 90 with you;
l don't care about that"
Neither do l, Du Sang; and as you
have some friends along, won't break
up the party. They may come, too"
What for"
For stopping a train at Tower W
Saturday night"
The three men looked at one another
and laughed.
Du Sang with an oath spoke again..
"The men you want are in Canada
by this time. l cant speak for my
friends; | don't know whether they
want to go or not AS far as am
concerned, l haven't killed anybody
that l know Of. l suppose you'll pay
my expenses back?"
why, yes, Du Sang, II you were
coming back l would pay your ex-
penses; but you are not coming back.
You are riding down Williams Cache
for the last time; you've ridden down 1t
too many times already. This round
up is especially for you. Don't de-
ceive yourself; when you ride with
me out Of the Cache, you won't come
back"
Du Sang laughed, but his blinking
eyes were as steady as a cats. It did
not escape Whispering Smiths notice
that the mettlesome horses ridden by
the outlaws we're continually working
around to the right Of his party. He
T spoke amiably to Karg: III you can't
manage that horse, Karg, can. Play
fair. 1t looks to me as II you and Du
Sang we're getting ready to run for It,
and leave George Seagrue to shoot his
way through alone"
Du Sang, with some annoyance, In
tervened: That's all right; I'll 60
with you. I'd rather see your papers,
but II you're Whispering Smith It's
all right. I'm due to shoot out a little
game some time with you at Medicine
Bend, anyway"
ANY time, Du Sang; only don't let
your hand wabble next time. It's too
close to your gun now to pail right"
well, l told you l was going to
come, didn't l? And I'm coming
now!"
With the last word he whipped out
his gun. There was a crash Of bull
lets. Questioned once by McCloud
and reproached for taking chances,
Whispering Smith answered simply:
Il have to take chances" he said. "All
I ask is an even break"
But Kennedy had said there was no
such thing as an even break with
Whispering Smith. A few men In a
generation amuse, battle, and mystify
other men with an art based on the
principle that the action Of the hand
is quicker than the action Of the eye.
With Whispering Smith the drawing
Of revolver and the art Of throwing
his shots instantly from wherever his
hand rested was pure sleightof.hand.
To dexterity so fatal he added a
judgment that had not failed when
confronted with deceit. From the
moment that Du Sang first spoke,
Smith, convinced that he meant to
shoot his way through the line, waited
only for the moment to come. When
Du Sangs hand moved like a fash Of
light, Whispering Smith, who was
holding his coat lapels in his hands,
struck his pistol from the scabbard
over his heart and threw q bullet al
him before he could fire, as a conjurel
throws a vanishing coin into the air
Squirting his horse fearfully as he did
so, he dashed at Du Sang and Karg
leaped his horse through their line
|, and, wheeling at arms length, shot
again. Bill Dancing jumped in his
, saddle, swayed, and toppled to the
ground. Stormy German gave a sin
/, gle whoop at the spectacle and, with
, his two cowboys at his heels, fed fol
life.
More serious than all, Smith found
!. himself among three fast revolvers
working from an unmanageable horse
: The beast tried to follow the leeinl
cowboys, and when faced sharpl!
> about showed temper. The trainet
> horses Of the outlaws stood lik,
statues, but Smith had to fight witt
his horse bucking at every shot. H,
threw his bullets as best he could frs
over one shoulder and then the other
A and used the last cartridge in his re
. Volver with Du Sang, Seagrue, an
Karg shooting at him every time the,
9 could fire without hitting one another
!. CTo BE CoNTINUED.)
Z The Old Man and Death.
, An old man that had Travelled lonl