Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-06-16
CHAPTER XXI. = y
rhe CAN.

CHAPTER xxx'.'
i. Tho Call.
Beyond receiving reports from Ken
needy and Banks. who in the interval
rode Into town and rode out again on
their separate and silent ways, Whis-
pering Smith for two days seemed to
DO nothing. Yet instinct keener than
silence kept the psople 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 q warrant on seri-
Gus charge for Sinclair. In the presi-
dents car Bucks and McCloud, after
. late dinner, were Joined BY Whisper
ing Smith, and the president 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
Sinclair's horses" he said in con-
clusion.
Sinclair's horses" returned Whis-
pering Smith, "and they are all &C
counted for. One horse supplied by
Rebstock was shot where they crossed
Stampede creek. It had given out and
they had fresh horse in the Willows,
Tor they shot the scrub half mile up
one OF the canyons near the crossing.
The, magpies attracted my attention
m A D{n ~f rI,f
had been cut out of the flank"
You got there before the BIRDS"
ut was about an even thing" said
Smith. Anyway. we were there in
time to see the horse
"And Sinclair was away from the
ranch from Saturday noon till Sunday
night"
"a rancher living over on Siam
pede creek saw the five men when
they crossed Saturday afternoon. The
fellow was scared and lied to me
about 1t, but he told Wickwire who
they were"
Now. who is Wickwire?" asked
Bucks.
You ought to remember Wickwire,
George remarked Whispering Smith,
turning 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 all
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 >Wickwire. Not a
bad fellow. either; he can talk pretty
straight and shoot pretty straight.
How do knowyS Because he has told.
me the story and I've seen him shoot.
There, you see, is one friend that you
never reckoned on. He used to be q
cowboy, and / got him job working
for Sinclair on the Frenchman; he
has worked at Dunning's and other
places on the Crawling Stone. He
hates Sinclair with deadly hatred
for some reason. Just lately Wick
wire set up for himself on Little
Crawling Stone."
Il have noticed that fellows ranch"
remarked McCloud.
II couldn't leave him at Sinclair's,"
continued Whispering Smith, frankly.
"The fellow was on my mind all the
time. I.felt certain he would kill Sim
: clair OF get killed II he stayed there.
And then, when took him away they
sprang Tower W on me! That Is the
price, not OF having a conscience.
for haven't any, but Of listening to
the voice that echoes where my con-
science used to be-" said the railroad
man. moving uneasily in his chair.
Bucks broke the ash from his cigar
into the tray on the table. "You are
restless tonight, Gordon-and it isn't
like you. either
ut is in the air. There has been
. dead calm for two days. Something
ls due to happen tonight. I wish I
could hear from Banks; he started
with the papers for sinclair's yester-
day while went to Oroviile to sweat
Karg. Blood-poisoning has set in and
1t Is rather important to US to get q
confession. There's a horse!" He
stepped to the. window. Coming fast.
too. Now. wonder-no, he's gone
by"
Five minutes later a messenger
came to the car from the Wickiup with
word that, Kennedy was looking for
Whispering Smith. Bucks, McCloud
and Smith left the car together and
walked up to McClouds ONCE.
Kennedy. sitting on the edge Of the
table, was tapping his leg nervously
with ruler. Bad news, Gordon"
Not from Ed Banks?"
Sinclair got him this morning"
Whispering Smith sat down. Go
On"
Banks and I picked up Wickwire
On the Crawling Stone early, and we
rode over to the Frenchman. Wick
wire said Sinclair had been up at
Williams Cache the day before, and
he didn't think he was home. OF
course / knew the Cache was watched
and he wouldn't be there long, so Ed
asked me to stay in the cottonwoods
and watch the creek for him. He and
Wtckwire couldn't md anybody homo
when they got to the ranchhouse and
they rode down the corral together to
look over the horses"
Whispering Smiths hand fell help
Iessiy on the table. Erode down to-
gethefs For Gods sake, Why didn't
one Of thsm stay at the house,"
Sinclair rode out from behind the
barn and hit Wlckwire In the arm be-
fore they saw him. Baqks turned and
opened on him. and Wiokvir6 ducked
for the creek. Sinclair pat : soft bull
let THROUGH Ranks should Ar-torA II