The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17

stone by high, narrow barrier in the
form Of a bench deposited by the re-
ceding waters of some earlier flood,
and added to by sandstorms sweeping
among the willows that overspread it.
Without an effective head or definite
system of work the efforts of the men
at the Stone ranch were of no more
consequence than if they had spent
their time in waving blankets at the
river. Twenty men riding in together
to tell Lance Dunning that the river
was washing out the tree claims above
Mud lake made no perceptible differ
ence in the event. Dicksie, though an
inexperienced girl. saw with helpless
clearness the futility of it all.
Terror seized Dicksie. She tele-
phoned in her distress for Marion,
begging her to come up before they
should all be swept away; and Marion,
turning the shop over to Katie Dan
cling, got into the ranch-wagon that
Crawling Stone.
At noon Marion arrived. The ranch
house was deserted, and the men were
all at the river Puss stuck her head
out of the kitchen window, and Dick
sic ran out and threw herself into
Marion's arms. Late news from the
front had been the worst; the cutting
above Mud lake had weakened the last
barrier that held off the river, and
every available man was fighting the
current at that point.
Marion heard it all while eating A
luncheon. Dicksie, beset with anxiety,
could not stay in the house. The man
that had driven Marion over, saddled
horses in the afternoon and the two
women rode up above Mud lake. now
become through rainfall and seepage
from the river q long, shallow lagoon
For an hour they watched the shovel
ing and carrying of sand-bags, and
rode toward the river to the very edge
of the disappearing willows, where
the bank was melting away before the
undercut of the resistless current.
They rode away with a common feel
ing-a conviction that the fight was a
losing one, and that another day would
see the ruin complete.
'Dicksie," exclaimed Marion-they
were riding to the house as she spoke
I'll tell you what we can do!' She
hesitated moment. 81 will tell you
what we can do! Are you plucky?"
Dicksie looked at Marion pathet-
ically.
IF you are plucky enough to do it,
we can keep the river off yet. l have
an idea. will go, but you must come
along"
Marion, what do you mean? Don't
you think l would go anywhere to
save the ranch? should like to know
where you dare go in this country
| that I dare not!'
Then ride with me over to the rail
| road camp by the new bridge. We will
ask Mr.. McCloud to bring some of his
knows how"
| Dicksie caught her breath, ooh,
Marion! that would do no good. even
l could do it. Why, the railroad has
been all swept away in the lower val.
ley"
How do you know
$50 every one says"
who is every one?"
Cousin Lance, Mr.. Sinclair-all the
men. l heard that week ago."
"Dicksie, don't believe it. You don't
know these railroad men. They under
stand this kind of thing; cattlemen
you know, don't. If you will go with
me we can get help. I feel just as
sure that those men can control the
river as do that am looking at you
that is, if anybody can. The question
is do you want to make the effort?'
They talked until they left the
horses and entered the house. Wher
they sat down, Dicksie put her hands
to her face. ooh, wish you had sale
nothing about it! How can l go tc
him and ask for help now--after Cous
in Lance has gone into court about the
line and everything? And of course
my name is in it all.''
.'Dicksie, don't raise specters tina,
have nothing to do with the case. Il
we go to him and ask him for help he
will give it to us if he can; if he
can't, what harm is done? He has
been up and down the river for three
weeks, and he has an army of mer
camped over by the bridge. I know
that, because Mr.. Smith rode in from
there few days ago.
What, Whispering Smith? Oh, i
! he is there would not go for worlds!'
pray, why not?"
4 tfVJhv ho 10 c,,oh m ,,,...sU
1. "That is absurd, Dicksie."
Dicksie looked grave. Marion, M
man in this part of the country has
a good word to say for Whispering
Smith"
4. Perhaps you have forgotten, Dick
sic, that you live in very rough par
of the country returned Marion
coolly. mo man that he has evel
hunted down would have anything
pleasant to say about him; nor would
the friends Of such a man be likely
to say a good word of him. There are
many on the range, Dicksie, that have
no, respect for life or law or anything
else, and they naturally hate MAJ
like Whispering Smith"
]. "But Marion, he killed"
i Il know. He killed man named
i Williams few years ago, while 70,
were at school-one of the worst 5mel
that ever infested this country. VIII
4 liams Cache is named after that man
he made the most beautiful spot in al
these mountains a nest of thieves an,
murderers. But did you know tina
Williams shot down Gordon Smith
only brother, trainmaster, in col,
blood in front Of the Wickiup at Med