The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-08-15

the pursued men had made for twenty
four hours. They were riding the pick
of mountain horseflesh and covering
their tracks by every device known to
the high country. Behind them, made
prudent by unusual danger, rode the
best men the mountain division could
muster for the final effort 20 bring
them TO account. The fast riding of the
early week had given way to the pace
of caution. No trail sign was over
| looked, no point Of cOncealment direct
~ approached, no hiding place left I'M
searched.
The tension of a long day of this
work was drawing to a close when the
sun set and left the big wash in the
shadow of the mountains. On the high
er ground to the right, Kennedy and
Scott were riding where they could com
mand the gullies of the precipitoUs left
bank of the river. High on the left
bank itself. worming his way like a
snake from point to point of conceal
ment through the scanty brush of the
mountain-side, crawled Wickwire, COM
handing the pockets in the right bank.
Closer to the river on the right and fol-
lowing the trail itself over shale and
rock and between scattered powders.
whispering Smith, low on his horses
neck, rode slowly
It was almost too dark to catch the
slight discolorations where pebbles had
been disturbed on a flat surface or the
calk OF horseshoe had slipped on the
uneven face Of a ledge, and he had halt
ed under an uplift to wait for Wick
Wire on the distant left to advance.
when, half a mile below him. a horse
man crossing the river rode slowly past
q gap IN the rocks and disappeared be-
low the next bend. He was followed
IN moment by a second rider and q
thlrd. Whispering Smith knew he had
not been seen. He had flushed the game
and, wheeling his horse, rode straight
up the river bank to high ground. where
ne could circle widely below them. They
had slipped between his line and Wick
wire 5, and were doubling back. fol-
lowing the dry bed of the stream. 1t
was impossible to recall Kennedy and
scout without giving an alarm. but bv
d quick detour he could at least hold
Jne quarry back for twenty minutes
with his rifle, and in that time Ken
nedy and Scott could come up.
Less than half an hour of daylight re-
NAMED. If the outlaws could sin down
Liie wash and out into the Crawling
otone valley they had every chance of
Setuhg away In the night; and if the
W INSPIRING Smith knew that Sinclair
thought only Of escape. Smith alone
OF the pursuers, could now Inherent
theLl, put second hope remained. on
lhe IeIt, Wickwire was high enough
70 command every turn in the he'd of
lne river He might see them and cou1d
force them TO cover with his rifle e,-en
az long range. Casting up the chances
whispering Smith, riding faster 49,
Inc uneven ground than ANYTHING brt
sLeef fecklessness would have Dromnt-
L. hastened across the waste. His -
re lay IN his hand, and he had nusbed
llls morse 10 a run. A single fearful in
9IliiCI crowded now upon the long strain
Of the week. A savage fseof,,e. 80
burned like a fever in his I1ei,,e -
he meant that they should NOT oct
away. Taking chances that wouId bsre
slidlleu nm in cooler moments he
LoIced MS horse at the end of the lone
rue 70 WITHIN 100 PAGES of the river
LhIeW the lines, slipped like lizard
rom the saddle, and darting with in
cfeulble sWlftness from rock tn rocI-
gained the waters edge Oh'
from up the long shadows Of +ba
WASH there came the vail of an 81
Il rom II he knew that Wickwire bsI
llleih ana was warning him. but
ne Hau anticipated the warning and
st9ou peIoW Where the hunted men must
IIuS, ne stfalned his eyes over tbe
waste OF rock above. For oDe-baIf hon,
OF daylight he would have sold i'm 49,
moment ten years Of his life. yVbst
could ne do If they should be able 70
s6crele themselves until dark be+v-ee7
MN ana WlckwiTe Gliding under CO.
II OF huge rocks up the dry watercoursa
ne reached spot where the f1oo5s -
scooped a long. hollow curve ort -
soII ledge IN the bank, leaving a stretch
OF smooth sand on the bed of AZ
stream AT the upper point great howl
ueIs pushed out of the river. He couId
- ill9pecL tHe curve from the spot he
lau gained without reckless exposure
DoO ile must force the little daylight left
lower point. he advanced cautiousI,- -
from behind sheltering spur efe,,,1eI
out upon an Overhauging IA HE of -
allu looked across the river bottom
HIee men had halted on the sand with
III IHe curve. Two lay on their rif1ee
uLoer the upper point. 120 PAGES from,
whispering Smith. The third mar G.
grue, less than fifty Yards ayyav bsd
got OF his horse and was lavi,,rr a.
his tlIie' when the hoot-owI screecbe5
again ana ne looked Uneasily back ,Tbe,-
i-oN CIlOseh TOT their halt a SPOT easiI,-
deIended, and needed only darlnese to
make them safe, when Smith. stennine
out into plain sight, threw forward ms he
hand. " ''lu MS
They heard his sharp call IN Mitch
up ana the men under the noint
jumped. Seagrue had not vet taJer
ms hand from his rifle. He threw if
TO ms shoulder. As closely together as
two fingers of the right hand can he
struck twice in the palm of tbe Lee
1Wo flIIe shots cracked across the wash
Two bullets passed so close in FLIGHT !
they might have struck. One ont 3jo
dusty hair from Smiths teuD1e 81
slit the brim of his hat above tbe -
the other struck Seagrue under the
left eye, plowed through the root Of
his mouth, and, coming out hAIov- bie
ear splintered the rock at his baclz
The shock alone would have 60.
gered bullock but Seagrue. 1auqti+77r |
came forward pumping his gun Sin |
clair at 12O yards, cut instantly into Az |
night and the bali from his rifle cressa,7 /
the aikah that crusted Whisnerine, /
Smiths unshaven cheek. As he fired
he sprang to cover.
For Seagrue and Smith there was
no cover; for one or both it was death /
in the open, and Seagrue, with his rifle
at his cheek, walked straight into If
Taking for moment the fire of the /
three guns, Whispering Smith stood. a |
perfect target, outlined against the sEv. |