The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-11-18


flectively.
well, what's your plan?" blurted
Gene Johnson.
81 haven't any, Gene" returned
Smith, with perfect simplicity. "My
only plan Is to ride into town and
serve my papers, II | can. I've got a
deputyship-and that I'm going to do
right away. If you. Bob. or both Of
| you, will happen in about 30 minutes
later you'll get the news and perhaps
| see the fun. Much obliged for your
| feed, Gene; come down to Medicine
Bend any time and I'll fill you up.
want you both for the elk hunt next
| fall, remember that. Bucks is coming,
and is going to bring Brown and Hen
son and perhaps Atterbury and Gibbs
and some New Workers.; and Nc
Clouds brother, the preacher, is COM
ing out and they are all right-all Of
them"
| The only street in Oroville faces the
river, and the buildings string for two
or three blocks along modest bluffs.
Not a soul was anywhere in sight
when Whispering Smith rode into
/, town, save that across the street from
where he dismounted and tied his
horse three men stood In front of the
Blackbird.
| They watched the new arrival with
languid interest Smith walked stifly
over toward the saloon to size up the
men before he should enter 1t. The
middle man of the group, with q thin
red face and very blue Dyes, was chew
ing tobacco in an unpromising way.
Before Smith was halfway across the
street he saw the hands of the three
men falling to their hips. Taking
care, however, only to keep the men
between him and the saloon door,
Smith walked directly toward them.
Boys, have you happened to see Gene
or Bob Johnson to-day, any of your"
He threw back the brim of his stetson
as he spoke.
Hold your hand right there-right
where 1t is" said the blue-eyed man
sharply.
Whispering Smith smiled, but held
his hand rather awkwardly upon his
hat-brim.
NO." continued the spokesman, 1--WE
amt none of us happened to see Bob
or Gene Johnson to-day; but we hap
pen to seen Whispering Smith. and
we'll blow your face off II you move
1t an inch"
Smith laughed. II never quarrel
with a man that's got the drop on me
boys. Now, this is sudden but unex
pected. Do know any of you?" He
looked from one face to another be
fore him with a wide reach in his
field of vision for the three hands that
were fast on three pistol-butts. "Holt
on I've met you somewhere" he
said with easy confidence to the blue
eyed man with the weather-split lip
williams Cache, wasn't it? All right
we're placed. Now what have you go
In for me?"
| I've got 40 head of steers in fol
you," answered the man in the middle
| with splitting oath. you stole Al
head of my steers in that roundup
| and I'm going to fill you so full of leat
you'll never run off no more stock To-
: nobody. Don't look over there to you
, horse or your rifle. Hold your hands
: right where they are"
: Certainly, certainly"
when l pull, shoot!"
, 81 don't always do 1t, but 1t is bust
ness, acknowledge. When a maj
{ pulls he ought to shoot-very often it,
. the only chance he ever gets to shoot
Well, it isn't every man gets the drol
{ on me that easy, but you boys hav,
: got It," continued Whispering Smitl
in frank admiration. "Only | want t
, say you're after the wrong man. Tha
y roundup was all Rebstock's fault, an
4 Rebstock is bound to make good al
: loss and damage"
n You'll make good my share of
o right now and here" said the ma
p with the wash-blue eyes.
e why, of course" assented Whisper
e ing Smith, IF must, j must. l SUI
y pose l may light a cigarette, boys, BIZ
fore you turn loose the fireworks?"
Light it quick!"
G Laughing at the humor of the situs
@ ton, Whispering Smith, his eye
o beaming with good nature, put tn
IL finger and thumb of his right han
s into his waistcoat pocket, drew out
n package of cigarette paper, and, baI
tering his captors innocently tn
e while, tore out sheet and put tn
b packet back. Folding the paper in hi
2, two hands, he declared he believed hi
/ tobacco was in his saddle-pocket, an
n asked leave to step across the stree
l. to get IT, The trick was too transpa
A, ent, and leave was refused with scor
IS and some hard words. Whisperin
Smith begged the men in front of hil
d in turn for tobacco. They cursed hi
n and shook their heads.
a. For an instant he looked trouble
" Still appealing to them with his eye
he tapped lightly the lower outsic
ID pockets of his coat with his finger
/; shifting the cigarette paper from han
20, | hand Ia huntod The nt,fctf