Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-09-29

rugs on the floors, the walls, and the
touches, said she thought he had little
to apologize for, Sinclair looked graft
fed and took off his hat again. "Just
a moment" he said, standing at the
side of the door. 1--we never been
able to get Marion over here before.
so it happens that woman's foot has
never entered the new house. 1 want
to watch one of you cross the thresh-
old for the first time"
Dicksie, moving ahead, retreated
with a laugh. "You first, then,
Marion"
mo, Dicksie, you"
Never! you first" So Marion,
quite red and wretchedly i'll at ease,
walked into the ranchhouse first.
Sinclair shone nowhere better than
as a host. When he had placed his
guests comfortably in the living room
he told them the story of the building
Of the house. Then he made a cicerone
of himself, and explained, with run
ming comments, each feature of his
plan as he showed how it had been
carried out through the various rooms.
Surprised at the attractiveness of
things, Dicksie found herself making
mental notes for her own use, and be-
gan asking questions. Sinclair was
superb in answering, but the danger
of admiring things became at once ap-
parent, for when Dicksie exclaimed
over handsome bearskin, rich dark
brown grizzly skin of unusual size, Sim
clair told the story of the killing,
barred his tremendous forearm to
show where the polished claws had
ripped him, and, disregarding Dicksie's
protests, insisted on sending the skin
over to Crawling Stone ranch as a
souvenir of her visit.
Il live great deal alone over here"
he said, waving Dicksie's continued re-
fusal magnificently aside as he moved
into the next room. I've got a few
good dogs, and l hunt just enough to
keep my hand in with rife" Dicksie
Quailed a little at the smile that went
with the words. "The men, at least
the kind 1 mix with, don't care for
grizzly skins, and to enjoy anything
you've got to have sympathetic COM
pany-don't you know that?" he asked,
looking admiringly at Dicksie. i've
got another skin for you-a silver-tip,"
he added, in deep, gentle tones, ad-
dressing Marion. 1T has a fine head,
as fine as l ever saw in the Smithson-
ian. 1t is down at Medicine Bend now,
being dressed and mounted. BY the
way, I've forgotten to ask you, Miss
nfo1~1 81 Oh \ fo1,
did you get through at the rancho"
Dicksie, sitting on the piano bench,
looked up with resolution. "Bravely!"
she exclaimed. "Mr. McCloud came to
our rescue with bags and mattresses
and 100 men, and he has put in re-
vetment 1000 feet long. Oh, we are
regular river experts at our house
now! Had you any trouble here. Mr..
Sinclair?"
mo, the Frenchman behaves pretty
we'll in the rock. We had 40 feet Of
water here one day, though; 40 feet.
that's right. McCloud, yes; able fell
low, l guess, too, though he and
don't hit it off," Sinclair sat back in
his chair, and as he spoke he spoke
magnanimously. "He doesn't like me,
but that is no fault Of his; railroad
men, and good ones, too, sometimes
get started wrong with one another.
Well, I'm glad he took care Of you.
Try that piano, Miss Dicksie, will you?
/ don't know much about pianos, but
that ought to be good one. l would
wheel the player over for you, but
4ho& Full q
you do ought not to be allowed to use
a player. Marion, want to talk few
minutes with you, may 1? Do you mind
going out under the cottonwood?
Dicksie's heart jumped. Don't be
gone long, Marion" she exclaimed, i'm
pulsively, 'for you know, Mr.. Sinclair,
we must get back by two o'clock"
And Dicksie, pale with apprehension,
looked at them both. Marion, quite
composed, nodded reassuringly and
followed Sinclair out Of doors into the
sunshine.
For a few minutes Dicksie fingered
wildly on the piano at some half-for-
gotten air. and in a fever of excite
ment walked out on the porch to see
where they were. To her relief, she
saw Marion sitting near Sinclair I'M
der the big tree in front of the house,
where the horses stood. Dicksie, with
her hands on her girdle, walked for
lornly back and forth, hummed tune,
sat down in a rocking chair, famed
herself, rose, walked back and forth
again, and reflected that she was per-
fect1V he1DleSS and that Sinclair mi chit
kill Marion a hundred times before
she could reach her. And the thought
that Marion was perhaps wholly I'M
conscious of danger increased her
anxiety.
She sat down in despair. How could
Whispering Smith have allowed any
one he had care for to be exposed in
this dreadful way? Trying to think
what to do, Dicksie hurried back to
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