The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-05-16
CHAPTER ~.
Dicksie.

The wreckeTs. drifting in the blaze
of the sun across the broad alkali val
ley. saw the smoke of the wreck fire
behind them. No breath Of wind
stirred it. With the stillness>of a sig
nal column it rose, thin and black,
and high in the air. spread motionless,
like a huge umbrella, above Smoky
creek. Reed Young had gone with an
engine to wire for re-enforcements. and
McClOud, active among the trackmen
until the cOnfiagration spent itself, haQ
retired to the shade of the Hill.
Reclining against a rock. with his
legs crossed, he had clasped his hands
behind his head and sat looking at the
iron writhing in the dying heat of the
fire. The sound of hOOfs aroused him.
and looking below he saw a horse
woman refining up near his men at the
wreck. She rode an American horse.
thin and rangy, and the experienced
way in which she checked him drew
him back almost to his launches. But
McClOud's eyes were fixed on the sien-
flashed I'm the stiTrup while she spoke
to the nearest man. and her horse
stretched his neck and nOsed the
brown aIkah grass that spread thinly
along the road.
To McCloud she was something like
an apparitiOn. He sat speelbOund dHtil
the trackman indiscreetly pointed him
out and the eyes of the visitor, turn
ing his way. caught him with his hands
on the rock i'm an attitude openly
curious. She turned Immediately away
but McClOud rose and started down the
hill. The, horses head was pulled up
and there were signs of departure. He
quiCkened his steps Once he saw. or
1,n he rid
turned that her eyes might have COM
handed one approaching from his
quarter: yet he could catch no further
glimpse of her face. A second surprise
awaited him. Just as she seemed about
to ride away, she dropped lightly from
the horse to the ground. and he saw
how confident in figure she was. As
she began to try her saddle girths. Nc
Cloud attempted a greeting. She could
not ignore his hat held rather high
above his head as he approached. but
she gave him the slightest nod in re-
turn-one that made no attempt to ex-
plain why she was there or where she
had come from
Pardon me" ventured MCCloUd
have you lost your way2"
He was Immediately conscious that
he had said the wrong thing. The
expression Of her eyes implied that
it was foolish to suppose she was lost
but she only answered. 4 saw the
smoke and feared the bridge was on
fire"
Something in her voice made him
almost sorry he had interviewed. if
she stood in need of help Of any sort it
was not apparent, and her gaze was
confusing.
u presume Mr.. Sinclair is here" she
said, presently
Z am sorry to say he is not"
He usually has charge Of the
wrecks. ] think. What a dreadful fire.
she murmUred, looking down the track.
Was it a passenger wreck She
turned abruptly on McCloud to ask the
question. Her eyes were brown. toe.
he saw. and q doubt assailed him. Was
she pretty?
"OnIy freight wreck" he an
swered.
II thought if there were passengers
hurt 1 could send help from the ranch.
Were yO1 the conductor?
Fortunately not"
And no one was huTt2"
~OnIy a tramp. VIC are burning the
wreck to clear the track.
From the divide it looked like a
mountain on fire. I'm sorry Mr. Sin
clair is not here
"Why, indeed, yes, so am !.
Because ] know him. You are one
of his men, I presume
Not exactly: but is there anything I
can do"
"Oh, thank you, nothing. except that
the pretty bay colt he sent over TO US
has sprung another shoulder"
He viii be sorry to hear it, Pm
sure"
But We are doing everything posi-
bic for him. He is going to make per-
fectly lovely horse"
And whom may I say the message
is fTOm?" Though disconnected, Nc
Cloud was regaining his wits. Re felt
perfectly certain there was no danger.
if she knew Sinclair lived in the noun
tains, but that she would sometime find
out he was not a conductor When ne
asked his question she appeared slight
~ surprised and answered easily: Mr..