The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-04
CHAPTER XXI.
The Man on the Frenchman.

The Man on the Frenchman.
Sinclair's place on the Frenchman
backed up on a sharp rise against the
foothills of the Bridger range, and the
ranch buildings were strung along the
creek. The ranch-hOuse stood on ground
high enough to command the country
for miles up and down the valley
Only two roads lead from Medicine
Bend and the south into the Frenchman
country; one a wagon road following
Smoky creek and running through Dale
canyon; the other a pack road, known
as the Gridley trail, crossing the Topah
Topaz hills and making a short cut
from the DUnning ranch on the Crawl
ing Stone to the Frenchman. The entire
valley is, in fact so difficult of access
save by the long and roundabout wagon
road, that the sight Of a complete outfit
of buildings such as that put up by
Sinclair always came as a surprise to
the traveller, who, reaching the crest of
the hills, looked suddenly down l 900 feet
on his well-OTdered sheds and barns and
corraIs.
over the Gridley trail from the Crawl
ing Stone Marion and Dicksie Dunning
rode early in the morning the day after
McCloud and his men left the stone
ranch with their work done. The trail
is good three hours long, and they
reached Sinclair's place at about ten
o'clock. He was waiting for Marion
she mad sent word she should come-and
ne came out Of the front door into the
sunshine with smile of welcome when
he saw Dicksie with her. Dicksie. long
an admirer of Sinclair's, as women
usually were, had recast somewhat vio-
lently her opinions Of him. She faced
him now with a criminal consciousness
that she EncFsr foo
the dreadful secret weighed on her. and
her responsibility in the issue of the
day ahead did not help to make her
greeting an easy one. One thing only
was fixed in her mind and reflected I'm
the tension of her lips and her ewes.
The resolve to keep at every cost the
promise she had given. For Dicksie had
fallen under the spell of a man even
more compelling than Sinclair, and felt
strangely bOUnden to what she had said.
Sinclair, however, had spirit enough
to smooth quite away every embarrass-
ment Bachelors quarters" he ex-
planned roughly and pleasantly, as he
led the two women toward the house.
'Cowmen make poor hOusekeepers. but
you must feel at home" And when
Dicksie, looking at his Indian rugs on
the floors, the walls, and the cOuches.
said she thought he had little to aDOIo-
giZe for, Sinclair looked gratifed and
took off his hat again. Just a mo-
ment" he said, standing at the side of
the door. I've never been able to get
Marion over here before, so it happens
that a woman's foot has never entered
the new house. I want to watch one of
You cross the threshold for the first
time"
Dicksie, moving ahead, retreated with
laugh. You first, then, Marion"
mo, Dicksie, you"
Never! you first" So Marion. quite
red and wretchedly i'll at ease. walked
into the ranch-house first.
Sinclair shOne nowhere better than as
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 him
self, and explained, with running com
ments, each feature of his plan as he
showed how It had been carried through
the various rooms. Surprised at the at
traCtiveness of things, Dicksie found
| herself making mental notes for her
own use, and began asking questions.
Sinclair was superb in answering. but
the danger Of admiring things became
at once apparent. for when Dicksie ex-
claimed over a handsome bearskin. a
/ rich dark-brown grizzly skin of unusual
.
ing, barred his tremendous forearm to
show where the polished claws had
ripped him, and, disregarding Dicksie's
/ protests, insisted on. sending the skin
I over to Crawling Stone ranch as a
souvenir of her visit
4 live a 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 I hunt just enough to
! keep my hand in with rifle" DiCksie
quailed a little at the smile that went
with the words. The men. at least the
kind I mix with, don't care for grizzly
I skins. and to enjoy anything you've got
/ to have sympathetic COmpany-don't
YOU know that?" he asked. looking ad-
miring1v at Dicksie I've got another
skin for yOu-a silver-tfp." he added. in
/ deep. gentle tones, addressing Marion.
I 1T has a fine head. as fine as I ever sa W
/ in the Smithsonian. It is down al Med
| icine Bend now, being dressed and
mounted BY the way. I've forgotten
[ to ask you. Miss Dicksie, about the high
water. How did you get through at the
rancho
Dicksie. sitting on the piano bench.
[ looked UP with resolution. "Brsvelyr'
/ she exclaimed. Mr.. McCloud came to
our rescue with bags and mattresses
and 100 men, and he has put in a re-
vetment I. 900 feet long. Oh. we are reg
uiar river experts at our house now
Had you any trouble here. Mr. Sin
clair2"
No. the Frenchman behaves pretty
/ well in the rock. We had forty feet OF