Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-09-08

you know, don't. If you will go with
me we can get help. l feel just as
sure that those men can control the
river as l do that l am looking at you
that is, if anybody can. The question
is do you want to make the effort?"
They talked until they left the
horses and entered the house. When
they sat down, Dicks.e put her hands
to her face. ooh, l wish you had said
nothing about it! How can l go to
him and ask for help now-after Cous-
in Lance has gone into court about the
line and everything? And OF course
my name is In it all"
"Dicksie, don't raise specter5 that
have nothing to do with the case. II
we go to him and ask him for help he
will give it to us if he can; if he
can't, what harm is done? He has
been up and down the river for three
weeks, and he has an army Of men
camped over by the bridge. l know
that, because Mr.. Smith rode in from
there a few days ago."
What, Whispering Smith? oh, if
he is there would not go for worlds"
pray, why not?"
"Why, he is such an awful mani"
"That is absurd, Dicksie."
Dicksie looked grave. Marion, no
man in this part of the country has
a good word to say for Whispering
Smith"
Perhaps you have forgotten, Dick
sic, that you live in a very rough part
of the country" returned Marion,
coolly. mo man that he has ever
hunted down would have anything
pleasant to say about him; nor would
the friends of such a man be likely
to say good word of him. There are
many on the range, Dicksie, that have
no respect for life or law Or anything
else, and they naturally hate a man
like Whispering Smith"
But Marion, he killed"
II know. He killed a man named
Williams a few years ago, while you
were at school-one of the worst men
that ever infested this country. Will
liams Cache is named after that man;
he made the most beautiful spot in all
these mountains nest of thieves and
murderers. But did you know that
Williams shot down Gordon Smiths
only brother, a trainmaster, in cold
blood in front of the Wickiup at Medi-
cine Bend? No, you never heard that.
In this part of the country, did you?
They had a cow-thief for sheriff then,
and no officer in Medicine Bend would
go after the murderer. He rode in
and out of town as if he owned it, and
no one dared say word, and, mind
you, Gordon Smiths brother had never
seen the man in his life until he
walked up and shot him dead. Oh, this
was a peaceful country a few years
ago! Gordon Smith was right-of-way
man in the mountains then. He buried
his brother, and asked the officers
what they were going to do about get
ing the murderer. They laughed at
him. He made no protest, except to
ask for a deputy United States
marshals commission. When he got it
he started for Williams Cache after
Williams in a buckboard-think of it,
Dicksie-and didn't they laugh at him!
He did not even know the trails, and
imagine riding 200 miles in a buck
board to arrest a man In the noun
tains! He was gone six weeks, and
came back with Williams body
strapped to the blackboard behind
him. He never told the story; all he
said when he handed in his commits
sion and went back to his work was
that the man was killed in fair fight.
Hate him! No wonder they hate him
the Williams Cache gang and all
their friends on the range! Your cous-
In thinks it policy to placate that ele-
ment, hoping that they won't steal
your cattle if you are friendly with
them. I know nothing about that, but
l do know something about Whisper
ing Smith. 1t will be bad day for
Williams Cache when they start him
up again. But what has that to do
with your trouble? He will not eat
you up if you go to the camp, Dicksie.
You are just raising bogies."
They had moved to the front porch
and Marion was sitting in the rocking
chair Dicksie stood with her back
against one Of the pillars and looked
at her. AS Marion finished Dicksie
turned and, with her hand on her fore
head, looked in wretchedness of mind
out on the valley. AS far, in many di-
rections, as the eye could reach the
waters spread yellow in the flood of
sunshine across the lowlands. There
was a moment of silence. Dicksie
turned her back on the alarming sight.
Marion, can't do it,"
ooh, yes, you can if you want to,
Dicksie!" Dicksie looked at her with
fearless eyes. TT is only question
of being plucky enough" insisted
Marion.
''Pluck has nothing to do with it,"
exclaimed Dicksie, in fiery tones. ct
should like to know why you are al
ways talking about my not having
courage! This isn't question of cour-
a. IL