The log cabin Democrat., 1909-10-09
CHAPTER xxxil.
The Call.

nedy and Banks, who in the interval rode into town and rode out again on | their separate and silent ways, Whis- pering Smith for two days seemed to do nothing. Yet instinct keener than silence kept the people of Medicine | Bend on edge during those two days, and when President bucks car came l in on the evening of the second day, | the town knew from current rumors that Banks had gone to the French man ranch with warrant on seri- ous charge for Sinclair. In the presi- | dents car Bucks and McCloud, after a late dinner, were joined by Whisper ing Smith, and the president heard | the first connected story of the events of the fortnight that had passed. Bucks made no comment until he had | heard everything. And they rode Sinclair's horses" he said in con- | clusion.
 'Sinclairs horses" returned Whis- pering Smith, "and they are all ac- counted for One horse supplied by | Rebstock was shot where they crossed | Stampede creek. It had given out and they had fresh horse in the willows, | for they shot the scrub half a mile up one of the canyons near the crossing. The magpies attracted my attention to it. A piece of skin foot square had been cut out of the flank"
 You got there before the birds
 "It was about an even thing" said | Smith. Anyway, we were there in time to see the horse"
 And Sinclair was away from the ranch from Saturday noon till Sunday night?"
 "A rancher living over on Stam- pede creek saw the five men when l they crossed Saturday afternoon. The fellow was scared and lied to me about it, but he told Wickwire who they were"
 Now, who is Wickwire?" asked Bucks
 You ought to remember Wickwire, George" remarked Whispering Smith, turning to McCloud You haven't forgotten the Smoky creek wreck Do you remember the tramp who had his legs crushed and lay in the sun all morning? You put him in your car and sent him down here to the rail. road hospital and Barnhardt took care of him. That was Wickwire. Not a bad fellow, either; he can talk pretty straight and shoot pretty straight. How do I know? Because he has told me the story and I've seen him shoot There, you see, is one friend that you never reckoned on. He used to be a cowboy, and I got him job working for Sinclair on the Frenchman; he has worked at Dunning's and other places on the Crawling Stone. He | hates Sinclair with a deadly hatred for some reason. Just lately Wick wire set up for himself on Little | Crawling Stone"
 "I have noticed that fellows ranch, T remarked McCloud.
 'I couldn't leave him at Sinclair's, ? | continued Whispering Smith. frankly. "The fellow was on my mind all the time. I felt certain he would kill Sin clair or get killed if he stayed there. | And then, when I took him away they | sprang Tower w on me! That is the | price. not of having a conscience, | for l haven't any, but of listening to the voice that echoes where my con- science used to be-" said the railroad man, moving uneasily in his chair.
 Bucks broke the ash from his cigar into the tray on the table. You are restless tonight, Gordon-and it isn't like you, either"
 Tt is in the air. There has been a dead calm for two days. Something is due to happen tonight. I wish I could hear from Banks; he started with the papers for Sinclairs yester- day while I went to Oroville to sweat Karg. Blood-poisoning has set in and 1t is rather important to us to get a confession. There's a horse," He stepped to the window. Coming fast, too. Now, I wonder--no, he's gone by"
 Five minutes later a messenger | came to the car from the Wickiup with word that Kennedy was looking for ] Whispering Smith. Bucks. McCloud and Smith left the car together and walked up to McCloud's office.
 Kennedy, sitting on the edge of the table. was tapping his leg nervously with a ruler. Bad news, Gordon"
 Not from Ed Banks?"
 Sinclair got him this morning"
 Whispering Smith sat down. "Go on."
 Banks and I picked up Wickwire on the Crawling Stone early, and we rode over to the Frenchman. Wick wire said Sinclair had been up at Williams Cache the day before, and | he didn't think he was home. Of course I knew the Cache was watched and he wouldn't be there long, so Ed asked me to stay in the cottonwoods and watch the creek for him. He and Wickwire couldn't find anybody home when they got to the ranchhouse and | they rode down the corral together to | look over the horses"
 Whispering Smiths hand fell help