The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-12-02
CHAPTER XII.
CRAWLING Stone Wash.


When Whispering Smith and his
companions were fairly started on the
last day of their ride, 1t was toward a
rift in the Mission range that the trail
led them Sinclair, with consummate
cleverness, had rejoined his compan-
ions; but the attempt to get into the
Cache, and his reckless ride into Medi-
cine Bend, had reduced their chances
of escape to a single outlet, and that
they must find up Crawling Stone val
ley. The necessity OF 1t was spelled
in every move the pursued men had
made for "a hours. They were riding
the pick of mountain horsefesh and
covering their tracks by every device
known to the high country. Behind
them, made prudent by unusual dan
ger. rode the best men the mountain
division could muster for the final ef.
fort to bring them to account. The
fast riding of the early week had
given way to the pace Of caution. No
trail sign was overlooked, no point OF
concealment directly approached. nc
hiding-place left unsearched
The tension of long day of this
work was drawing to a closeAwhen the
sun set and left the big wash In the
| shadow of the mountains. On the
higher ground to the right, Kennedy
and Scott were riding where they
| could command the gullies of the pre-
cipitous left bank of the river. Higf
on the left bank itself. worming hi!
way like a snake from point to poin
| of concealment through the scant,
brush of the mountain-side, crawlet
Wickwire, commanding the pockets II
the right bank. Closer to the rive
itself over shale and rock and be
tween scattered powders, Wbisperin
Smith, low on his horses neck, rod
slowly.
il was almost too dark to catch tn
slight discoorations where pebble
had been disturbed on fat surfac
or the calk of horseshoe had slippe
on the uneven face of ledge, and h
had halted under an uplift to wal
for Wickwire on the distant left to az
vance, when, half mile below hin
horseman crossing the river rod
slowly past gap in the rocks and dl
appeared below the next bend. II
was followed in a moment by SCI
ond rider and third Whisperin
Smith knew he had not been seen. H
had flushed the game, and, wheelln
his horse rode straight up the rive
bank to high ground, where he coul
circle around widely below them. The
had slipped between his line an
Wickwire's, and were doubling bacl
following the dry bed of the strean
1t was impossible to recall Kennel
and Scott without giving an alarm, b,
by quick detour he could at lea
hold the quarry back for 20 minute
with his rifle, and In that time Ke
nedy and Scott could come up.
Less than half an hour of dayligl
: remained. If the outlaws could 81
down the wash and out into the CraN
ing Stone valley they had every chant
of getting away in the night; and
4 the third man should be Barney Re
stock, Whispering Smith knew tn
Sinclair thought only of escape. Smi
alone, of their pursuers, could no
? intercept them. but second hope I
NAMED: On the left, Wickwire vi
high enough to command every tu
in the bed of the river. He might 81
them and could force them to GOV
L. with his rife even at long range. Co:
ing up the chances, Whispering Smit
+ riding faster over the uneven grouI