Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-01-14

whispering Smith smiled, but held
his hand rather awkwardly upon his !
hGt-brim. 8
NO" continued the spokesman, I'VE
amt none Of US happened to see Bob
or Gene Johnson to-day; but we hap
pen to seen Whispering Smith, and
we'll blow your face OF If you move
It an inch"
Smith laughed. Il never quarrel
with man that's got the drop on me,
boys. Now, this is sudden but unex-
pected. Do know any Of you?" He
looked from one face to another be-
fore him with a wide reach in his
field of vision for the three hands that
were fast on three pistolbutts. Hold
on! I've met you somewhere" he
said with easy confidence to the blue
eyed man with the weather-split lip.
Williams Cache, wasn't It? All right,
we're placed. Now what have you got
In for me-"
I've got 40 head Of steers in for
you" answered the man in the middle,
with splitting oath. you stole 40
head Of my steers in that roundup,
and I'm going to fill you so full Of lead
you'll never run Of no more stock for
nobody. Don't look over there to your
horse or your rife. Hold your hands
right where they are" ~t t
Certainly, certainly"
when l pull, l shoot" .
II don't always do it, but It is bust
ness, l acknowledge. When a man
pulls he ought to shoot-very often it's
the only chance he ever gets to shoot
Well, it isn't every man gets the drop
on me that easy, but you boys have
got it." continued Whispering Smith
in frank admiration. "Only want to
say you're after the wrong man. That
roundup was all Rebstocks fault, and
Rebstock is bound to make good all
loss and damage"
You'll make good my share of it
right now and here" said the man
with the wash-blue eyes.
why, of course" assented Whisper
/ ing Smith, If l must, l must. l sup
pose l may light cigarette, boys, be-
fore you turn loose the freworks?"
Light it quick"
Laughing at the humor Of the situa-
ton, Whispering Smith, his eyes
beaming with good nature, put the
finger and thumb of his right hand
into his waistcoat pocket, drew out a
package of cigarette paper, and, ban
tering his captors innocently the
while, tore out a sheet and put the
packet back. Folding the paper in his
two hands, he declared he believed his
tobacco was in his saddle-pocket, and
asked leave to step across the street
to get it. The trick was too transpar-
ent, and leave was refused with scorn
and some hard words. Whispering
Smith begged the men in front of him
in turn for tobacco. They cursed him
and shook their heads.
For an instant he looked troubled
Still appealing 10 them with his eyes,
he tapped lightly the lower outside
pockets Of his coat with his fingers
shifting the cigarette paper from hand
to hand as he hunted. The outside
pockets seemed empty. But as he
tapped the inside breast pocket on the
left side of the coat-the three men
lynx-eyed, watching-his face bright
1 ened. Stop" said he, his voice sink
ing to a relieved whisper as his hand
rested lightly on the treasure. There's
the tobacco. suppose one of you viii
give me a match?"
4 AL that the three before him coult
ever afterward recollect-and for sew
eral years afterward they eudgelet
their brains pretty thoroughly about
that moment-was that WHISPERING
Smith took hold Of the left lapel of hil