Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-02-11
Copyright, IN, b CAAA ScriDnsrI Soma
CHAPTER xL.
Crawling Stone Wash.

companions were fairly started on the |
last day of their ride, 1t was toward
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- |
Z. cine Bend, had reduced their chances |
Of escape to 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 horsehesh 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. NJ
trail sign was overlooked, no point Of
\ cOncealment directly approached, nc
Nding-place left unsearched.
The tension Of long day Of this
work was drawing to a close when 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. High
on the left bank itself, worming his
way like snake from point to point
Of Concealment through the scanty
brush Of the mountain-side, crawleG
Wickwire, commanding the pockets in
the right bank. Closer to the river
on the right and following the trail
itself over shale and rock and be
tween scattered powders, Whispering
Smith, low on his horses neck, rode
slowly.
il was almost too dark to catch the
slight discOloratlons where pebbles
had been disturbed on a fiat surface
or the calk of horseshoe had slipped
on the uneven face of ledge, and he
had halted under an uplift to wait
for Wickwire on the distant left to ad.
vance, when, half a mile below him,
horseman crossing the river rode
slowly past gap in the rocks and dis.
appeared below the next bend. He
was followed In moment by a sec
ond rider and a third. Whispering
Smith knew he had not been seen. He
had flushed the game, and, wheeling
his horse rode straight up the river
bank to high ground, where he could
circle around widely below them. They
had slipped between his line and
Wickwire's, and were doubling back
following the dry bed of the stream
It was impossible to recall Kennedy
and Scott without giving an alarm, but
by quick detour he could at least
hold the quarry back for 20 minutes
with his rifle, and IN that time Ken
nedy and Scott could come up.
Less than half an hour of daylight
remained. If the outlaws could sliI
down the wash and out into the Crawl
Ing Stone valley they had every chance
ot-getting away in the night; and Il
the third man should be Barney Reb
stock, Whispering Smith knew thai
Sinclair thought only Of escape. Smith
alone, of their pursuers, could nov
intercept them, but second hope re
manned: On the left, Wickwire wal
high enough to command every turf
In the bed Of the river. He might SCI
them and could force them to cove
With his rife even at long range. Cast
ing up the chances, Whispering Smith
riding faster over the uneven grounC
than anything but sheer recklessnesi
would have prompted, FASTENED across
the waste. His rife lay In his hand
and he had pushed his horse to a run
4 single fearful instinct crowded nov
Opon the long strain Of the week. 4
savage fascination burned like feve
in his veins, and he meant that the!
should not get away. Taking chance
that would have Shamed him in coole
q moments, he forced his horse at tn,
end Of the long ride to within 10
PAGES Of the river, threw his lines
slipped like lizard from the saddle
and, darting with incredible swiftnes
o from rock to rock, gained the water
edge.
From up the long shadows of tn
wash there came the vail of an ow
From it he knew that Wlckwire ha
seen then and was warning him, bu
he had anticipated the warning an
} stood below where the hunted me
must ride. He strained his eyes owe
the waste of rock above. For one hal
hour of daylight he would have sol(
IN that moment, ten years Of his Life
What could he do II they should b
able to secrete themselves until dar
hetween him and Wickwire? Glidin
under cover Of huge rocks up the DR.
Watercourse, he reached a SPOT wher
. the foods had scooped a long, hollo'
curve out Of . soft ledge in the banl
eaviEg a stretch Of smooth sand o
the bed Of the stream. At the uppe
point great powders pushed out (
the river. He could not inspect Ii
curve from the spot he had game
es without reckless exposure. but