Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-01-14
CHAPTER XxXV.
Among the Coyotes.

nor the Hodce rIVer SOlu CdupS, UuI
With mining long ago abandoned 1t
now marks furthest south for a rus
tiers camp, being a favorite resort
for the people Of the Williams Cache
country. OroVille boasts that 1t has
never surrendered and that 1t has
never been cleaned out. 1t has moved,
and been moved, up stream and down,
and from bank to bank; it has been
burned out and blown away and lived
on wheels; but it has never suffered
the loss of its identity.
Whispering Smith, well busted with
alkali, rode up to the Johnson ranch,
eight miles southwest of Oroyille, in
the afternoon Of the day after he left
Medicine Bend. The ranch lies in a
valley watered by the Rainbow, and
makes pretty little oasis of green
in a limitless waste of sagebrush.
Gene and Bob Johnson were cutting
alfalfa when Whispering Smith rode
into the field, and, stopping the now
ers, the three men talked while the
seven horses nibbled the clover.
81 may need little help, Gene, to
get him out of town." remarked Smith,
after he had told his story; that is, If
there are too many Cache men there
for me-"
Bob Johnson was stripping a stalk
of alfalfa in his fingers. Them fel-
lows are pretty sore"
'@That comes Of half doing a job,
Bob. l. was in too much of hurry
with the roundup. They haven't had
dose enough yet" returned Whisper
ing Smith. IF you and Gene will join
me sometime when l have week to
spare, we will go in there, clean up
the gang and burn the hair off the
roots of the chapparal-what? I've
limited to Rebstock he could get ready
for something like that"
i "Tell us about that fight, Gordon"
81 will if you will give me something
70 eat and have this horse taken care
of. Then, Bob, want you to ride into
Oroville and reconnoiter. This is mail
day and | understand some of the boys
are buying postage stamps to put on
my coffin"
They went to the house, where
WhisperingSmitht alkedas he ate. Bob
took horse and rode away, and Gene,
with his guest, went back to the al.
Ifalfa, where Smith took Bob'splade Oh
the mower. When they saw Bob rid.
ing up the valley, Whispering Smith
bringing in the machine, mounted his
horse.
Your man is there all right" said
Bob, as he approached. He and John
Rebstock were in the Blackbird 4sa-
loon. Seagrue isn't there, but Barney
RebStock and lot of others are.
talked few minutes with John and
Murray. Sinclair didn't say much;
only that the railroad gang was trying
to run him out Of the country, and he
wanted to meet a few of them before
he went. just imagined he held W
q little before me; maybe not
There's a dozen Williams Cache mer
in town"
But those fellows are not really
dangerous, Bob, though they may be
troublesome" observed Smith, re
nectively. .-
well, what's your plan?" blurtet
Gene Johnson.
81 haven't any, Gene" returned
Smith, with perfect simplicity. my
only plan is to ride into town anC
serve my papers, if can. I've got {
deputyship-and that I'm going to d.
right away, II you, Bob, or both o
you, will happen In about 30 minutes
later you'll get the news and perhaps
see the fun. Much obliged for you
feed, Gene; come down to Medicin,
Bend any time and I'll fill you up.
want you both for the elk hunt mex
fall, remember that. Bucks is coming
and is going to bring Brown and Hen
son and perhaps Atterbury and Gibbs
and some New Workers; and Nc
Clouds brother, the preacher, is com
ing out and they are all right-all o
them"
The only street in Oroville faces tn
river, and the buildings string for tw,
or three blocks along modest bluffs
Not soul was anywhere in sigh
when Whispering Smith rode int
town, save that across the street fror
where he diSmounted and tied hi
horse three men stood in front of tn
Blackbird.
They watched the new arrival wit
. languid interest Smith walked stiff
over toward the saloon to size up tn
men before he should enter it. Tn
a middle man of the group, with a thf
red face and very blue eyes, was chew
ing tobacco in an unpromising way
Before Smith was halfway across tn
street he saw the hands of the tire
>. men falling to their hips. Takin
. care, however, only to keep the me
between him and the saloon dool
Smith walked directly toward then
Boys, have you happened to see Gen
or Bob Johnson to-day, any of you?
He threw back the brim of his stetso
as he spoke.
Hold your hand right there-rigt
where it is" said the blueeyed ma
SHARPLY.