OCR Text |
Show "i WHISPERING H. Spearman by oThank ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDRE BOWLES & COPYRIGHT 1908 BY CHA& SCRmiiCHi 8YN0PSIS. Murray Sinclair and his gang of wreckers were vailed out to eleur the railroad tracks at timnky Creek. MeCloud, a lr young road superintendent, caught and Ills men In the uct o looting the wrecked train. Sinclair pleaded innocence, declaring It only amounted to a mall sum a treat for the men. MoCloud discharged the whole outllt and ordered the wreckage burned. Ad Cloud became acquainted with IMcknle Dunning, a girl cf the west, who came to look at the wreck. She gave him a message for Sinclair. "Whispering" Gordon Smith told President Bucks of the railroad, of brave tight against a gang of rrazed miners and that whs the reason for the superintendent's appointment to his high oftVc. Mi'C'loud urrunged to .board at the boarding house of Mrs. Sindeserted wife. clair, the Dlcksle Dunning was the of the late Richard Dunning, whodaughter had died of a broken heart shortly after his "wife's demise, which occurred after one year of married life. Sinclair vltdted Marion Sinclair's shop and a tight between him and McCloud was narrowly averted. Smoky Creek bridge was mysteriously burned. McCloud prepared to face the situation. President Bucks notified Smith that he had work ahead. McCloud worked for days and finally got the division running In fairly good order. He overheard Dlcksle criticising his methods, to Marion Sinclair. CHAPTER IX. Kln-cla- 8weeplng Orders. The burning of Smoky Creek bridge was hardly off the minds of the mountain men when a disaster of a different sort befell the division. In the Rat valley east of Sleepy Cat the main line springs between two ranges of hills with a dip and a long supported grade In each direction. At the point of the dip there Is a switch from which a spur runs to a granite quarry. The track for two miles Is straight t and lights are and the seen easily from either direction save at one particular moment of the day a moment which Is in the valley neither quite day nor quite night-Dothis grade, a few weeks after the Smoky Creek fire, came a stock train from the Short Line with 40 cars of steers. The a witch stood open; this much was afterward abundantly proved. The train cams down the grade very fast to gain speed for the hill ahead of It The head englneman, too late, saw the open target He applied the emergency air, threw his engine over, and whistled the alarm. The mightiest efforts of a dozen engines would have been powerless to check the heavy train. On the quarry track stood three flat cars loaded with granite blocks for the abutment of the new Smoky Creek bridge. On a sanded track, rolling at 30 miles an hour and screaming in the clutches of the burning brakes, the heavy engines struck the switch like an avalanche, reared upon the granite-ladefiats, and with 40 loads of cattle plunged Into the canyon below; not a car remained on the rails. The head brakeman, riding In the second cab, was Instantly killed, and the engine crews, who jumped, were badly hurt. The whole operating department of the road was stirred. What made the affair more dreadful was that It had occurred on the time of Number Six, the passenger train, held that morning at Sleepy Cat by an engine failure. Glover came to look into the matter. The testimony of all tended to one conclusion that the ' quarry switch had been thrown at some time between 4:30 and 6 o'clock switch-targe- wn double-heade- d n east-boun- d that morning. Inferences were many: Tramps during the early summer had been unusually troublesome and many of them had been rigorously handled by trainmen; robbery might have been motive, as the express cars on train Number Six carried heavy specie shipments from the coast A third and more exciting event soon put the quarry wreck Into the background. Ten days afterward an passenger train waB flagged In the night at Sugar Unites. 12 miles west of Sleepy Cat. When the heavy train slowed up, two men boarded the east-boun- d ngine and with pistols compelled the englneman to cut off the express cars a and pull them to the water-tanmile east of the station. Three men there in waiting forced the express car, blew open the safe, and the gang rode away half an hour later loaded with gold coin and currency. Had a stick of dynamite been exploded under the Wickiup there could not have been more excitement at Medicine Bend. Within three hours after the news reached the town a posse under Sheriff Van Horn, with a car load of horseflesh and 14 guns, was started for Sugar Buttcs. The trail led north and the pursuers rode until nearly nightfall. They crossed Dutch flat and rodo single file Into a wooded canyon, where they came Van Horn, upon traces of a camp-fire- . loading, jumped from bis horse and thrust his lmiid Into the ashes; they were still warm, and ho shouted to his men to rldu up. As he called out, a r trees rlfleeracked from the ahead of him. The sheriff fell, shot through the head, and a deputy springing from his saddle to pick htm up was shot In precisely the same way; the posse, thrown Into a panic, did not flro a single shot, and for an lumr dared not ride back for the bodks, Aflor dark they got the two dead men nd at midnight rode with them Into SI. cpy Cut. ' hen tiie iipws readied McCloud ho v.-- . r.''.:'i'.;; 'vi'h liurks ovr the wires, i . I'u.l r.ril Into headquarters at k box-elde- JO"3 the river late that night, and was getting details from McCloud of the Sugar Iluttes robbery when the superintendent sent him the news of the killing of Van Horn and the deputy. In the answer that Ducks sent came a name new to the wires of the mountain division and rarely Been even in special correspondence, but Hughle Morrison, who took the' message, never forgot that name. Hughle handed the message to McCloud and stood by while the superintendent read: Smith Is due In Cheyenne Meet him at the Wickiup Sunday morning: he has full authority. I have told him to get these fellows, if it takes all the money in the treasury, and not to stop till he cleans them out of the J. S. B. Hocky Mountains. Whispering CHAPTER X. ' At the Three Horses. "Clean them out of the Rocky mountains; that Is a pretty good contract," mused the man In McCloud's office on Sunday morning. He sat opposite McCloud in Bucks' old easy chair and held In his hand Bucks' telegram. As he spoke he raised his eyebrows and settled back, but the unusual depth of the chair and the shortness of his legs left his chin helpless In his black tie, so that he was really no better off except that he had changed one position of discomfort for another. A clerk opened the outer office door. "Mr. Dancing asks if be can see you, d Mr. McCloud." "Tell him I am busy." Dill Dancing, close on the clerk's heels, spoke for himself. "I know It, Mr. McCloud, I know It!" he Interposed, urgently, "but let me speak to you just a moment." Hat in hand, Dill, because no one would knock him down to keep him out, pushed into the room. "I've got a plan," he urged, "In regards to getting these hold ups." "How are you, Bill?" exclaimed the man In the easy chair, jumping hastily to his feet and shaking Dancing's hand. Then quite as hastily he sat hla knees violently, down, crossed stared at the giant lineman, and exclaimed: "Let's" have it!" Dancing looked at him in silence and with some contempt. The trainmaster had broken in on the superintendent for a moment and the two were conferring in an undertone. "What might your name be, mister?" growled Dancing, addressing with some condescension the man In the easy chair. The man waved his hand as it it were Immaterial and answered with a Blngle word: "Forgotten!" "How's that?" "Forgotten!" Dancing looked from one man to the other, but McCloud appeared preoccupied and his visitor seemed wholly serious. "I don't want to take too much on myself" Bill began, speaking to McCloud. "You look as if you could carry a load, William, provided it bore the right label," suggested the visitor, entirely amiable. " nut nobody has felt worse over this thing and recent things " "Recent things," echoed the easy chair. "happening; to the division than I have. Now I know there's been trouble on the division " "I think you are putting it too strong there, Dill, but let it pass." "there's been differences; misunSo I derstandings and differences. says to myself maybe something might be done to get everybody together and bury the differences, like this: Murray Sinclair is in town; he feels bad over this thing, like any railroad man would. He's a mountain man, quick as the quickest with a gun, a good trailer, rides like a fiend, and can catch a streak of sunshine traveling on a pass. Why not put him at the head of a party to run 'em down?" m down," "Run nodded the stranger. "Differences such as be or may fair-size- d "May be" diBcussed be" when he brings "Iielng 'em in dead or alive, and not before. That's what I said to Murray Sinclair, and Murray Sinclair Is ready for to take hold this minute and do what he can If he's asked.' I told him plain I could promise no promises; that, I says, lays with George McCloud. Was I right, was I wrong? If I was wrong, right me; If I was right, say so. All I want Is harmony." The new man nodded approval. "Dully, Dill!" he exclaimed, heartily. "Mister," protested the lineman, with simple dignity, "I'd just a little rather you wouldn't bully me nor Bill me." "All In good part, BUI, as you shall see; all In good part Now before McCloud gives you his decision I want to be allowed a word. Your Idea looks good to me. At first I may say It didn't. I am candid; .! say It didn't. It looked like setting a dog to catch his own tall. Mind you, 1 don't say It can't be done. A dog can catch his own tall; they do do It," proclaimed the stranger In a low and emphatic undertone. "But," ho added, moderating hid utterance, "when they succeedwho gets anything out of It but the dog?" Dill Dancing, somewhat clouded and not deeming it well to be on a Thanksgiving day at the Dunning ranch not so very long before the trouble begun. Dlcksle Dunning was away at school at the time, and Lance Dunning was celebrating with a riding and shooting fest and a barbecue. The whole country had been Invited. Bucks was in the mountains on an inspection trip, and Bill Dancing drove him with a party of railroad men over from Medicine Bend. The mountain men for 150 miles around were out. Gene and Bob Johnson, from Orovllle and the Peace river, had come with their friends. From Williams Cache there was not only a big delegation-m- ore of one than was really desirable but it was led by old John Rebstock himself. When the invitation is general, lines cannot be too closely drawn. Not only was Lance Dunning something of a sport himself, but on the Long Range It is part of a stockman's creed to be on good terms with his neighbors. At a Thanksgiving day barbecue not even a mountain sheriff ' would ask questions. the railroad Among people were George McCloud, Anderson, the assistant superintendent, Farrell Kennedy, chief of the special service, and his right-hanman, Bob Scott. In especial, Sinclair's presence at the barbecue was recalled. He had some cronies with him from among his following, and was introducing his new bridge foreman, Karg, afterward known as Flat Nose, and George Sea-gruthe Montana cowboy. Sluclalr fraternized that day with the Williams Cache men, and it was remarked even then that though a railroad man he appeared somewhat outside the railroad circle. When the shooting matches railroad were announced a brown-eyeman was asked to enter. He had been out of the mountains for some time and was a comparative stranger In the gathering, but the Williams Cache men had not for gotten him; Rebstock, especially, wanted to see him shoot While much of the time out of the mountains on railroad business, he was known to be closely In Bucks' counsels, and as to the mountains themselves, be was reputed to know them better than Bucks or Glover himself knew them. This was Whispering Smith; but, beyond d a greeting or an expression of surprise at meeting an old ac quaintance, be avoided talk. When urged to shoot he resisted all persua sion and backed up bis refusal by showing a bruise on bis trigger finger. He declined even to act as judge In the contest, suggesting the sheriff, Ed Banks, for that office. McCloud did not meet the host, Lance Dunning, that day nor since the day of the barbecue had Du Sang or Sinclair seen Whispering Smith until the night Du Sang spotted him near the wheel in the Three Horses. Du Sang at once drew out of his game and left the room. Sinclair in the meantime had undertaken a quarrelwith Whispering some Interview Smith. "I supposed you knew I was here," said Smith to him, amiably. "Of course I don't travel In a private car or carry a billboard on my back, but 1 haven't been hiding." "The last time we talked," returned Sinclair, measuring words carefully, "you were going to stay out of the mountains." "I should have been glad to, Murray. Affairs are In such shape on the til vision now that somebody had to come, so they sent for me." The two men were sitting at a table. Whispering Smith was cutting and leisurely mixing a pack of cards. "Well, so far as I'm concerned, I'm out of it," Sinclair went on after a pause, "but, however that may be, if you're back here looking for trouble there's no reason, I guess, why you can't find it." "That's not it. I'm not here looking for trouble; I'm here to fix this thing up. What do you want?" "Not a thing." "I'm willing to do anything fair and right," declared Whispering Smith, raising his voice a little above the hum of the rooms. i "Fair and right Is an old song." "And a good one to sing In this country just now. I'll do anything I can to adjust any grievance, Murray. What do you want?". Sinclair for a moment was silent, and his answer made plain his unwillingness to speak at. all. "There never would have been a grievance If I'd been treated like a white man." His eyes burned sullenly. "I've been treated like a dog." "That is not It" "That Is it," declared Sinclair, savagely, "and they'll find It's It" "Murray, 1 want to say only this only this to make things cloar. Bucks feels that he's been treated worse than a dog." "Then let him put me back where I belong." "It's a little late for that, Murray; a little late," said Smith, gently. "Shouldn't you rather take good money and get off the division? Mind you, I say good money, Murray and peace." Sinclair answered without the slightest hesitation: "Not while that man McCloud la here." Fogarty, Hell!" drawn Into any damaging admissions, looked around for a cigar, and not seeing one, looked solemnly at the new Solomon and stroked his beard. "That Is how it looked to me at first," concluded the orator; "but, I say now it looks good to me, and as a stranger I may say I favor It." Dancing tried to look unconcerned and seemed disposed to be friendly. "What might be your line of business?" "Real estate. I am from Chicago. I sold everything that was for sale in Chicago and came here to stake out the Spanish Sinks and the Great Salt lake yes. It's drying up and there's an Immense opportunity for claims along the shore. I've been looking Into It" "Into the claims or into the lake?" asked McCloud. "Into both; and, Mr. McCloud, I want to say I favor Mr. Dancing's idea, that's all. Right wrongs no man. Let Bill see Sinclair and see And havwhat they can figure out." ing spoken, the stranger sank back and tried to look comfortable. "I'll talk with you later about it, Bill." said McCloud. briefly. "Meantime, Bill, see Sinclair and report," suggested the stranger. "it's as good as done," announced Dancing, taking up his hat, "and, Mr. McCloud, might I have a little advance for cigars and things?" "Cigars and ammunition of course. See Sykes, William, see Sykes; If the office Is closed go to his house and see what will happen to you" added the visitor in an aside, "and tell him to telephone up to Mr. McCloud for Instruction," he concluded, unceremoniously. "Now why do you want to start Bill on a fool business like that?" asked McCloud, as Bill Dancing took long steps from the room toward the office of Sykes, the cashier. "He didn't know me but he to-da- said the stranger, reflectively. "Gods, what I've seen that man go through In the days of the will glunts! Why, George, this will keep the boys talking, and they have to do something. Spend the money; the company is making it too fast anyway; they moved 22,000 cars one day last week. Personally I'm glad to have a little fun out of it; It will be bell pure and undented long before we get through. This will be an easy way of letting Sinclair know I am here. Bill will report me confidentially to him as a suspicious personage." To the astonishment of Sykes, the superintendent confirmed over the telephone Dancing's statement that he was to draw some expense money. BUI asked (or $25. Sykes offered him two, and Dill with some Indignation accepted five. He spent all of this in trying to find Sinclair, and on the strength of his story to the boyB borrowed five dollars more to prosecute the search. At ten o'clock that night he ran Into Sinclair flaying 'cards in tha big rooms above the Three Hors-s- . The Three Horses still rears IN front In F hospitable street, the only one of the Medlel Bend gambling houses that goes back to the days of '67; and it is the boast of its owners that since the key was thrown away, 39 years ago, its doors have never been closed, night or day, except once for two hours during the funeral of Dave Hawk. Dill Dancing drew Sinclair from his gome and told him of the talk with McCloud, touching it up with natural enthusiasm. The brldgeman took the news In high good humor and slapped Dancing on the back. "Did you see him alone, BUI?" asked Slnclulr, with Interest two-stor- y He Exclaimed. "Come over here, come along. I want you to meet a good friend. Here, Harvey, shake hands with Bill Dancing. Du Sang, Dill, this is old Harvey meanest man In the mountains to bis enemies and the whitest to hia friends h, Harvey?" Harvey seemed uncommunicative. Studying his hand, he asked In a sour way whether it was a jackpot, and upon being told that it was not, pushed forward some chips and looked stupidly up though Harvey was by no means stupid. "Proud to know you, sir," said Bill, bending frankly as he 'put out his hand. "Proud to know any friend of Murray Sinclair's. What might be your business?" Again Du Sang appeared abstracted. He looked up at the giant lineman, who, in spite of his own size and strength, could have crushed him between his fingers, and hitched his chair a little, but got no further toward an answer and paid no attention whatever to Bill's extended hand. "Cow business, Bill," Interposed Sinclair. "Where? Why, up near the park, Bill, up near the park. Bill Is an old friend of mine, Harvey. Shake hands with George Seagrue, Bill, and you know Henry Karg and old Stormy Gorman well, I guess you know him, too," exclaimed Sinclair, Introducing the other players. "Look here a minute, Harvey." Harvey, much against his Inclination, was drawn from the table and retired with Sinclair and Dancing to an empty corner, where Dancing told his story again. At the conclusion of it Sinclair rather snorted. Harvey asked questions. "Was anybody else there when you saw McCloud, BUI?" "One man," answered Bill, Impressively. "Who?" "A stranger to me." "A stranger? What did he look like?" "Slender man and kind of odd talking, with a sandy mustache." "Hear his name?". ' "He told me his name, but it's skipped me, I declare. He's kind of like." "Stranger, eh?" mused Du Sang; his eyes were wandering over the room. "Slender man," repeated Bill, "but I didn't take much notice of him. Said he was In the real estate business." "In the real estate business? And did he sit there while you talked this over with the college guy?" muttered Du Sang. "He is all right, boys, and he said you'd know his name if I could speak It," declared Bill. "Look anything like that man standing with his hands In his pockets over there by the wheel?" asked Du Sang, turning his back carefully on a newcomer as he made the suggestion. "Where there? No! Yea, hold on, that's the mnn there now! Hold on, now!" urged Bill, struggling with the excitement of ten hours and ten dollars in one day. "His name sounded like Fogarty." As Dancing spoke, Sinclair's eyes riveted on the new face at the other wide of the gambling room. "Fogarty, hell!" he exclaimed, starting. "Stand right still, Du Sang; don't look around. That man Is Whispering Smith." CHAPTER XI. Parley. It was recalled one evening not long ago at tho Wickiup that the affair with Sinclair had all taken place within a period of two years, and that practically all of the actors In the event had been together and In friendly 'relation. low-voice- Whispering Smith smiled. "I've got no authority to kill McCloud." "There are plenty of men la tha mountains that don't need any." "But let's start fair." urged Whls pering Smith, softly. He leaned for ward with one finger extended In cone fldence. "Don't let us have any ml understanding on the start. Let alone. .If he is killed now I'm speaking fair and open and making no threats, but I know how It will come out there will be nothing but killing bore for six months. We will make just that memorandum on Now about the main question. Every sensible man In the world want something." "I know men that have been going a long time without what they wanted." Smith flushed and nodded. "Yon needn't have said that, but no matter. Every sensible man wants something, Murray. This is a big country. There's a World's Fair running somewhere all the time in it Why not travel a lis tie? What do you, want?" "I want my job, or I want a ne superintendent here." "Just exactly the two things, and, by heavens! the only two, I can't mane age. Come once more and I'll meet you." "No!" Sinclair rose to his feet "Na damn your money! This Is my home. The high country Is my coun try; It's where my friends are." "It's filled with your friends; I know that. But don't put your trust la you friends. They will stay by you, 1 know; but once In a long while there, will be a false friend, Murray, one that will sell you remember that" , "I stay." Whispering Smith looked up la admiration. "I know you're game. It Isn't necessary for me to say that to you. But think of the fight you ara going into against this company. Yo can worry them; you've done It But a bronco might as well try to buck locomotive as for one man or six or 600 to win out In the way you are playing." "I will look out for my friends; others" Sinclair hitched his belt and paused, but! Whispering Smith, cuttint and running the cards, gave no heed. His eyes were fixed on the green cloth under his fingers. "Others" repeated Sinclair. "Others?" echoed Whispering Smith, Mo-Clo- Mo-Clou- "May look out for themselves." "Of course, of course! Well, if this Is the end of It, I'm sorry." "You will be sorry If you mix In quarrel that Is none of yours." "Why, Murray, I never had a quarrel with a man In my life." "You are pretty smooth, but you can't drive me out of this country. 1 - "Then Keep Away from Her!" know how well you'd like to do It; and, take notice, there's one trail you can't cross even It you stay here. 1 suppose you understand that." Smith folt his heart leap. He sat ia his chair turning the pack slowly, but with only one hand now; the othor hand was free. Sinclair eyed him sldewlse. Smith moistened his Hps and when he replied spoke slowly: "There is no need of dragging any ale luslon to her Into It. For that matter, I told Bucks he should have sent any man but me. If I'm In the way, Sin clalr, If my presence here is all that stands In the way, I'll go hack and stay back as before, and send any one else you like or Bucks likes. Ara you willing to say that I stand In the way of a settlement?" Sinclair sat down and put his hands on the table. "No; your matter and mine Is another affair. All I want between you and me Is fair and right" Whispering Smith's eyes were oa the cards. "You've always had It" "Then keep away from her." "Don't tell me what to do." "Then don't tell mo." "I'm not telling you. You will da as you pleate; so will I. I left her because Marlon asked me to. I am hero now because I have been sent here. It Is In the course of my business. I have my living to earn and vf friends to protect. Don't dictate to me, because it would be of no ue." , (TO BE CONTINUED.) . |