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Show IkankII.Spearman. ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANPRC BOWLES oy SYNOPSIS. Slmlalr and hi gang of wreck-er- s Murray calli-were nut to rl.ar ll rall'oad MeOl'm-1- , a tracks at Smoky Creek. euuulit Sin younir road sutierlntondt-nt- . clair nnd hl mpn In the act of looting the wrecked train. Sinclair plendert Innocence, declaring It only amounted to a small enm-r- a treat for the men. McC'.oud the wholo outfit and ordered became the wreckage burned. acquainted, with Dlcksie Dunning, a Kirl of the weet, who rume to look at the wreck:. "Whispering" Gordon Smith told President Itucks of the railroad, of brave fight against a Rang of erased mineni and that wa the reason for the superintendent's appointment to hoard at Ma office. McOloud arrante-the hoarding house of Mr. Sinclair, the deserted wife, TJicksle Dunning win the daughter of the late Richard Dunning, who had died of a broken heart shortly after hi wife's demise, d which occurred after one year of married life. Hmoky Creek bridge wan burned. President Bucks notiA fied Smith that he bad work ahead. stock train was wrecked by an open witch. Later a passenger train was beld men up and the express car robbed. Two were of a posse pursuing the bandits Smith" approached killed. "Whispering Sinclair. He tried to buy him off, but failed. He warned McClmid that his life was In danger. Mc'loud was carried presence. forcibly Into Lance Punning' Dunning refused the railroad a he had already signed for. I'cksle Interft-reto prevent a shooting affray. Dlcksie met M' Cloud on a lonely trail to warn him his life was In danger.- On his way home a shot passed through his hat A audden rise of the Crawling Stone river created consternation. Dlcksie and Marlon appealed to McCloud .for help. Whispering Smith Joined the group. McCloud took his men to fight the river. Lanee Dunning welcomed them cordially. McCloud succeeded In halting the flood. and Marlon visited Sinclair at his ranch. He tried to persuade his deserted wife tn return to him. She refused. He Smith of having accused Whispering stolen her love from him. A train was held up and robbed, the bandits escap- ing. Smith and McCloud started In purlit At Paggs ranch Du Bang killed old Baggs. Whispering Smith befriended his son. They came to Williams Cache. Smith was certain the bandits Rebstock. were there. He Importuned to give up Du Sang. "king of the cache." Smith he declared Rebstock refused. would clean out the whole gang. Inclucame the Rebstock. Smith upon ding bandits. Du Sang among them. right-of-wa- y, - Dli-ksl- Cmis store consciousness were unavailing. He turned to where two of the cowboys had dragged Karg to the ground and three others had their old companion Seagrue In hand. While two held huge revolvers within six inches of his head, a third was adjusting a rope-kno- t 4 under his ear. Whispering Smith became Interested. "Hold on!" said he, mildly, "what Is loose? What are you going to do?" "WVre going to bang these fellows," answered Stormy,' with a volley of , Imprecations. "Oh, no! Just put them on horses under guard," "That's what we're going to do," exclaimed the foreman. "Only we're going to run 'em over to those cotton-wood- s and drive the horses out from under 'em. Stand still, you cow thief!" he cried, slipping the noose up tight on George Seagrue's neck. "See here," returned Whispering Smith, showing some annoyance, "you may be joking, but 1 am not. Either do as I tell you or release those men." "Well, I guess we are not joking very much. You heard me, didn't you?" demanded Stormy, angrily. "We are going to string these damned critters up right here in. the draw on the first tree." Whispering Smith drew a pocket- hair-raisin- g 5caMfs i-g- Continued. . ' I I I e- quarters?" put his band on Du Sang's hand. "Tell me where you are hit, Du Sang. Put your hund to it. Is it the Btomarh? Let nie turn you on your side. Kasy. Does your belt hurt? Juot a minute, now; I can loosen that." "I know you," muttered Du Sang, Then his eyes terrible, thickly. rolling, pink eyes brightened and he swore violently. "Du Sang, you are not bleeding much, but I'm afraid you are badly hurt," said Whispering Smith. "Is there anything I can do for you?" "Get me some water." A creek flowed at no great distance below the hill, but the cowboys refused to go for water. Whispering Smith would have gone with Seagrue and Karg, but Du Sang begged him not to leave him alone lest Gorman should kill him. Smith canvassed the situation a moment "I'll put you on my horse," said he at length, "and take you down to the creek." He turned to the cowboys and asked them to help, but they refused to touch Du Sang. Whispering Smith kept his patience. "Karg, take that horse's head," said he. "Come here, Seagrue; help me lift Du Sang on the horse. The boys seem to be afraid of getting blood on ' their hands." With Whispering Smith and Sea grue supporting Du Sang In the saddle have placed five (hots within the coin- - j pass of a silver dollcr. Firing fori Whispering Smith's heart, he had, de spite the fearful shock, put four bullets through his coat before the rifle-ba- ll from the ground, tearing at right angles across the path of the first but-lehad cut down bis life to a question of hours. Bill Dancing, who had been hit in the head and stunned, had boeu moved back to the cabin at Mission Springs, and lay in the little bedroom. A doctor at Orovllle had been sent for, but had not come. At midnight of the second day, Smith, who was be side his bed, saw him rouso up, and noted the brightness of his eyes as he looked around. "Bill," he declared, hopefully, as he sat beside the bed, "you are better, hang it! I know you are. How do you feel?" "Ain't that blamed doctor here yet? Then give me my boots. I'm going back to Medicine Bend to Doc Torpy." In the morning Whispering Smith, who had cleansed and dressed the wound and felt'sure the bullet bad not penetrated the skull, offered no objection to the proposal beyond cautioning him to ride slowly. "You can go down part way with the prisoners, BUI," suggested Whispering Smith. "Brill Young is going to take them to Oroville, and you can act as chairman of the guard." Before the party started, Smith called Seagrue to him. "George, you saved my life once. Do you remember In the Pan Handle? Well, I gave you yours twice In the Cache day before yesterday. I don't know how badly you are into this thing. If you kept clear of the killing at Tower W I will do what I can for you. Don't talk to anybody." t, , CHAPTER XXIX. It was not the first time the Wil Hams Cache gang had aworn to get him and had worked together to do It, but for the first time It looked as If they might do it A single chance was left to Whispering Smith for bis life, and with hla coat slashed with bullets, he took it. For an instant his life hung on the success of a trick so ap palllngly awkward that a clever man might have failed In turning It. If his rifle should play free in the scabbard as he reached for it, he could fall to the ground, releasing It as he plunged from the saddle, and make a fight on his feet If the rifle failed to release he was a dead man. To so narrow an Issue are the cleverest combinations He sometimes brought by chance. dropped his empty revolver, ducked on his horse's neck, like a mud-hethrew back his leg, and, with all the precision he could summon, caught the grip of his muley In both bands. He made his fall heavily to the ground, landing on his shoulder. But as be keeled from the saddle the last thing that rolled over the saddle, like the flash of a porpoise fin, was the barrel of the rifle, secure In his hands. Karg, on horseback, was already bending over him, revolver In hand, but the hot was never fired. A bullet from the ground knocked the gun into the air and tore every knuckle from Karg's hand. Du Sang spurred In from the right A rifle-slulike an ax at the root caught him through the middle. His fingers stiffened. Ills fell to the ground and he clutched- - his side. Seagrue, ducking low, put spurs to his horse, and Whis pering Smith, covered with dust, rose on the battlefield alone. ' Hats, revolvers and coats lay about him. Face downward, the huge bulk of BUI Dancing was stretched motion less In the road. Karg, crouching be side his fallen horse, beld up- - the bloody, stump of bis gun hand, and Du Sang, 60 yards away, reeling like a drunken man In his saddle, spurred his horso In an aimless circle. Whls pering Smith, running softly to the side of his own trembling animal, threw himself Into the saddle, and, ad Justing his rifle sights as the beast plunged down the draw, gave chase to Seagrue. 30-3- 0 g McCloud and Dlcksie. News of the fight In Williams Cache reached Medicine Bend in the night Horsemen, filling In the gaps between telephones leading to the north country, made the circuit complete, but the accounts, confused and colored in the repealing, came in a cloud of conflicting rumors. In the streets, little groups of men discussed the fragmentary reports as they came from the railroad offices. Toward morning, Sleepy Cat, nearer the scene of the fight, began sending in telegraphic reports in which truth and rumor were strangely mixed. McCloud waited at the wires all night hoping for trustworthy advices as to the result, but received none. Even during the morning nothing came, and the silence seemed more ominous than the bad news of the early night Routine business was almost suspended and McCloud and Rooney Lee kept the wires warm with inquiries. At the noon hour McCloud was sign ing letters when Dlcksie Dunning walked hurriedly up the ball and hesitated in the passageway before the open door of his office. He gave an exclamation as he pushed back his chair. She was in her riding suit Just as she had slipped from her saddle. "Oh, Mr. McCloud, have you heard the awful news? Whispering Smith was killed yesterday in Williams Cache by Du Sang." McCloud stiffened a little. "I hope that can't be true. We have had nothing here but rumors; perhaps It is these that you have beard." "No, no! Blake, one of our men, was In the fight and got back at the ranch at nine o'clock this morning. I heard the story myself, and I rode right In to to see Marlon, and my courage failed me I came here first Does she know, do you think? Blake saw him fall from the saddle after he was shot, and everybody ran away, and Du Sang and two other men were firing at him as he lay on the ground He could not possibly have escaped with his life, Blake said; he must have been riddled with bullets. Isn't It terrible?" She sobbed suddenly, and McCloud, stunned at her words, led her to his chair and bent over her. "It his death means this to you, think of what It means to me!" A flood of sympathy bore them together. The moment was hardly one for Interruption, but the dispatcher's door opened and Rooney Lee halted, thunderstruck, on the threshold. Dlcksie's hand disappeared In her handkerchief. McCloud had been In wrecks before, and gathered himself "What Is It, together unmoved. Rooney?" The very calmness of the two at the table disconcerted the dispatcher. He held the message In his hand and shuffled his feet. "Give me your dispatch," said McCloud, Impatiently. Quite unable to take his hollow eyes off Dlcksie, 'poor Rooney advanced, handed the telegram to McCloud, and beat an awkward retreat McCloud devoured the words of the ' message at a glance. "Aht" he cried, "this is from Gor-do- a himself, sent from Sleepy Cat He must be safe nnd unhurt! Listen: Three the Tower W men trailed Into Williams Cache. In resisting arrest this . His Revolver Dropped to the Ground. CHAPTER XXVIII. j knife and walked to Flat Nose, silt the rope around his neck, pushed him out of the circle, and stood in front of him. "You can't play horse with my prisoners," he said, curtly. "Get over here, Karg. Come, now, who is going to walk in first? You act like a schoolboy, Gorman." Hard words and a wrangle followed, but Smith did not change expression, "Have you and there was a back-dowfellows let Du Sang get away whjle you were playing fool here?" he asked. "Du Sang's over the hill there on his horse, and full of fight yet," exclaimed one. "Then we will look him up," suggested Smith. "Come, Seagrue." "Don't go over there. He'll get you If you do," cried Gorman. "Let us see about that Seagrue, you and Karg walk ahead. Don't duck or run, either of you. Go on." Just over the brow of the hill near which the fight; had taken place, a man lay below a ledge of granite. The horse from which he had fallen was grazing close by, but the man had dragged, himself out of the blinding sun to the shade of the sagebrush above the rock the trail of it all lay very plain on the hard ground. Watching him narrowly, Smith, with his prisoners ahead and the cowboys riding in a circle behind, approached. "Du Sang?" The man In the sagebrush turned his head. Smith walked to him and bent "Are you suffering much, Du down. Sang?" The wounded man, sinking with shock and Internal hemorrhage, uttered a string of oaths. Smith listened Quietly till he had done; then he knelt beside him and fours, if "Why, of . The Death of Du 8ang. Whispering Smith, with his horse In a lather, rode slowly back 20 minutes later with Seagrue disarmed ahead of was him. The deserted battle-grounalive with men. Stormy Gorman, hot for blood, had come back, captured Karg, and begun swearing all over again, and Smith listened, with amiable surprise while he explained that seeing Dancing killed, and not being able to tell from Whispering Smith's peculiar tactics which side he was shooting at, Gorman and his companions bad gone f help. While they angrily surrounded Karg and Seagrue, Smith slipped from his horse where BUI Dancing lay, lifted the huge head the from the dust, and tried to tu-giant ever. A groan greeted the attempt. "BUI, open your eyes! Why would you not do as I wanted you to?" he murmured bitterly to himself. A second groan answered him. Smith called for water, and from a canteen drenched the pallid forehead, talking oftly meanwhile; but his efforts to re . Govs ld CHAPTER XXVII lX. "Thoso are Gordon's Initials; it Is the signature over which ho telegraphs me. You see, this whs sent last night long after Btuku left. He Is Bftfe; I will tako my life on It." Dickslo sank back while MeC'loud the moHSt-.'se- . "Oh, Isn't that a relief?" she exclaimed. "But how cr.n it be? 1 can't undent! and It at all; but he is tn'.o, Ir.u'l he? I wa heartbroken when I heard he & killed. Marlon ought to know of this." she said, rising. "I am going to tell her." "And may I come over' after I W! Rooney Lee to repeat this to head- and Karg leading the horse, the caval cade moved slowly down to the creek, where a tiny stream purled among the rocks. The water revived the injured man for a moment; he had even strength enough, with some help, to ride again; and, moving in the same halting order, they took him to cabin. Rebstock, at the door, refused to let the sinking man be brought Into the house. He cursed Du Sang as the cause of all the trou ble. But Du Sang cursed him with usury, and, while Whispering Smith listened, told Rebstock with bitter oaths that if he had given the boy Barney anything but a scrub horse they never would have been trailed. More than this concerning the affair Du Sang would not say, and never said. The procession turned trom the door. Seagrue led the was to 's stable, and they laid Du Sang on some hay. Afterward they got a cot under him. With surprising vitality he talked a long time to Whispering Smith, but at last fell Into a iitupor. At nine o'clock that night he at up. Ed Banks and Kennedy were standing beside the cot Du Sang became delirious, and In his delirium called the name of Whispering Smith; but Smith was at Baggs' cabin with Bill Dancing. In a spasm of pain, Du Sang, opening his eyes, suddenly threw himself back. The cot broke, and the dylsg man rolled under the feet of the frightened horses. In the' light of the lanterns they lifted him back, but he was bleeding slowly at the mouth, quite dead. The surgeon, afterward, found two fatal wounds upon him. The first shot, passing through the stomach, exmorning. Du Bang was wounded, and la plained Du Sang's failure to kill at a dying Two prisoners, Karg and distance la which, uninjured, he could Seagrue. (j. g. Reb-stock- 's . Reb-stock- McC''J you want to." rcd the cottage "Katie Dancing's mother Is sick, and Bhe has gone home. Poor Marlon Is all alone this morning, and half deau with a sick headache," said DIrkslfc. "But I told her, and she said she shouldn't mind v the headache now at all." "But what are yon going to do?" "I am going to get dinner; do you Oh! Mr. McCloud, Have You Heard want to help?" the Terrible News?" "I'm going to help." "Oh, you are? That would be vert shock like that. It really is your pin?" funny." I don't know whose pin it is!" "Oh, "Funny or not, I'm going to help." "Why, what Is the matter?" "You would only be In the way." "Give me the pin!" She put her 1 "You don't know whether should hands unsteadily tip under her hat or not." "I know I should do much better it "Here, for heaven's sake, If you must yeu would go back and run the rail- have something, tako this comb!" She 'slipped from her head the shell that road a few minutes." "The railroad bo hanged. I am for held her knotted hair. He caught bet hand and kissed it, and she could not dinner." get it away. "But I will get dinner for you." "You are dear," murmured Dlcksie, "You need not I can get It for my "if you are silly. The reason I self." You aro perfectly absurd, and If wouldn't let you ride home with me Is we stand here disputing, Marlon wou't because I was afraid you might get shot How do you suppose I should have anything to cat." They went Into the kitchen disput feel if you were killed? Or, don't you ing about what should be cooked. At think I have any feeling?" i8 It all right?" the end of an hour they had two fires "But. "How do I knowl What do you going one in the stove and one in Dlcksie's checks. By that time It had mean? I will not let you ride home been decided to have a luncheon in with me, and you will not let me ride stead of a dinner. Dlcksie attempted home alone. Tie Jim again. I am some soup, and McCloud found a strip going to stay with Marlon all night" of bacon, and after he had cooked It, Dlcksie, with her rldlng-sklr- t pinned CHAPTER XXX. up and her sleeves delightfully rolled back, began frying eggs. When Marlon, The Laugh of a Woman. unable longer to withstand the excite an hour, Marlon, working Within ment, appeared, the engineer, flushed a in the trimming room, wai over, hat with endeavor, was making toast. The three sat down at table togeth- startled to hear the cottage door open er. They found they had forgotten and to see Dlcksie quie unconcernedly the coffee, but Marlon was not allowed walk in. To Marlon's 'exclamation of to move from her chair. When the surprise she returned only a laugh. "I I am coffee was made ready the bacon had have changed my mind, dear. been eaten and more had to be fried. going to stay all night" Marlon kissed her approvingly. McCloud proved Bible for any part of the program, and when they rose It "Really, you are getting so sensible 1 was four p'clock and too late, Mc- shan't know you, Dlcksie. In fact, 1 Cloud declared, to go back to the of- believe this is the most sensible thing you were ever guilty of." fice that afternoon. ' Glad you think so," returned DlckMarion and Dlcksie, after a time, atsie, dryly, unpinning her hat; "certo of but rid get blm, tempted Jointly tainly hope It is. Mr. McCloud perthey found they could not, ao the three talked about Whispering Smith. suaded me it wasn't right for me to When the women tried to discourage ride home alone, and I knew better McCloud by talking hats he played the than he what- danger there was tor wheezy piano, and when Dlcksie spoke him in riding home with me so here about going home he declared he I am. He Is coming over for supper, would ride home with her. But Dlck- too, in a few minutes." When McCloud arrived he brought sie had no mind that he should, and when he asked to know why, without with him a porterhouse steak, and realising what a flush lingered In his Marlon was again driven from the face, she said only, no; if she had kitchen. 'At the end of an hour, Dlckreasons she would give none. McCloud sie, engrossed over the broiler, waa persisted,, because under the flush putting the finishing touches to the about his e93 was the resolve that he steak, and McCloud, more engrossed, would take one long ride that evening, was watching her, when a diffident in any event He had made up his and surprised looking person appeared mind for that ride a longer one than In the kitchen doorway and put hla he had ever taken before, or expected hand undecidedly on the casing. While ever to take again and would not be he stood, Dlcksie turned abruptly to McCloud. balked. Dlcksie, Insisting upon going home, "Oh, by the way, I have forgotten went so far as to have her horse something! Will you do me a favor? brought from the stable. To her sur"Certainly! Do you want money or prise, a horse for McCloud came over a pass?" with It Quiet to the verge of solem"No, not money," said Dlcksie, liftnity, but with McCloud following, ing the steak on her fork, "though Dlcksie walked with admirable firm you might give me a pass." ness out of the shop to the curb. Mc "But I should hate to have you go Cloud gave her rein to her, and with away anywhere " a smile stood waiting to help her I don t want to go anywhere, but X mount never had a pass, and I think it would She was drawing on her second be kind of nice to have one just to glove. "You are not going with me." "You'll let me ride the same road, keep. Don't you?" "Why, yes; you might put It in the won't you even If I can't keep up?" bank and have it drawing interest" Dlcksie looked at his mount "It "This steak is Do they give inter would be difficult to keep up, with that on passes?" est horse." a good deal of interest is felt "Well, "Would you ride away from me Just In them on this division at least. because you have a better horse?" What Is the favor?" "No, not just because I have a bet."Yes, what is it? How can I think! ter horse." I know! If they don't put Jim la Oh, He looked steadily at her without he will kill some of a box stall v speaking, horses over there. Will you tele the must you ride home with me "Why the stables?" when I don't want you to?" she asked, phone (TO BE CONTINUED.) Fear had come reproachfully. upon Kettledrum a Perfect Instrument her and she did not know what she The kettledrum, Mr. Gabriel Cleata-e- r was saying. She saw only the expression of his eyes and looked away, but contended, was perfectly compeshe knew that his eyes followed her. tent to produce atmosphere as well The sun had set The deserted street as rhythm. Even to tune the Instr of a moun- ment three things were required a lay In the white half-ligh- t tain evening, and the day's radiance perfect musical ear, a fine sense ol was dying in the sky. In lower tones touch and five years' experience, Aft he spoke again, and she turned deadly er playing over a kettledrum melody written 80 years ago from Meyerbeer's white. "I've wanted so long to say this. "Robert le Diablo." Mr. Cleather conDlcksie, that I might as well be dead tinued: "I venture to Bay that outside as to try to keep It back any longer. of the musical profession not one perThat's why I want to ride home with son in a hundred of those who listen knows that timyou It you are going to let roe." He to an orchestra turned to stroke her horse's head. pani have notes and can give out a Dlcksie stood seemingly helpless. Mc- melody." No instrument, he added, Cloud slipped his finger into hla waist- bad a greater range of power than the coat pocket and held something out in kettledrum, for none could be played his hand. "This shell pin fell from more softly and none had greater penyour hair that night you were at camp etrating power. I by the bridge do you remember? Affinity Defined. couldn't bear to give it back." A man who has a penchant tor Dlcksie's eyes opened wide. "Let phrase-makinand whose wife has 0 me see it I don't think that is mine." vivid imagination got Into difficulties "Great heaven! Have I been carry- the other day. The lady was reading ing Marlon Sinclair's pin for a an account of the latest divorce and month?" exclaimed McCloud. "Woll, I chanced to run across the won't lose any time in returning It to bromide. "Such a senseless "affinity" word I her, at any rato." she exclaimed ; then, turning to her "Whore are you going?" Dlcksie's husband, "What Is an affinity, anyvoice was faint how?" "Affinity? Oh. accommoda"I'm going to give Marion her pin." tion train," he defined with conscious "Do nothing of the sort! Come aptness. And ever sine he's been here I Give it to me." using all his cleverness in the effort "ftickaie, dare you tell me, after a to explain how he knew. Wfc Dicks? mot him. . , iidt' . - , to-da- y |