Show sl ir I i I = d = li LISPEDING I SMI1 I > 4 > r by THANK H SPEAIMAN s o J ILLUSTRATIONS S ° BY ANDRE BOWLED 0 COPYRIGHT 1900 BY CHAS 3C IB > < ERJ JOH I uuu < uu I SYNOPSIS Murray Sinclair and his gang of wreck era worn called out to clear the rnllrunil traukn lit Smoky Creek McCloml n young road superintendent hooting entinl ll lo clalrkauanl ksum oriot clair ntnl Ills men In llio net of lootlnR Urn wrecked trnln Blnelalr pleaded 1 Innocence In-nocence declaring It only ainumitcil ttl a 1 small miniu treat for the nun AUClnud discharged the whole flit lit and ordered the wreckage burned McClnild became acquainted 1 with Dlekslc Dllnnlnir u KIll of the west who crone to look at the I wreck Nun avr him a message for Bin rlalr WhliperlnR Gordon Hmlth told President Duels of the railroad of Mo 1 CloudH bravo light nKalnst n KIIIIK of crazed miners and tlv t was tho reason for the superintendents appointment t to his high ollleo 1hill out arranged to board nt thn boarding hoimn of MrB Sin clair tho cxforeinan deserted I wife nicksla Dunning wan the daughter of tho 1 lato Hlchard Dunning who liad died of a broken heart shortly after his wltn demise which occurred after one year of married life Sinclair visited Marlon Sin clairs shop and n tight bctwenn him and McClnuil was nurrowly averted BnioUy 11 Creek bridge wan mysteriously burned McCloud prepared to face tho I situation t 1 msl den l Hucks notified Smith that he 6 hind work ahead McCloud worked for days and finally got thin division running In fairly Rood order He overheard liltk iln crltlclslnpr his methods to Marion Blnelalr A stock train was wrecked by an open switch Later a passenger train was held up and the oxpress ear robbed Two men of a posso pursuing the bandlti were killed McCloud wa notified that jI Whispering Smith was to hunt tho lies poradoes Bill Dancing n load lineman I proposed that Sinclair and his RUHR bo huntgthelbamlltit strnnger np II sent 1o hunt the bandits A stranger apparently ap-parently with authority told him to RO ahead DanclnR was told tho stranger was WhlspcrlnR Smith Smith approached ap-proached Sinclair Ho tried to buy him 1 off but failed He warned < 1 McCloud that Ills life was in danger McCloud was carried t car-ried forcibly Into Lance DunnlneM presence pres-ence Dunnln refused the railroad a I rightofway ho had already signed for Dlcksle Interfered to prevent a shooting affray Dlckslo met MeCloud on a lonely trail to warn him his life was In danger CHAPTER XIII Continued Miss Dunning wont yon listen Just a moment Plcaso dont run away U McCloud was trying to conio up with her Wont you hear mo n moment I have Buffered some little humiliation today I should really rather ho shot up than have more put on me I ama am-a man and you arc a woman and It Is already dark Isnt It for mo to BOO I you safely to the houso Wont you at least pretend I can act as an escort and let mo go with you I should make a poor figure trying to catch you on horseback Dlcksle nodded naively With that t horse horseWith With any horso1 know that said McCloud keeping at her aide Dut I cant lot you rldo back with Inc declared Dlcksle urging Jim and looking directly at McCloud for tho flrst time How could I explain Let me explain I am famous for explaining urged McCloud spurring too And will you toll mo what I should bo doing while you wore explaining she asked Perhaps getting ready a first aid 1 for tho Injured I feel ns If I ought to run away declared Dlcksle since she had clearly decided not to It will have to ho n compromise 1 suppose You must not ride farther than the first gate and lot us lake this trail Instead of tho road Now make your horso go as fast as you can and Ill keep up But McClouds horso though not a wonder went too fast to suit his rider who divided his efforts between checkIng check-Ing him and keeping up tho conversation conversa-tion When McCloud dismounted to open Dlckslo8 gate and stood In tho twilight with his hat In his hand and A his bridle over his arm he was telling a story about Marlon Sinclair and Dlckslo In tho saddle tapping her e 1 r Il r i i r i ir P B f I McCloud Laid His Head Low and Spurred His Horse knee with her brldlo role was looking down and past him as If the light upon his faco were too bright Before sho would atari away sho made him remount re-mount and he said goad by only after half a promise from her that she would show him sometime a trail to I the top of Brldgors Peak with a view 0 of tho Peace river on tho east and tho wholo Mission range and tho park I d country on the north Then sho rode away at an amazing run McCloud galloped toward Iho pass with ono determination that ho would have a norse and a good one one that could travel with Jim If It cost him Ills salary HO exulted as ho rode fen tho day had brought him overytl I he wished and humiliation had b swallowed up In triumph It was nearly near-ly dark when ho reached tho crest bo tweon tho hills At this point tho southern grade of the pass winds sharply whence ItB name tho Elbow but from tho head of tho pass tho Kraclo may bo commanded at Intervals for half n mile Trotting down this road with his bend In a whirl of excitement ex-citement McCloud heard tho crack of a rifle at tho same Instant I ho felt a sharp slap at his hat Instinct works on nil bravo men very much alike McCloud dropped forward In his saddle I sad-dle and seeking no explanation laid his headj low and spurred Bill Dan clogs horso for life or death Tho horse quite amazed bolted and swerved down the grade like a snipe with his rider crouching closo for a second shot But no second shot came and after another mile McCloud ventured to take off his hat and put his finger through the holes In It though ho did not stop his horse to make the examination WliQn they reached the open country tho horse had settled Into a fast long stride that not only redeemed his reputation but relieved his riders nerves nutWhen When McCloud entered his olllco it was half past nine oclock and tho first thing ho didv before turning on tho lights was to draw the window shades IIo examined tho hat again wltl sensations that wero now to him fear resentment antia hearty hatred of his enemies But all tho whllo tho picture of Dlckslo remained Ho thought of her nodding to him as they parted In the saddle and her pic ture blotted out all that had followed CHAPTER XIV At the Wickiup Two nights later Whispering Smith rodo Into Medicine Bend Ive been up around Williams Cache ho said answering McClouds greeting as he entered tho upstairs office How goes It Ho was In his riding rig Just as ho had come from a late supper When ho asked for news McCloud told him tho story of tho trouble with Lance Dunning over tho survey and added that ho had referred tho matter to Glover Ho told then of his unpleasant un-pleasant surprlso when riding homo afterward Yes assented Smith looking with fovcrlsh interest at McClouds head I hoard about It Thats odd for I havent said a word about tho matter to anybody but Marlon Sinclair and you havent seen her I heard up tho countr It Is great luck that ho missed you Who missed mo The man that was after you Tho bullet went through my hat Let me see tho hat McCloud produced it It was a heavy brad brimmed Stetson with a bullet halo cut cleanly through the front and the back of tho crown Smith made McCloud put the hat on and describe his position when tho shot was fired McCloud stood up and Whispering Smith eyed hIm and I put questions I What do you think of It asked McCloud when he had dono Smith leaned forward on the table and pushed McClouds hat toward him as If the Incident wore closed There Is no question in my mind and there never has been hut that Stetson puts up the best hat worn on the range McCloud raised his eyebrows Why thank you Your conclusion clears things so After you speak a man I bus nothing to do but guess I But by heaven George exclaimed Smith speaking with unaccustomed fervor Miss Dlckblc Dunning Is a hummer isnt sho That child will havo tho wholo range going In another year To think of her standing up and lashing her cousin In that way when he was browbeating a railroad man manWhere Where did you hear about that The wholo Crawling Stonb country Is talking about It You novel told mo you had a misunderstanding with Dlckslo Dunning at Marlons Loosen up I will loosen up In tho way you do What scared mo most Gordon was waiting for tho second shot Why didnt ho fire again Doubtless ho thought he had yon the first time Any man big enough to start after you Is not used to shootIng shoot-Ing twice at 250 yards Ho probably thought you were falling out of tho saddle and It was dark I can account for everything but your reaching the pass so lato How did you spend all your time between the ranch and tho foothills McCloud saw there was no escape from telling of his meeting with Dick Bio Dunning of her warning and of his rldo to tho gato with her Ivory point brought a suppressed exclamation exclama-tion from Whispering Smith So sho gave you your life ho mused Good for her If you had got into tho pass on time you could not have got away tho cards wore stacked for you Ho overestimated you a llttlo George Just a little Good men make I1IIH I takes The sport of circumstances that we lire Cue sport of clrcum I stances I Now tell mo how you heard ro much about It Gordon and where Through a friend but forgot It Do you know who shot at me Yes I think I do too I think It was tho fellow that shot so well with tho rlllo at tho barbecue what was his name Ho was working for Sinclair and perhaps Is yet You moan Scagruc tho Montana cowboy No you are wrong Scagruo Is a man kilier but a square ono How do you know I will tell you sometime but this was nOt Scngrue One of Dunnlngs men was it Stormy Gorman No no a very different sort Stormy is a windbag The man that Is after you Is In town at this minute and ho has como to stay until lie finishes his Job Tho devil Thats what makes your eyes so bright lit I It Do you know him I lIMo seen him You may see him yourself If you want to Id hike nothing better When Totilght In 30 minutes Mc Cloud closed his desk Thoro was a rap at the door That must bo Kennedy said Smith I havent seen him but I sent him word for him to meet mo here The door opened and Kennedy entered tho room Sit down Farrell Raid WhisperIng Whisper-Ing Smith easily Vo gates Hows that Wlo geht es Dont pretend you cant make out my German He is trying to let on ho Is not a Dutchman Dutch-man observed Whispering Smith to McCloud You wouldnt believe It but I can remember when Farrell woro wooden shoes and lighted his pipe with a candle Ho sleeps under a feather bed yet Du Sang is In town Farrell Du Sang echoed tho tall man with mild interest as he picked up a ruler and throwing his leg on tho edge of tho table looked cheerful How long has Du Sang been in town Visiting friends or doing business Ho is after your superintendent Ho has been hero since four oclock I reckon and 1vo ridden a hard road today to-day to get In In time to talk It over with him Want to go Kennedy slapped his leg with the ruler I always want to go dont I Farrell If you liadnt l been a railroad rail-road man you would have rnado a great undertaker do you know that Kennedy slapping his leg showed his Ivory teeth You have such an Instinct In-stinct for funerals added Whispering Smith Now Mr Smith Well who are wo waiting for Im ready said Kennedy taking out his revolver and examining It McCloud put on his now hat and asked If ho should take a gun You are really accompanying mo as my guest George explained Whispering Smith reproachfully Wont it be fun to shovo this man right under Du Sangs noso and make him bat his eyes he added to Kennedy Well put ono in your pocket If you like George provided you have one that will go oft when sufficiently urged McCloud opened the drawer of tho table and took from it a revolver Whispering Smith reached out his hand for the gun examined it and handed It back You dont like it Smith smiled a sickly 1 approbation A fortyfive gun with a thirtyeight bore George A little light for shock a little light A bullet Is intended to knock a man down not necessarily to kill him but if possible to keep him from killing 1 you Never mind we all have our fads Come on At the foot of the stairs Whispering Smith stopped Now I dont know I whore we shall find this man but well try tho Three Horses As they I started down tho street McCloud took ho inside of the sidewalk but Smith dropped behind and brought McCloud into tho middle They failed to find Du Sang at tho Threo Horses and leaving started to round up the street They visited many places but each was entered In tho same way Kennedy Ken-nedy sauntered in first and moved slowly ahead Ho was to step aside only In case ho nw Du Sang Mc Cloud In every Instance followed him with Whispering Smith Just behind amiably surprised Tluy spent an hour In and out of tho Front street resorts re-sorts but their search was fruitless You me sure he is In town asked Kennedy Tho three men stood deliberating de-liberating in the shadow of a side street Sure answered Whispering Smith Of course If ho turns the trick ho wants to get away quietly Ho Is lying low Who Is that Farrell A man passing out of tho shadow of a shade treo was crossing Fort street 100 feet away It looks like our party whispered Kennedy No stop a bit They drew back Into tho shadow That Is Du Sang said Kennedy 1 know his hobble CHAPTER XV A Test Du Sang had the sldewlsc gait of a wolf and crossed the street with the choppy walk of the man out of along a-long saddle Being both uncertain and quick he was a man to Blip a trail easily Ho traveled around the block and disappeared among the many open doors that blazed along 11111 street Less alert trailers than the two IK hind him would have been at fault but when he 1 entered the place ho was looking for Kennedy was so close that Du Sang could have spoken to hIm had he turned around Kennedy passed directly abend A moment later Whispering Smith put hIs head inside tho door of the Joint Du Sang had entered withdrew It and rejoining his companions spoke In an undertone A negro dive lies lying low Now wo will keep our regular reg-ular order Its a halfbasoment with n bar on theleft crap games at the table behind the screen on the right Kennedy will you take tho rear end of tho bar It covers lo wholo room and the back door George pass in ahead of mo and step Just to the left of the slot machine youve got the front door thoro and everything behind be-hind the screen and I can get close to Du Sang Look for a thinnlsh yellow faced man with a brown hat and a brown shirtand pink eyes shooting shoot-ing crabs under this window Ill shoot craps with him Is your heart pumpIng pump-Ing George Never mind this is easy Farrell youre first The dive badly lighted and ventilated venti-lated was counted tough among tough places While men and colored mixed before tho bar and about the tables When Smith stepped around the screen and Into tho Hare of the hanging hang-ing lamps Tu Sang stood In the small corner below tho screened street window win-dow McCloud though vitally interested inter-ested In looking at the man that had como to town to kill him felt his attention at-tention continually wandering back to Whispering Smith Cue clatter of the rolling dice the guttural Jargon of tho negro gamblers tho drift of men to and from tho bar and tho clouds of tobacco smoke made a hazy background for tho stoop sliouldered man with his gray hat and shabby coat dustcovered and travel sltned Industriously licking the broken wrapper wrap-per of a cheap cigar and rolling it fondly under his forefinger he waR making his way unostentatiously to ward Du Sang Thirtyodd men were in the saloon but only two know what the storm center moving slowly across the room might develop Kennedy Ken-nedy seeing everything anti talking pleasantly with one of the barkeepers his closeset teeth gleaming 20 feet away stood at the end of the bar sliding slid-ing an empty glass between his hands Whispering Smith pushed past tho onlookers on-lookers to get to the end of the table where Du Sang was shooting lIe made no effort to attract Du Sangs attention and when tho latter looked up he could have pulled the gray hat from tho head of the man whoso brown eyes wero mildly fixed on Du Sangs dice they wore lying just In front of Smith Looking indifferently at tho Intruder Du Sang reached for the dice Just ahead of his light hand Whispering Smiths right nand tho fingertips extended on tho table rested in front of them it might have boon through accident or It might have been through design In his left hand Smith held the broken cigar and without looking at Du Sang ho passed the wrapper again over the tip of his tongue and slowly across his lips Du Sang now looked sharply at him and Smith looked at his cigar Others were playing around the semicircular taJlolt might mean nothing Du Sang waited Smith lifted his right hand from the table and felt In his waistcoat for a match Du Sang however how-ever made no effort to take up the dice Ho watched Whispering Smith scratch a match on the table and either because It failed to light or through design It was scratched the second time on the table marking across a-cross between tho two dice Tho meanest negro in the Joint would not have stood that yet Du Sang hesitated Whispering Smith mildly surprised looked up Hello Pearllno You shooting hero He pushed tho dice back toward the out law Shaot again Du Sang scowling snapped the I dice and throw badly Up Jump the devil is It Shoot again And pushing back the dice Smith moved closer to Du Sang Tho two men touched arms Du Sang threatened in a way wholly now to him waited like a snake braved by a mysterious enemy His eyes blinked like a badgers He caught up tho dice and threw Is that tho best you can do asked Smith See here He took up the dlco Shoot with mo Smith throw the dice up the table toward to-ward Du Sang Once ho threw craps but reaching directly In front of Du Sang he picked tho dice up and throw eleven Shoot with me Du Sang Whats your game snapped Du Sang with an oath What do you care if Ive got the coin Ill throw you for 20 gold pieces Du Sangs eyes glittered Unable to understand the reason for the affront ho stood like a cat waiting to spring This Is my game ho snarled Then play It Look here what do you want ho demanded angrily Smith stepped closer Any game youve got Ill throw you left liauled Du Sang With his right hand ho snapped the dice under Du Stings nose and looked squarely into his eyes Got any Sugar Buttes money Du Sang for an Instant looked keenly keen-ly back his eyes contracted in that time to a mere narrow out than sudden sud-den as thought ho sprang back Into tho corner Kennedy directly across tho table watched tho lightninglike move For tho first time the crap dealer looked impatiently up It was a showdown No one watchIng watch-Ing tho two men under ho wlnlloi I I breathed for a moment whlspe q I l I I 0 Q5 P L 1 0 l 1 Vi l I i iI d I ii r k i i i i i sip s-ip IIi II O e i ass Take Your Hand from Your Gun You Albino I I a Smith motionless only watched the halfclosed eyes You cant shoot craps ho said coldly What can you shoot Pearlluo You cant stop a man on horseback Du bang knew he must try for a quick kill or make a retreat IIo took In the field at a glance Kenned Ken-ned s teeth gleamed only ten feet away and with his right hand half under his coat lapel ho toyed with his watch chain McCloud had moved in from tho slot machine and stood at the point of the table looking at Du Sang and laughing at him WhisperIng Whisper-Ing Smith threw off all pretense Take your hand away from your gun you albino Ill blow your head oft lefthanded if you pull Will you get out of this town tonight If you cant drop a man In the saddle at 250 yards what do you think youd look like after aft-er a break with me Go back to tho whelp that hired you and tell him when ho wants a friend of mlno to send a man that can shoot If you are within 20 miles of Medicine Bend at daylight Ill rope you llko a fat cow I and drag you down Front street Du Sang with burning eyes shrank narrower and smaller Into his corner ready to shoot If he had to but not liking tho chances No man in Williams Cache could pull or shoot with Du Sang but no man in the mountains had ever drawn successfully successful-ly against the man that faced him Whispering Smith saw that he would not draw He taunted him again In low tones and backing away spoke laughingly to McCloud While Kennedy Ken-nedy covered tho corner Smith backed to the door and waited for the two to Join him They halted a moment nt the door then they backed slowly up the steps and out Into the street There was no talk till they reached tho Wickiup oillce Now will some of you tell me who Du Sang Is asked McCloud after Kennedy and WhisperIng I Whisper-Ing Smith with banter and laughing had gone over the scene Kennedy picked up the ruler The I wickedest cruelest man in the bunch and tho best shot Where is your hat George the ono he put tho bullet through asked Whispering Smith limp In the big chair Burn It up he thinks ho missed you Burn it up now Never lot him find out what a close call you had Du Sang Yes ho is cold blooded as a wildcat and cruel as a soft bullet Du Sang would shoot a dying man George Just to keep him squirming in tho dirt Did you ever suo such eyes In a human being set like that and blinking so In the light Its bad enough to watch a man when you can see his eyes Heros hoping were done with him CHAPTER XVI New Plans Callahan crushed the tobacco under his thumb in the palm of his right hand So I am sorry to add he concluded to McCloud that you are now out of a Job The two men were facing each other across tho table In McClouds office Personally I am not sorry to say It either added Callahan slowly tilling tho bowl of his pipe pipeMcCloud McCloud said nothing to tho point as thcro seemed to bo nothing to say until ho had heard more I never know before that you wero left handed he returned evasively its a lucky thing because It wont do for a freight tratllc man nowadays to let his right hand know what hIs left hand does observed Cnlliilui feeling for a match I am the y lefthanded man in tho traffic department depart-ment but the man that handles the rebates re-bates Jltnmlc Black is cress oybd Bucks offered to send him to Chicago to have Br son straighten his eyes but Jimmle thinks It Is better to have them as they are for the present so he can look at a4 thing In two different waysone for the interstate commerce com-merce commission and ono for himself him-self You havent heard then continued con-tinued Callahan returning to his riddle rid-dle about McClouds Job WhyLanco Dunning has gone into the United States court and got an Injunction against us on the Crawling Stone line M tied us up tighter than zero No more construction there for a year at least Dunning comes In for himself him-self and for a cousin who is his ward and three or four little ranchers 1 have filed billsso Its up to tho lawyers t law-yers for 80 per cent of the gato receipts re-ceipts and peace Personally Im glad G I of it It gives you a chanco to look after this operating for a year yourself ff I your-self We are going to be swamped with freight traffic this year and I want it moved through the mountains like checkers for the next six months You know what I mean George To McCloud tho news came in spite of himself as a blow The results he had attained in building through tho lower valley had given him a name among the engineers of the whole line The splendid showing of the winter construction on which ho had depended de-pended to enable him to finish the whole work within the year was by this news brought to naught Those of the railroad men who said he could not deliver a completed line within the year could never bo answered now And there was some slight bitterness In the reflection that tho very stum + blingblock to hold him back to rob him of his chanco for a reputation with men llko Glover and Ducks should bo the lands of Dlckslo Dunning Dun-ning Ho made no complaint On tho dl r vision ho took hold with now en orgy and bent his faculties on tho operating op-erating problems At Marlons ho saw Dlckslo at Intervals and only to fall more hopelessly under her spell each time Sho could bo serious and she could bo volatile and she could be something between which ho could never quite make out Sho could be serious with him when ho was serious and totally Irresponsible tho next minute min-ute with Marlon On tho other hand when McCloud attempted to bo flippant flip-pant Dlcksle could bo confusingly grave Once when ho was bantering with her at Marlons sho tried to say something about her regret that complications com-plications over the right of way should have arisen but McCloud mado light of it and waved tho matter aside as If ho wore a cavall Dlckslo did r not llko It but It was only that he was afraid sho would realize he was a 6 mere railroad superintendent with t hopes of a record for promotion quite blasted And as if this obstacle to a greater reputation wero not enough a JIlt wilier enemy threatened In tho spring to leave only shreds and patches oJ what ho had already earned TO BB CONTINUED |