Page:Frank Spearman--Whispering Smith.djvu/427

 They were standing under the low porch with the sunshine breaking through the trees. She turned away her face and threw all of her happiness into a laugh. “I won’t tell.”

“Oh, that’s enough. You have told!” declared Whispering Smith. “I knew—why, of course I knew—but I wanted to make you own up. Well, here’s the way things are. Sinclair has run us all over God’s creation for two days to give his pals a chance to break into Williams Cache to get the Tower W money they left with Rebstock. For a fact, we have ridden completely around Sleepy Cat and been down in the Spanish Sinks since I saw you. He doesn’t want to leave without the money, and doesn’t know it is in Kennedy’s hands, and can’t get into the Cache to find out. Now the three—whoever the other two are—and Sinclair—are trying to join forces somewhere up this valley, and Kennedy, Scott, Wickwire, and I are after them; and every outlet is watched, and it must all be over, my dear, before sunset to-night. Isn’t that fine? I mean to have the thing wound up somehow. Don’t look worried.”

“Do not—do not let him kill you,” she cried with a sob.

“He will not kill me; don’t be afraid.”

“I am afraid. Remember what your life is to all of us!” 401