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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1910)
Silver By REX BEACH COPYRIGHT 1909. BY CIIArTER XI. I t rr i." v.. Froblshor. I should say." gasped Boyd to the reporter. ' "No. sir. Alton Clyde! lit was pretty talkative the night I saw bini." The reiorter laughed meaning ly. "Drunk, do you mean?" "Oh. uot exactly drunk, but pretty wet. He knew what he was saying. however. Can't you give me soia thins more?". "Nothing." r.oyd hurried to his hotel a prey to mingled anger and contrition So Fraser had rold the truth, ufter all and with a l.ind of sullen lovnlty had "hosen to reumlu under n cloud himself rather than Inform on n friend. It was quite In keeping with the fellow's pe culiar temperament As It happened, Boyd found the two men together and lost no time in acquainting them with his discovery. ' I ve come to apologize to you." he said to Fraser. who grinned broadly and was seized with a sudden nbnsb ment which stilled his tongue. Emor son turned to Clyde. "Why. did you permit me to ao mis injustice ii aian i mean to give out any secrets I don't remember doing it," Alton apologized lamely. "You know I can't drink much. I don't remember a thing about it, honestly." Boyd re garded him coldly, but the young man's penitence seemed so genuine, be looked so weak, so pitifully lnconipe tent, that the other lacked heart to chastise him. It requires resistance to develop heat, and against the absence of character it is impossible to create any sort of emotion. "When you got drunk that night you not only worked a great hardship on all of us, but afterward you allowed me to misjudge a very faithful man." declared Boyd. "If you can't keep a close mouth and do as you are told you'd better go back to Chicago." "Don't climb any higher." admon lsbed "Fingerless" Fraser. "lie's all flutfed up new. I'll lay you 8 to 1 be lon't make another break of the kind. "No; I was so com-cussed-pletely pickled that I forgot I even spoke about the salmon canning business. I'll Treak my corkscrew and seal my flask. and from this moment until we come out next fall the demon rum and I are divorced. Is that good news?" "Everything Is a Joke to you. isn't It?' said Boyd. "If this trip doesn't make a man of you, you'll never grow op." As if nilllard's conversion had mark ed the turning point of their luck, the partners now entered upon a period of almost uninterrupted success. Boyd signed his charter, securing a tramp steamer then discharging at Tacoma; Bait closed his contracts for Chinese labor, and the scattered carloads of material which bad been lost en route or mysteriously laid out on sidings be gan to come In as if of their own ac cord. A brigade of orientals and a mlnia ture army of fishermen had appeared as If by magic and were quartered in the lower part of the city awaiting shipment At the dock one throbbing April evening the Bedford Castle berthed, ready to receive ber cargo, and the two men made their way to ward their hotel, weary, but glowing 1.1- . 1 I wiiu me graierui sense or an arduous duty well performed. The following morning would find the wharf swarm ing with stevedores and echoing to the rattle of trucks, the clank of hoists and the shrill whistles of the signal men. "Looks like they couldn't stop us now," said Bait "It does." agreed Emerson. "Wr ought to clear In four days that'll be the 13th." "It smells like an early spring, too," the fisherman observed, sniffing the air "If It is we'll be In Kalvlk the flrsi week In May." "I'm off to tell Cherry," said Boyd. Ills course took him past Hllllnrd's bank, and when abreast of it he nearly collided with a man who came hurry ing forth. In the well groomed, fiery linlred. plump figured man Emerson recognized the manager of the North American Packers' association. "Good evening. .Mr Marsh." Marsh whirled about. "Eh? Ah: Why. yes. it's Emerson." Marsh informed Boyd of the anger of Mildred's father at his canning en terprise and also that Mildred and Mr. Wnylnm! vre in visit Kalvlk on s yachting tour. Emerson was great ly nniasied at lb!. Information; also he realized that Marsh lr.d arrived on the spot because lllltlard had granted his opponents their needed loan. The men separated The next i::orntng Bait rushed In on Emerson with news that tle laborers loading the Bedford Castle had pone ou u strike because the captain, Pens ley, rightly refused a demand of $2,000 by the union. "It's Marsh again." said Big George. "Yes." Emerson answered; "It's a holdup pure and simple." A look of intense anxiety came Into his eyes. When Boyd returned some two hours later he found the dock deserted save for Big George, v. ho prowled watchful ly "limit the freight piles. "Well, did ;ou lis It up?" the fisher- Horde! Author of Th Spoilers" and The Harrier" HARPER O- BROTHERS man Inquired. "No." exclaimed Boyd. "It's a rank frame-up. and I refused to be bled." "Good for you." "There are some things a fellow's manhood won't stand for. I'll carry that freight aboard with my own hands before I'll be robbed bv a labor union at the bidding of Willis Marsh.' "Say, will you let me load this ship my way?". George asked "Can you do It?" Bait's thick Hps drew back from his yellow teeth In that smile which Emer son had come to recognize as a har binger of the violent acts that rejoiced his lawless soul. "Listen." said he, with a chuckle Town the street yonder I've got a hundred fishprmoii. Half of them nre diuuk nt thia minute and the rest are hall drunk." "Then they nre of no use to us." "I don't reckon you ever seen u herd of Kalvlk fishermen out of a Job, did you? Well, there's Just two things they know, fishing and fighting, and this ain't the fishing season. When they hit Seattle the police force goes up Into the residence section and stuffs cotton lu its ears, because the only thing that Is strong enough to stand between a uniform and a flsheNnnn Is a hill." "Can you Induce them to work?" "I can. All I'm afraid of Is that I can't. Induce them to quit , They're liable to put his freight aboard the Bedford Castle and then pull down the dock in u spirit of playfulness and pile it In Captain Peasley's cabin. There ain't no convulsion of nature that's equal to a gang of Idle fisher men." "When can they begin?" "Well, It will take me all night to round them up, and I'll have to lick four or flvo, but there ought to be a dozen or two on hand in the morn ing." George cast a roving eye over the warehouse from the heavy plank ing underfoot to the wide spanning rafters above. "Yes," he concluded, "I don't see nothing breakable, so I guess It's safe." "Would you like me to go with you?" The giant considered him specula tively. "I don't think so. I ain't nev er seen you in action. No, you better stay here and arrange to guard this stuff till morning. I'll do the rest." The following morning, true to his word, the big fellow walked into the warehouse followed by a score or more of burly fishermen. Bait bore signs of strife. The big man's lips were cut. while back of one ear a knot had sprung up overnight like a fungus. They fell to work quickly, stripping themselves to their undershirts; they manned the hoists, seized trucks, and bale books and began their tasks with a thoroughly nonunion energy. Some of tbem were still so drunk that they staggered, their awkwardness afford ing huge sport to their companions, yet even in their Intoxication they were surprisingly capable. George sought out Boyd and proudly In quired: "What do you think of them, eh?" ' "They are splendid. But where are the others?" "Well, there are two or three that won't be able to get around at all." He meditatively stroked the knuckles of bis right hand, which were badly bruised. "But the balance will be here tomorrow. These are Just the mildest mannered ones the family men. you might say. The others will show up gradual." The work hnd not continued many hours before a stranger made his way In upon the dock and began to argue with the first fisherman he met Boyd, approaching him. demanded: "What do you want?" "Nothing." snld the newcomer. "Then get out." "What for? I'm Just talking to this man." "Will you go?' "Say, you can't lond that cargo this way." the man began threaten ingly. "And you can't mnke me go" At which Emerson seized him by the collar and quickly disproved the asser tion, to the great delight of the fish ermen. He thrust him out into the street "I'm a union man. and you can't lond thnt ship with 'scabs.'" The stranger swore ns be slunk off. The first actual violence, however. occurred when the fishermen knocked off for the noon hour. Boyd cnlled up the iollce department, then summoued Big George. It was with considerable difficulty that the nonunion crew fought Its way back to resume work at 1 o'clock. During the afternoon the strikers made several attempts to enter the dock shed, nnd It required a firm stand by the guards to restrain them. The next morning found the non union men out In such force thnt they were divided Into a night and n day- crew, half of them being sent back to report later, while among the moun tains of freight the work went, for ward faster than ever But In time the city invoke to the realization thai scrlmis ''!' 1' I'-t was n -1 - - res The ll.-.I'ilfnl of I! :', ;; : . . bered twenty to one and guarded only by a thin line of pickets, became a enter of general Interest It was on the fourth day that Boyd espied the man In the gray suit among the strikers and pointed hlin out to his three companions. Clyde and Fra ser having Joined him nnd George in a spirit of curiosity. Late In the afternoon, without a moment's warning, the strikers rushed lu a body, bearing down the guards like resls. Emerson and his companions found themselves carried away before the on slaught like chips In the surf, then sucked Into a maelstrom where the first duty was self preservation. Boyd succeeded in keeping his footing nnd eventually fought his way to a backing of crated machinery, where he stooped and ripped a cleat loose. Then, laying about him with thlfc weapon, he clear cO a space. At the first alarm the fishermen had armed themselves with bale hooks aud bludgeons and for a time worked havoc among their assailants. Seeing Clyde In u helpless condition Emerson shouted: "Come ou! I'll help you aboard the ship." lie found n hardwood club be neath his feet aud with it cleared a pathway for Clyde and himself. He suddenly spied the man In the gray suit, who had cl'mbed upin one of the frelt piles, whence he was scan n!ng the crowd. The man recognized Emerson and pointed him out. Tho rext Instnut Boyd saw him approach ing, followed by several others. Then. though Boyd fell back farther, the others rushed lu and he found himself hard beset What happened thereafter neither he nor Altou Clyde, who was half dazed to begin with, ever clearly remembered. Before he had recognized the person al nature of tho assault Emerson, found himself engaged In a furious band to hand struggle. Then a sudden black ness swallowed him up, after which he found himself upon his knees, his arms loosely encircling a pair of legs. As he struggled upward something smots him in tho sldo with sickening force, and he went to bis knees again. lie could only raise his shoulder and fling an arm weakly above his head In anticipation of the crushing blow he EK COULD ONLY PLINO AN ABU WEAKLY ABOVK BIS HEAD. thought was coming. But It did not descend. Instead he beard a gunshot. A weight sank across his calves. Then, with a final effort, he pulled himself free and staggered to his feet, his head rocking, bis knees sagging. He saw a man's figure facing him and lunged at It to bring up In the arms of "Fingerless" Fraser." Boyd turned and beheld the body of a man stretched face downward on the floor. Beyond the fellow In the gray suit was disappearing Into the crowd. Then he saw a gleam of blue metal In Eraser's heads. "Give me that gun!" be panted. "I may need It myself, and I ain't got but the one here. Let's get Clyde out of this." Fraser lifted the young clubman, who was huddled la a formless heap as If he had fallen from a great height, and together the two dragged hira to ward the Bedford Castle. That night under glaring headlines the evening papers told the story, re porting one fisherman fatally hurt, one striker dead of a gunshot wound nnd many others Injured. CHAPTER XII. A' IIALF mile from Captain Peas ley's ship the rival company tenders were loading rapidly i J 'with union labor. The next day Emerson and Clyde drove down to the dock with Cherry In a closed carriage, experiencing no annoyance beyond some Jeers and Insults as they passed through the picket Hue. Boyd had barely seen them comfortably es tablished on board when up the ship's gangway came "Fingerless" Fraser radiantly attired, three heavily laden hotel porters groaning at his back, the customary thick walsted cigar between his teeth. "Are you going with us?" Boyd In quired. "Sure." "See here! Is life one long succes sion of surprise parties with you?" "Why. I've flggind on this right along." "But the ship Is Jammed now. There Is no room." "Oh, I fixed thnt up long ngo. I nm going to bunk with the steward." "Well, why In the world didn't you let us know you were coming?" "Say, don't kid yourself. You know I couldn't stay behind." Fraser blew a cloud of smoke airily. "I never Mart anything I can't finish. I keep telling yon. mid I'm going to put this deal through, now that I've pot It started." T."t'a a TialT e'luoarTasseO laugh and a complete change of man ner. be laid h!s hand upon Boyd's shoulder, saying: "Pal. I ain't much ;:ood to myself or anybody else, but 1 like you and I want to stick nround. Mayb" I'll come In useful yet you can't te'.l." Emerson had never glimpsed this side of the man's nature, nnd It rather surprised him. "Of course you can come along. o!d man." he responded heartily. "We're glad to have you." The decks of the big. low lying tramp steamer were piled high with gear of every description. Beady now to sail.- Boyd went out to the dock of flee to wire Mildred of his success. "Fingerless" Fraser soon ran In upon him. "They've come to grab you for killing that striker!" he began breathlessly. "There's a couple of square toes' on the dock now. Better take It on the 'lam' quick!" "God!" So Marsh had withheld this stroke uutii the last moment. "You'd belter 'beat' It. quick!" "How? I couldn't get tliff urh thnt crowd. They know me. Listen!" Outside the street broke Into a roar nt some launt "f the fishermen high up In the rig'.ting. "I can't run away, and If those detectives get too I'm ruined." Boyd clinched his hands In despera tion. "1 guess they've got me." he said bitterly. "There's ro nut." "From uu.t they said 1 don't thln'.t they know you." Fraser continued. "Anyhow, they wanted Peasley to point you out When they come off maybe you can slip 'em." Boyd seized eagerly upou the sug gestion. "The wharf Is empty see! I'll have to cross It lu plain sight." Through the rear door of the office thnt opened upon the dock proper they beheld the great floor almost eutlrely clear. Save for a few tons of freight nt w hich Big George's men were work ing It was as unobstructed as a lawn, and. although It was nearly tho size of a city block, It afforded no more means of concealment than did the little of fice Itself, with Its glass doors, Its counter nnd Its long desk, nt tho far ther end of which a bill clerk was por ing over his task. They saw at tho foot of the gang plank two men talking with Big George. They saw Bait point the strangers carelessly to the office, whence ho had seen Boyd disappearing a few moments before, and turn back to his stevedores. Theu they saw the plain clothes men approuchlng. "Here! Gimme your coat and hat, quick!" cried Fraser In a low voice, his eyes blazing at a sudden thought. He stripped his own garments from his back with feverish haste. "Put mine on. There! I'll stall for you. When they grab me, take It on the run. Understand!" "That won't do. Everybody knows me." Boyd cast an apprehensive glance at the arched back of the bill clerk, but Fraser, quick of resource In such a situation, forced him swiftly to make the change, saying: "Nix. It's your only 'out.' Stand here, see!" He Indicated a position beside the rear door. "I'll step out the other way where they can see me," he continued, pointing to the wagon way at the right "Savvy? When they grab me you beat It and don't wait for nothing." "But you"- Alrendy they could hear the foot steps of the officers. "I'll take a chance. Goodby." There was no time even for a hand shake. Fraser stepped swiftly to the door, then strolled quietly out Into the view of the two men. who an In stant later accosted him. "Are you Mr. Boyd Emerson?" The adventurer answered brusquely, "Yes, but I can't talk to you now." ''You are under urresl.Mr CiTior son." Boyd waited to hear no more. The glnss door swung open noiselessly un der his hand,, and he stepped out Just as the bill clerk looked up from his work, staring. out through the other entrance. "Fingerless" Frns.-r's voice was louder now. as If f a signal. "Ar rest me? What do you mean? Get out of my way." "You'd better como peaceably." Boyd heard a sharp exclamation "Get him, Bill!"-and then the sound of men struggling. He ran, followed by a ronr from the strikers. In whose full view Frnser's encounter with the plain clothes men was taking place. A backward glance showed him that Fraser had drawn bis pursuers to tho street. Scarcely had Boyd reached Big George when a wing of tho besieging army swept In through the unguarded entrance and down the dock like an avalanche, leaving bohlad them the battling officers and tho hungry pack clamoring for the prisoner. "Drop that freight and get aboard tho best way you can!" Boyd yelled nt tho fishermen, and, with a bound, was out Into the open, crying to Captain Peasley on the bridge: "Here they come! CnHt off. for God's sake!" The dozen men who had been sling ing freight ou the dock hastened up tho gangplank or climbed the fenders, whllo tho signalman clung to the lift ing tackle nnd, at the piping cry of his whistle, was swung aloft out of the very arms of the rioters. Above, on the flying bridge, Captain Peasley was bellowing orders. At last tho Bedford Castle was under way. Even ofter they were miles down the sound I'.oyd remained nt his post, sweeping the waters astern In nn anx ious search for some swift harbor craft, the appearance of which would signal that bis escape had been dis covered. "I won't feel safe until we arc -:r:' Port Tow ir'i ml," li: ,:: f -eil toC' ; 0 New Golf Caps for Boys 25 and SOo. IQPVKIOHT 1910 i A GREAT many friends of "Widow Jones" Clothing for boys and young men will be glad to Know thee splendid clothes can be found at our store. We claim that we now have the two best malcesof boy's clothes in Amer ica, namely "Hercules" and "Widow Jones." You'll be pleased with them. Bring the boy or young man and try them on. Knickerbocker suits $5 to $10; young men's S7.50 to $20. Boy's all-wool Knicker Suits Cannot be duplicated. i THE HOME OF ry. who maintained n position nt his side. "The police can wire on from Seattle to stop us and take me off at flint point" "If they find out their ml.dake." "They must have found It out long ngo. That's why I've got Peasley forcing this old tub. She's doing 10 knots, nnd that's a breakneck speed for her. Once we're through tho strnlts I'll be satisfied." "What will happen to Fraser?" she queried. "Nothing serious, I nm sur You see, they wanted me ami nobody else. Once they find they have the wrong man I rather believe they will free hlin lu disgust." A moment later he went on: "Just the same. It makes me feel depressed and guilty to leave him. l-l wouldn't desert a comrade for anything If the choice lay with me." "You did quite right." Cherry warm ly assured him. "You si. I am not working for ray self. I am doing this for another." It wns the girl's turn to sigh softly, while the eyes she turned toward the west were strnngely snd and dreamy. "Two hours more," he fold her as the ship's bell sounded, "then I can eat and sleep nnd sing." Captain Peasley wns pacing the bridge when later they breasted the glare of Port Townsend and saw In the distance the flashing searchlights of the forts that guard the straits. They saw him stop suddenly and ralso tils night glasses. Boyd laid hi hand on Cherry's arm. Presently the captain crossed to them nnd said: "Yonder seems to bo n luuucb mak ing out. See! I wonder what's up. By Jove! They're signaling." The two boats were drawing together rapidly, and soon those on the brldgj henrd the faint but Increasing patter of a gasoline exhaust Carrying the same speed us the Bedford Castle, the launch shortly came within hulling distance. Tho Cyclopean eye of the ship's searchlight blazed up, and the next Instant out from the gloom leaped a little craft, on tho deck of which a man stood waving a lantern. She held steadfastly to her course, and a voice floated up to them: "Ahoy! What ship?" "The Bedford Castle, cannery tender, for Bristol bny," Feasloy shouted back. The man on the launch relinquished bis lantern and, using both pnlms for funnel, cried more clearly now: "Heave to! We wnnt to come abonrd." With an exclamation of Impatience, the commanding officer stepped to the telegraph, but Emerson forestalled him. "Walt They're nfter me, cnptnln; It's the Port Townsend police, and If you let them aboard they'll take me off." Turning, tho skipper bellowed: "Who nre you?" Tollcet "Whnf. did I tell you?" cried Emer son. "Whnt do you wnnt?" "Ono of your passengers Emerson. Hnvo to. Tou're passing us.; "That's bloody hard lin k, Mr. Emer son; I can't help myself," the captain declared. But ngnln Boyd blocked hlin as bo started for the telegraph. "I won't stnnd It, sir. It's a con spiracy to ruin me." "But, my dear young man"- "Don't touch that Instrument!" From tho launch rimm cries of grow ing vehemence, nnd n startled murmur of voices rose from somewhere in the darkness of tho deck beneath. "Stand aside!" Peasley ordered gruff " 'her held his ground. G.E Widow Jones New Tamo Caps for Girls 50 and 75o. f tVIDOVV JONUrOtroi Saturday and Monday $2.40 UoSGOtt'S 0118 SATISFACTION s M ten lTll T',uT I nt, r1.idnniAlAH "Shall I stop ber, sir?" the quarter master asked from the shadows of the Wheelhouse. "No!" Emerson commnnded sharp ly, nnd In the glow from the binnacle light they saw he had drawn his re volver, while on the Instant up from the void beneath heaved the massive figure of Big George Bult, a behemoth, more colossal and threatening than ever In the dim light He wrenched open the door and with one sweep of his hairy paw flung the helmsman from his post, panting. "Keep her going, cap, or I'll run them down!" The launch wns abreast of tbem now and skimming along so close that one might have tossed a biscuit aboard of her. The sputter of the craft along side was now punctuated by a votloy of curses. The police launch sheered off. and the sound of ber exhaust grew rapidly fainter and fainter. But not until It had wholly censed did Big George gtv over bis post at the wheel. Even then ho went down tho ladder reluctantly and without a word of thanks, of pluuutlon or of apology, with Dim I this had been but a part of the day's. worn, ue saw neitner sentiment no;' humor In the episode. From the crow's nest of the Bedfor.l Castle a week later the lookout stared down upon a white expanse that stretched beyond the horizon. At dawu they began their careful search, feelin;: their way eastward through the ope.i lanes and tortuous passages that sep arated the floes, now laying to for tlu northward set of the fields to clear :t pnth before thorn, now stealing throng!, some narrow lead that opened ln: freer waters. Captain Peasley did all the navigat ing In person, but eventually they we," hemmed In so closely that for a day and n night they could do nothing ber drift with tho pack. In tlmo. hov. ever, tho winds opened a crevl e through which they retreated to follow tho outer limits further eastward uu til they were bulked again. Late one eveulng they dlscernel smoke ou the horizon, and the next morning's light showed a three maste I steamship fast In the Ice a few mlle to tho westward. "That's the Juliet." Big Oeorg In formed his companions, "one of tl. North Amerlcnn Packers' assoclatl m tenders." "Sho wns loading when we left Set tle," Boyd remarked. "It Is Willis Marsh's ship, so lie must be aboard." supplemented Cbw ry. "She's a wooden ship and b 'i for this business. If we don't look t.v.i he'll beat us In after nil." "What good will that do hlmv Clyde questioned. "The fish don't bl v I mean run for sixty days yet." Emerson and Bait merely shrugg '1 To Cherry Malotto this hnd been i voyage of drenins, for once nwayfr i.i land Boyd had become his real se .' again that genial, Irrepressible s-f she had seen but rarely and his man ner hnd lost tho restraint and coolnc- which recently hnd disturbed their r In t Ions. Of necessity their crampe I environment had thrown them tnn li together, nnd their compnnlonshlp h d befn most :leiisant To Be Continued Miss Mary Shaever, of Burllngto-. arrived yeRtcrday and will be t' o guest of Mr. and Mrs. I). Hawkswo:'.. for a time. Mr. and Mrs. Hawl -worth. Mrs. Dr. K. W Cook, V' Nettlo Ilawksworth nnd Miss Shea - -spent tho day In tho metropolis, lng on tho morning train.