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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1910)
0 It i s ' - She ilver By REX BEACH 1 COPYRIGHT 1909 BY Mttf 01APTER XIII. nrrn A. ....... ka.a M.m A 1 1 Ing bands to do their bidding I I than did Boyd and George, and 1 when a week later the Juliet. vltb Willis Marsh oo board, came to anchor the bunk bouses were up and peopled, while the new site bad be come a beehive of activity. The mouth of the Kalvlk river Is several miles wide, yet It contains but a smalt anchorage suitable for deep draft ships, the rest of the harbor be ing underlaid with mud bars and tide tiats over which none but small boats may pass, and as the canneries are distributed up and down the stream for a considerable distance It Is neces sary to transport all supplies to and from the ships by means of tugs and lighters. Owing to the narrowness of the channel the Juliet came to her moorings not far from the Bedford Castle. To Marsh, already furious at the trick the ice bad played him, this forc ed proximity to his rival brought home with added Irony the fact that he bad been forestalled, while It emphaslz.ed his knowledge that henceforth the con flict would be carried on at closer quarters. It would be a contest be tween two men. both determined to win by fair means or foul. It was on tbe afternoon following bis arrival that Marsh after a tour of inspection landed from his lauuch and strolled up to where Boyd Emerson was at work. lie was greeted cour teously, If a bit coolly, and found, as on their last meeting, that his own bearing was reflected exactly In that of Boyd. "I see you have a number of my old fishermen," Marsh observed. "Yes; we were fortunate." "You are very lucky." "Indeed! HowT -Well, don't you think you were lucky to beat that strike?" It wasn't altogether luck. However. I do consider myself fortunate In es caping at the last moment," Boyd laughed easily. "By the way, what happened to the man they mistook for me?" "Let him go, I believe. I didn't pay much attention to the matter. I rather think you will have a lot to explain one of these days," he said, with de liberate menace. "With 50,000 cases of salmon aboard tbe Bedford Castle I will explain any thing. Meanwhile the police may go to tbe devil!" "You got away from Seattle, but there Is a commissioner at Dutch liar bor, also a deputy marshal, who may have better success with a warrant than those policemen bad." Tbe trust's manager could not keep down tbe angry tremor in bis voice, and tbe other, perceiving It, replied In a man ner designed to Inflame him still more: "Yes, I have beard of those oflkers. I understand they are both In your employ." "What!" "I bear you have bought them." "Do you mean to Insinuate" "I don't mean to Insinuate anything Listen! We are where we can talk plainly. Marsh, and I am tired of alii this subterfuge. You did what you could to stop me, you even tried to Lave me killed" "You dare to"- "But I guess It never occurred to you that I may be Just as desperate as you are. I broke through In spite of you. and I'm on the Job If you want to cry quits. I'm willing, but I won't be balked, and If any of your hired marshals try to take we before I put up my catcb I'll put you away Understand?" Willis Marsh recoiled Involuntarily. "You are Insane!" he cried. "Am I?" Emerson laughed harshly. "Well. I'tii Just crazy enough to do what 1 say. Don't come bark here until 1 send for you. Something might fall ou you " "Then it Is to be war. eh?" ."Suit yourself." Boyd pointed to the bore. As Marsh made his way to the wa fer's edge he stumbled like a blind man; his lips were bleeding where bis small, sharp teetb had bltteu them, and be panted like an hysterical wo man. During the uext fortnight the salllug ships began to assemble, standing In under a great spread of canvas to ' berth close alongside the two steam ships On the tnorulng after the arrival of the last ship Emerson aud his com panions were treated to a genuine sur prise. Cherry bad come down to the site as usual-she could not let a day go by without visiting the place aud Clyde after a tardy breakfast had Just come ashore. They were watching Big George direct the launching of a scow when ull of a sudden they henrd a fa miliar voice behind them cry cheer fully: "Hello, white folks! Here we are all blether again." They turned to behold a villainous looklug man beaming benignly upon thpm. lie was dirty, his clothes were In rags, and through a riotous bristle of beard that hid his thin, features a MM orde! Author of "The Spoilers" and 'The Barrier" HARPER V BROTHERS mangy patch showed on either cheek It was undeulably "Flngerless" Eraser, but bow changed, how altered, from that radiant flower of ludolence they had known! He was pallid, emaciat ed and bedraggled. "Fraser!" they cried In chorus, then fell upon him noisily. Fraser drew himself up with lnjurt'd dignity, thou spoke In dramatic uc cents. "I worked tuy way!" "How? Where?" "On that bloinly wind Jammer." "But the police?" queried Boyd. "Oh, I squared them easy. It's you they want. Yes. sir, I worked. I'm a scullery maid." "Tell us about It." urged Cherry. "What's the use?" he demanded, with a glare at Clyde. "That boite bead wouldn't understand." Go ahead." Boyd seconded, with twitching lips. "You look as If you had worked, and worked bard." "Well, there ain't any Pullmans run ning to this resort, so I stow away on a coal burner, but somebody flags me. Then 1 try to hire out as a fisher niHii. but I ain't there with tbe gang talk and my stufT drags, so l tlx It foi a hide-away on the Blessed Isle- that's her name. Can you bent that for a mnnaker? This sailor of mine "PRASEUt" THET CB1BD IN CHORUS. goes good to grub me. but he never shows for forty -eight hours or years I forget which. Anyhow. I stand it a long as I cau. then I dig my way up to a hatch and mew like a. house cat It seems thny were hep from the start, and battened me down on purpose, then made book ou ihow long I'd stay hid. Oh. It's a funny Joke, and tbey all get a stomach laugh when I show When I offer to pay my way they're Insulted. Nix! that ain't their graft. They wouldn't take money from n stranger. Oh. no! They permit me to work my way The scullion has quit, see? So they promote me to his Job." "You deserted this morning, eh?" "I did. I want a bath and some clean clothes und a whole lot of sleep." He was granted his desires. The Bedford Castle having dlscbarg ed her cargo steamed away to returv In August. The middle of June brought the brst king salmon, scouts sent on nhend of the "sockeyes;" but Boyd made no ef fort to take advantage of this run. la boring manfully to prepare for the ad vance of the main urmy, that terrific horde that was soon to come from the mysterious depths either to make ot ruin him. Once the run proper started there would be no more opportunity for building or for setting up innchln ery. He must be ready and waiting by the first of July. For some time his fin machines had been busy night und day turning out great heaps of gleaming caus. while the carpenters and machinists com pleted their tasks. The gill netters were overhauling their gear, the beach was lined with fishing boats. On their dock great plies of seines and drift nets were being Inspected. Three miles below Big George with a picked crew nnd a plledrlver was building the flshtrap. It consisted of half mile "leads." or rows of piling, capped with stringers upon w hlcb netting was hung and terminated In "hearts." "corrals" and "splllers." the Intricate arrange ments of webbing and timbers out of which the fish were to be taken. As for Boyd the fever in ids veins mounted dally as he saw his dream assuming couerete form. Always he found Cherry at his shoulder, unob trusive and silent for the most part, yet Intensely observant and keenly alive to every action. She seemed to have the faculty of divination, know Ing wheu to be silent and w lieu to Join I tier mood with tils, and she gave him valuable help, for she possessed a practical mind. One day when their preparations were nearly completed a foreman came to Boyd and said ex citedly: "Boss. I'd like you to look nt the Iron Chinks right nwny." "What's up V" "I don't know, but something Is wrong" A hurried examination show ed the tniicliiiies to be cunningly crlp ;'cd; certain ;:irts were cutlrely miss- H ins while other were broken. The iron Chink. r mechanical c'.otiucr. Is perhaps the most ingenious f i!ie i.iauy labor savins devices u-ed hi the h:iI:iiiiii fisheries It Is an awk ward looking, jet very elTecilve con trivance of revolving knives and cou veyc.r which seizes the tis whole and delivers It cleaned, clipped, tut and ready to be washed. With Sllperhll man dexterity It does the work of twenty lUhtniug like butchers With out the aid of these liou Chinks Boyd kuew that his tish would spoil before thev could be handled. He hasten h! straightway to George Bait. A half tour's ruu down the bay and he clam bered from his launch lo the pile driver, where, amid the confusion and noise, he made known bis tidings The big fellow's calniues amazed hl'.u. "What are you going to do now; "Butcher by hand." said the fisher man. But how? That takes skilled l.h?r -lots of It" George grinned. "I'm too old a bird to be caught like this. I figured on ac cidents from the start, aud when I hired my Chinamen I included a crew of cutters. Willis Marsh will have tu try again." CHAPTER XIV. niLE they were talking a tug boat towing a pile driver came Into view. Boyd asked the meaning of Its preseuce In this W part of the river. "I dou't know." answered Big George, staring Inteutly. "louder looks like another one behind it. with a raft of piles." "I thought all the company traps were up stream. "So they are. I can't tell what they're up to." A half hour later, when the new flotilla bad come to anchor a short distance below, Emerson's companion began to swear. "I might have known It." "What?" "Marsh alms to "cork' us." "What Is that?" "He's going to build a trap on each side of this one nnd cut off our fish "Good Lord! Can he do that?" "Sure! Why not? The law gives us 000 yards both ways. As long as he stays outside of that limit he can do anything he wauts to." "Then of what use Is our trap? Tbe salmon follow definite courses close to the shore, and If he Intercepts them before they reach us why. then we'll get only what he lets through." "That's his plan." said Big George sourly. "It's an old game, but It don't always work. You can't tell what salmon will do till they do It. I've studied this point of land for five years, and I know more about It than anybody else except the Creator. If the fish hug the shore, then we're up against It. but I think they strike In about here: that's why I chose this site. We can't tell, though, till the run starts. All we can do now Is see that them people keep their distance " The "lead" of n salmon trap con sists of n row of web hung piling that runs out from the shore for many hun dred feet, forming a high, stout fence that turns the schools of tish and leads them Into cunningly contrived Inclo sures. or "pounds." at the outer ex tremlty, from which they are "bralled" ns needed. These corrals are so built that once the fish are Inside they cannot escape The entire struc ture Is devised upon the principle tlial the salmon will uot make a slion turn but will swim as nearly as posdliie In a straight line. It looked to Boyd as If Marsh, by blocking the line of prog, ress above nnd below, had virtually destroyed the efficiency of the new trap, rendering the cost of Its construc tion a total loss. That evening when be bad seen the night shift started Emerson decided to walk up to Cherry's house, for he was worried over the day's develop ments and felt that an hour of the girl's society might serve to clear his thoughts. Cherry's house was situated a short distance above the cannery which serv ed as Willis Marsh's headquarters, and 'Boyd's path necessarily took him past his enemy's very stronghold. Finding the tide too high to permit of passing beneath the dock, he turned up among the buildings, where, to his surprise, bo encountered bis own day foreman talk ing earnestly with a stranger. The fisherman started guiltily. "What are you doing here, Larsen?" asked Boyd. "I Just walked up after supper to have a talk with an old mate " "Who is he?" "He's Mr. Marsh's foreman." Emerson spoke out bluntly: "See here. I don't like this. These people have caused me a lot of troublo al ready, and I don't want my men bang ing around here." "Oh. that's all right." said Larson carelessly. "Him and me used to fish together." And as If this were a suffi cient explanation be turned back to bis conversation, leaving Emerson to pro ceed on his way. He found Cherry at home aud, fling Ing himself into one of her easy chairs, relieved his mind of the day's occur rences. "Marsh Is building those traps pure 'y out of splto. she declared Indig nantly when he had finished. "He doesu't need any more fish-he has plenty of traps farther up the river." "To be sure! It looks as If we might have to depend upon the gill netters." "We will know before long. If the fish strike In where George expects Marsh will be out a pretty penny." "And If they don't strike In where George expects we will be out all the expense of building that trap." "Exactly! I.'s a fascinating hnsl- ness. Isn't It? It's a business In which the unexpected Is forever happening, j But the stakes are high, and I kuow j you will succeed. By the way." she I continued, "have you beard the his toric story about the pink salmon?" lie shook his head. "Well, there was a certain shrewd old cannery man lu Washington state whjse catch eensisted almost wholly of pink fish. As you know, that varie ty does uot bring as high a price as red salmon, like these. Well. Hading that he could not sell his catch, owing to tbe popular prejudice about color. this mai glutei! ' i'r s sj.rikjnir can labels, which read. 'Best Grade Pink Salmon. Warranted Not to Turn Bed In the Cau.' They tell me It worked like a charm." "No wonder!" Boyd laughed. "I wish l were a man." she went on. I'd like to engage In a business of this sort, something that would require in genuity and daring. I'd like to handle big affairs." "There Is your copper mine. You surely handled that very cleverly." Cherry's expression altered, and sbo sbot a quick (clauce at blm as be went on. ,"IIow Is It cotufcig along, by tha way? I onvwu't heard you mention It lately." "Very well, I believe. The men were down the other day and told me It was a big thing." "I'm delighted. How does It seen to be rich?" "1-1 hardly know. Rich! That has always been my dream, and yet" "The wonderful feature about dreams," he took advantage of her pause to say, "Is that they come true." "Not all of them not the real, won derful dreams," she returned. "Oh, yes! My dream Is coming tme. and so Is yours " "I have given up hoping for that." she said, without turning. "But yon shouldn't give up. Remem ber that sll the great things ever ac complished were only dreams at first. and the greater the accomplishments the more Impossible they seemed to begin with" Something In the girl's attitude and In her silence made him feel that his words rang hollow and commonplace. While they had talked an unaccus touted excitement bad beeu mounting In his brain, and It held him now In a kind of delicious embarrassment. It was as If both had been suddenly en folded In a new nnd mysterious uu derstaudlng without the need of speech. He did not tell himself that Cherry loved hi in, but be roused to a fresh perception of her beauty and felt himself privileged In her nearness. It may have been tbe unusual ardor of bis gaze that warmed ber cheeks and brought her eyes back from the world outside. At any rate, she turned flashing blm a startled glance that caused bis pulse to leap anew. Rising silently, she went past him to the piano. Never before had she surprised that look In his eyes and at the real I zatlon a wave of confusion surged over her She strove to culm herself through her music, which shielded while It gave expression to her mood and neither spoke as the evening shadows crept In upon them. But the girl's exaltation was short lived: tbe thought came that Boyd's feeling was but transitory: he was not the sort to burn lasting Incense before more than one shrine Nevertheless, at this mo ment he was hers, and In the Joy of that certainty she let the moments slip, They heard a child crying some where In the rear of the house and Chakawaua's voice soothing; then In a moment the Indian girl appeared In the doorway, saying something about going out with Constantlne. Cherry acquiesced half consciously. Impatient of the Intrusion. Boyd finally rose aud, going to the door, saw that the sky was deeply overcast, rendering the night as dark as lu a far lower latitude. "I've overstayed my welcome." he ventured and smiled at ber answering laugh. With a ti'ace of solicitude she said: "Walt! I'll get you a raincoat," But he reached out a detaining hand. Id the darkness It encountered the bare flesh of her arm. 'Tlease don't! You'd have to strike a light to find It. and I don't want a light now." "It has been a pleasant evening," she said luanely. "I saw you for the first time tonight, Cherry. I think I have begun to know you." Agalu she felt ber heart leap. Reach ing out to say goodby, his band slipped down over ber arm like a caress until her palm lay In his. With trembling, gentle hands she pushed him from ber. When the black bulk of Marsh's can nery loomed uhead of Emerson he left the gravel beach nnd turned up among the buildings, seeking to retrace bis former course. As he turned the cor ner of the first building ho nearly ran against a man who wus standing mo tionless against the wall. The fellow, with a sharp exclamation, vanished luto the gloom. Boyd lost no time In gaining the plauk runway that led to the dock und, finding an unglo In the building, backed Into It und waited. From his momentary glimpse of the man as he made oil' lie knew that he was tall and active-Just the sort of persou to prove dangerous lu an en counter. But If his suspicions were correct there must be others close by. nnd Boyd wondered why he had heard lio signal. After a breathless wait of a moment or two lie stole cautiously out. and, selecting the darkest shad ows, slipped from one to another till ho was caught by the sound of voices Issuing from the yawning entrance of the main building ou his light. The next moment Ids tension relaxed; one of the speakers was a woman. F.vl- uetltTy" aT.u'nf luiJ lieeiT" needless, for these people, whoever Ihey were made uo eli'ort to conceal their lv erne. Ou the contrary, the woman had raised her tone to a louder pitch, al though her words were si 111 nudist lu gulshable Greatly relieved. Boyd was about to go on. when a sharp cry. like a signal, came In the woman's voice, a cry which turned to a genulue wail of dis tress. The listener heard a mau's voice cursing In answer, aud then the sound of a scullle, followed at length by a choking cry. that broucht him bound ing luto the building. lie ran forwrrd. recklessly, but before he had covered half the distance her collided violently with a piece of machinery and went sprawling to the floor A glance up ward revealed the dim outlines of u topper." and showed him farther down the building, silhouetted briefly against the lesser darkness of the win dows, two struggling figures. As he regained his footing, something rushed past him man or animal he could not tell which, for Its feet made no more sound upon the floor than those of a wolf dog. Then, as he liolted forward, he heard a man cry out. nnd found himself In tbe midst of turmoil. Ills bands encountered a human body, and be seized It, only to be hurled aside us If with a giant's streugtb. Again be clinched with a man's form, and bore It to tbe floor, cursing at tbe darkness and reaching for tts throat Ills an tagonist raised his voice in wild clamor, while Boyd braced himself for another assault from those huge hands be had met a moment before. But It did not come. Instead ho heard a cry from the woman, an answer In a deep er voice and then swift, pottering footsteps growing fainter. Mennwhlle the man with whom he wns locked was fighting desperutely, with hands and feet and teeth, shouting hoarsely. Other footsteps sounded now, this time nnnroaehlmr. then at tho door a lantern flared. A watchman came run nlng down between the lines of ma- chlnery, followed by other figures half revealed. Boyd bnd pinned his antagonist against tbe com smes oi a renin a last ana w.iu Jlu bis throat was beating his head vlo- leutly against the Iron when by the lantern's gleam he caught one glimpse of the fat, purple face ln front of him nnd loosed his hold with a startled ex- clamatlon. Released from the grip that had nearly mndo an end of him. WII1I8 Marsn Siaggereo jo urn iwtru Tlie man was wouuueu, I ,1 tA,11r I ..-....,,1.11 om Ua rn nr liv thn roil fltronm I which gushed down over his breast, Marsh leveled a trembling finger at rtnni nnd cried hvsterlcallv: "There he Is, men. He tried to mur- dor mo. I-rm hurt ill nave mm arrested." The seriousness or me accuuiu tha InstnnL uu" l" lie lurnea upon iu Biuui,. i iiiiin'r do thnt. I beard a ngntr,u -vrw Mine on nnd ran In here"- M "He's a liar, tbe wounded man in- terruDted shrilly. "lies stabbed me! BeeY" Ho tried to strip the shirt from his wounds, then fell to chattering anu shaklng. "0 God, I'm hurt!" He staggered to a packing case and sank 1& ..).! ,,h,kllnM At 1,1a MWl . I Upon 11, WCUHIJf 1UUIUIIUI fc den shoulder. 1 didn't do that," repeated Boyd. "1 don't know who stabbed blm. I didn't" Then who did'" some one de manded. What are you doing ln here? You'd a klllea blm tn a minute, saiu iue man with the lantern. "Weil fix you for this." a third voice threutenea Llsten." Boyd said In a 'tono to a mistake hero. 1 was passing the building when 1 heard a woman scream, nnd 1 rusnea lu to prevent Marsh from choking her to death." "A woman!" chorused the group. "Thnt's what I said." "Where Is she now?" "I don't know. I didn't see her nt nil 1 grappled with the llrst person I ran luto. She miisi have gono out as you came In." Boyd indicated the side door, which was still ajar. "It's a lie," screamed Marsh. "It's the truth." stonily maintained Emerson, "anil there was a man with her too. Who was she. Marsh Who was the man?" "She she-I don't know." "Don't lie." "I'm hurt," reiterated tho stricken man feeb v. Then, seeing me tiewu- derment In the faces about him, ho "TtiKitR iik is men. he tiiii.h to MfnnrB burst out anew: "ixitii stauu meiw you get like n lot of foo him?" Why don't "If I stabbed him I must have had n knife," Emerson said, ngalu chocking the forward movement. "You may senrch tne If you like. Sec?" lie I I.: ;:. " . . . i;c THs b-,l ues L.- ii a . . :er. some one aid 'Yes. an I I may use It." s;;U Emer- sou quietly. if lie hasn't n knife then he must have had a friend with him." "Theii tell vot:r men what we were doing l:i here a:ii lrw you came to be alone with us la the dark." Emerson stared at tils mviwcr curiously, but the trust's manager -eeinrd at a liss. "See here. Marsh. If yon will tell us whom you were choking maybe we can gel nt the truth of this affair." Without answering Marsh rose und. leaning dmii the watchman's arm. said: "Helo me up to the house I'm hurt. Send the launch to the upper plant for John. He knows something about medicine." With no further word he made his way out of the building, fol lowed by the mystified fishermen. No one undertook to detain Emer son, and he went his way. wondering what lay back of the night's adven ture. He racked his brain for a hint as to the Identity of the woman and the reason of her presence alone wlttt Marsh In such a pines. To Be Continued fllf! CIIIZEII Anton Choloupka, an Old Reti dent Passes Away. From Wednesday's Dally. Monday night after an Illness ot several months, Anton Choloupka, residing In the northwest part of the city, passed away. Mr. Choloupka was born In Rosed, Moravia, about 1850, and was the son of Joseph and Anna Choloupka. an . TesAeA ln the 0ij country until about tne vear 18S2 when he came to America and to Plattsn.outh. The ... . - deceased was for the past twenty-five years an employee of the Burlington here. in June, 18S6, he was married to Mrs. Pet Nowacek. To this union four children were born, three ot uhrmi mirvlvA thn decerned. Aimns ' ' a Tk ., . vlvlng children are Frank, Hermla and Sophia, who with the widow re- main to mourn the loss of the de- parted father and husband. Two step children, James Nowacek and Mary Vltousek. also survive, Thn AM,Mfu,A w- - kinj hiiHhinrt I .... and father, a good neighbor and a ,iotlj ,, win i, .m. I . t i . i . - m a a r . mournea Dy nis circle oi menus. n was a memoer oi wie i.ainoiic insur- ance Society, The Catholic workman, ani tne m. W. A. Tne fUneral services will be coa- ,.lirtoj . n,v. tr.th.r Volrpk of St. cession will leave the residence at 9:30 Thursday morning and the funeral will take place at the church at 10 o clock. To Make Travel Easier. in an euort to inane traveling easier for the pcbllc the railroad commission of Oklahoma has Issued ftn order which has caused conster- ... , ThA . InHmnlna ttiat uti Inou tha A a ... . ... . 'ung to sou imeruue ucHeis mai n" c"a",u i'aooc,,ft'a iu Di"' point In the state and reach any other railroad point without buying a second ticket the commission wlH try to force thera to do so. Several citizens of Oklahoma ad vised the commission that the bus' iichb of that city would be greatl ' enhanced provided people from every section of the state could get there without buying several tickets, an the new order was the result. The railroad officials declare thot they will not comply with the order. but will appeal to the courts. T1.j railroad men say they are willing to do anything within reason that wl"! make travel more comfortable, bi t are not ready to Issue interline tick ets on such wholesale basis. Ti. railroads are putting the order up I their legal men to see If there Is anr- thlng ln the law that would enabl- the commission to enforce such ai order. Bedims to Pckln, Illinois. Peter Melslnger and wife and Ren Walter, who have been visiting Jo' t Lutz and J. P. Sattler and families and other relatives for two week, de parted for their home Inst evenlu?- Mr. Melslnger has been away frovn homo Just a month today when he will arrive at Pekln, lllnols. He re sides on and owns .the farm that 11' grandfather and his father ownt'l, this being the first trip from the c' 1 home. Biliousness Is due to a disordc condition of the stomach. Chamb 1'ilii'u Tnhlotu nro ncannl lull V A ntonv U( ll n,c,,lclll' Intended especially t act on that organ; to cleanse it, strengthen it, tono nnd invigorate 11 to regulate tho liver and to ban! A biliousness positively and effectual!. yor gnie fy p. o. Fticke & Co. CHIPS X