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nit i-m-rim ijt tr-ffan inur iumnmma"''n' WiWWt rtiiwii mw'Kiii i mm nam win
mmniiianiWi ii , ;,
The Spoilers.
By REX E. BEACH.
Copyright, 1000, by Ilox E. Beach.
Continue! from piirc a.
niKllt lUlHllCllJtrt tllOllSlltlll volcon. Ilo
found IiIh lower Juw sot so stlllly Unit
llm tmiHclcH tivhiHl. Leveling bin wea
pon ut theenvotf of tliu bunk house, lie
pulled trlpjier rapidly, Hie lump, l:uifr.
bung, tilx (ImoH repented, Houmllug dull
ii ml dead bnnoatli the blanket of mist
that overhung. A nliout Hounded bo
hind him, and then the Hhrlek of a
Winchester ball close over his bend.
lie turned in tlmu to see another Hhot
Klrenin out of the darkness, where u
wmtry was tiring at the Hash of IiIh
Kim, then bent himself double and ,
plunged down the ditch.
With the llrst Impact overhead the
Men poured forth from their quarters
armed and bristling, to Ik: greeted by
u volley of gunshots, the thud of lttil-Ict-s
and the dwindling wh'lue of spout
lend. They leaped from shelter to
ISnd themselves girt with a fitful hoop
of fire, fir the "Rtnuigiers" had spread
In the lire of a circle nod now emptied
tiielr rifles toward the center. The
defenders, however, maintained stir
prising order considering the sudden
ness of their attack and ran to Join
the sentries, whose positions could be
determined by the nearer flashes. The
voice of a man in authority shouted
loud commands. No demonstration
eame from the outer voids, nothing
but the wicked streaks that stabbed
the darkness. Then suddenly behind
MeNaniara's men the night glared
luridly as though a great furnace door
had opened and then clanged shut,
while with II: came a hoarse thudding
roar that silenced the rllle play. They
unw the cook house disrupt itself and
disintegrate into a thousand Dying
timbers and twisted sheets of tin
which soared upward and outward
over their heads and into the night.
As the rocking hills ceased echoing
tlio sound of the vigilantes rltles re
curred like the cracking of dry sticks,
then everywhere about the defenders
tlio earth was lashed by falling dubrls,
while the Iron roof rang at the fusil
lade. The blast had come at their very el
bows, and they were too dazed and
shaken by it to grasp its significance.
Then, before they could realize what
It boded, the depths lit up again till
the raindrops were outlined distinct
and glistening like a gossamer veil of
silver, while the ofllco building to
their left was ripped and tended and
the adjoining walls leaped out into
midden relief, their shattered windows
looking like ghostly, sightless eyes.
The curtain of darkness closed heavier
than velvet, and the men cowered In
their tracks, shielding themselves he
hind the nearest objects or behind
one another's bodies, waiting for the
sky to vomit over them its rain of mis
siles. Their backs were to the vigi
lantes now, their faces to the center.
Many had dropped their rllles. The
thunder of hoofs and the scream of
terrified horses came from the sta
bles. The cry of a maddened beast Is
weird and calculated to curdle the
blood at best, but with it arose a hu
man voice, shrieking from palu ami
fear of death.
A wrenched and doubled mass of zinc
had hurtled out: of the heavens and
struck some one down. The choking
hoarseness of the man's appeal told
the story, and ttiose about htm broke
Into Might to escape what might fol
low, to eseape this danirer they could
not See but which swooped out of the
blackness above and against which
' there was no defense. They lied only
to witness another and greater light
behind them by which theyVaw them
selves running, fulling, groveling
This time they were hurled from their
bain lice by a concussion which
dwarfed the two preceding ones. Some
few stood still, staring at the lolling
smoke bank as it was revealed by the
explosion, their' eyes gleaming white,
while others burled their faces hi their
hollowed arms as If to shut out the
hellish glare, or to shield themselves
from a blow.
Out In the heart or Hie chaos rang
u voice loud and clear;
"Beware the next blast!"
At the same instant the girdle of
sharpshooters rose lift smiting the air
with their cries and charged In like
madmen through the rain of detritus.
Tlioy fired as they came, but it was
unnoeessary, for there was no longer
n light". It was a rout. The defenders,
feiding they had escaped destruction
only by a happy chance In leaving the
bunk house the instant I hey did, were
not minded to lurry here where the
heavens fell upon tholr heads. To
augment their consternation, the
horses had broken from their stalls
and were plunging through the con
fusion. Fear swept over the men,
blind, unreasoning, contagions, and
they rusljcd out Into the night, col
liding with their enemies, overrunning
them In I lie panic to quit this spot.
So mo' dashed off the blutV ami fell
among the pits and sluices. Others
ran up the mountain side, ami cowered
in the brush like quail,
As tlio "Stmnglcrs" assembled their
prisoners near tlio ruins, they heard
wounded men moaning in (lie dark
ness, so lit torches and searched out
the stricken ones. CMenlster came run
ning through the smoke pall, 'revolver
In hand, crying:
"Has any one seen MeNnmiiraV" No
ono had, and when they wcro fntor as
sembled to take stock of their Injuries
lie was greeted by Dextry's gleeful an
nouncement: "That's tlio deuco of n light. We
ain't gut so much as n cold sore among
us."
"Wo have enptnred fourteen," an
other announced, "and there may bo
more out yonder in the brush."
Olenlster noted wilh growing sur
prise ttiat not ono of the pris-
r t
"Hctcurc the next blast!"
oners lined up beneath the .glaring
torches wore the army blue. They
were miners all, or thugs and ruffians
gathered from the camp. Where, he
'wondered, were the soldiers.
"Didn't 3'ou have troops from the
barracks to help you?" ho asked.
"Not nttro'n. We haven't seen a sol
dier since we went to work."
At this Iho young leader became
alarmed. Had this whole attack mis
carried? riad tills been no clash with
tlio United States forces, after all?
If so, the uowp would never reach
Washington, and Instead of accom
plishing ids end, he and his friends
had thrust themselves into tlio realms
of outlawry, where the soldiers could
bo employed against them with impu
nity, where prices would rest upon
their heads. Innocent blood had been
shod, court property destroyed. Me
Natnara had them where lie wanted
them at last. They were at hay.
The nuwounded prisoners wore taken
to the boundaries of tlio Midas and
released with such warnings as the
Imagination of Dextry could conjure
up. Then Olenlster ' assembled ids
men, speaking to them plainly:
"Boys, this Is no victory. In fact,
we're worse off than wo were before,
and our biggest tight is coming. There's
a chance to get away now before day
light and before we're recognized, but
If we're seen here at sunup we'll have
to stay and fight. Soldiers will bo sent
against us, but If we hold out, and the
struggle is fierce enough, it may reach
to Washington. Tills will be a differ
ent kind of lighting now, though. It
will bo warfare pure and simple. How
many of you will stick?"
"All of us," said they in unison, aud,
accordingly, preparations for a siege
were begun, itarrlcmles were built,
ruins removed, buildings transformed
into blockhouses, and all through the
turbulent night the tired men labored
till ready to drop, led always by the
young giant, who seemed without fa
tigue.
it was perhaps four hours after mid
night when a man sought him out.
"Somebody's eallln you on the assay
olllce telephone- says It's life or death."
. I'lonlstcr hurried to the building.
which had escaped the shock of the ex
plosions, and, taking down the receiv
er, was answered by Cherry Malotte.
"Thank (lod, you're safe!" she be
gan "The men have just come In and
the whole town Is invako over the riot.
They say you've killed ten people in
the light. Is It true?"
lie explained to her brielly that all
was well, liul she broke In:
"Walt, wait! McN'ainara lias called
for troops and you'll all be shot. Oh.
what a terrible night It has been! 1
haven't been to bed. I'm going mad.
Now, llslen carefully: Yesterday Helen
went wilh Struvo to the Sign of the
Sled aud she hasn't come back."
The man at the end of the wire cried
out at this, then choked back his Wonts
to hear what followed. Hid free hand
began making strange, rut lie motions
as though he traced patterns In Ihu air.
"I can't raise the roadhouso on the
wire and-soinethlng dreadful has hap
pened I know."
"What made her go':" he shouted.
"To save you," came Cherry's faint
reply. "If you love her, ride fast to
the Sign of the Sled or you'll bo too
Into. The Bronco Kid has gone there" -
At that name Hoy crashed the instru-
, meat to its hook and burst out or the
I shanty, calling loudly to his men.
"What's up?"
"Whore are you going?''
"To the Sign of the Sled," he punted.
".We've stood by you, Glenlstor, and
yJJ can't quit us like tlilV n
angrily. "The trail to town Is p-n '
nnd we'll tako it if you do." It')" miw
they feared he was deserting. fi-ei
Hint ho hud heard some alarm mg ru
mor of which they did not know.
"We'll let tlio mine go. bnvi. for I
can't nsk you to do what I refuse t d
myself, nnd yet It's not fear tint''
sending me. There's a woman indun
ger. nnd I mugt go. She courted r"' i
to save us nil, risked her Ininr to Ii
nnd right n wrong and I'm afraid of
what lias happened while we v
fighting here. I don't nsk you to ;
till I come back It wouldn't be square,
and you'd better go while you have a
chance. As for mo I gave up the old
claim once I can do It again." He
swung hltusoif to the horse's back, set
tled into the saddle nnd rode out
through the lane of belted men.
OIIAPTEB X-
Tl S Helen null her coi!itnloii ts-
conded the mountain, seai.ed
I and swept by tlio tempest of
. the previous night, they heard,
far bolow, the swollen torrent brawl-'
lug In its bowlder ridden bed, while
behind them the angry ocean spread
southward to a blood rod horizon.
Ahead, tlio bleak mountains brooded
over forbidding valleys: to the west a
suffused sun glared sullenly, painting
the high plied clouds with the gorgeous
lines of u stormy sunset. To Helen
the wild scene seemed dyed witli tlio
colors of ilaino and blood and steel.
"That rain raised the deuco with the
trulls," said Struvo, as they picked
their way past an unsightly "slip"
whence a part, of the overhanging
mountain, loosened by the deluge, laid
slid into the gulch. "Another storm
HWe that would wash out these roads
completely."
Even in the daylight it was no eusy
tank to avoid those dnnger spots, for
the horses floundered on the muddy
soil. Vaguely tlio girl wondered how
she would tUid her way back In the
darkness, as she had planned. She
said little as they approached tlio road
house, for tlio thoughts within her brain
had begun to clamor too wildly, but
Struvo, more arrogant than ever bo
fore, more terrlfyingly sure of him
self, was loudly garrulous. As thoy
drew nearer and nearer, the dread
that possessed the girl became of para
lyzing intensity. If she should full--but
she vowed she would not, could
not, fall.
Thoy rounded a IkiiuI and saw the
Sign or the Sled cradled below them
where the trail dipped to a stream
which tumbled from the comb above
Into the river twisting like a silver
thread through tlio distant valley. A
peeled flagpole topped by a spruce
bough stood in front of the tavern,
while over the door hung a sled sus
pended 'from a beam. The house Itself
wus a quaint structure, rambling and
amorphous, from whoso sod roof
sprang blooming flowers and whose
high banked walls were pierced here
and there with sleepy windows, it
had been built by a homesick foreigner
of unknown nationality whom the ar
my of "niusiiers" who paid for his
don n and orderly hospltajity had dub
bed duly and us a mutter of course a
"Swede." When travel had changed to
tho river trail, leaving the house lone
some and high us though left by a re
ceding wave, Struve had taken it over
on a debt and now ran It for the coii
vcnlouco of a slender traffic, inaluly
stampedors, who chose the higher
route toward the Interior. His hireling
spent the Idle hours In prospecting a
hungry quartz lead aud In doing as
sessment work ou nearby claims.
Short', took the horses aud answered
his employer's questions curtly, flush
ing a curious look at Helen. Under
other conditions the girl would have
been delighted with the place, for this
was the quaintest spot she hud found
In the north country. The main room
held bar and gold scales, a rude table
and a huge iron heater, while Its
walls aud celling were sheeted with
white cloth so cunningly slltclied and
tucked that It seemed a cavern hol
lowed from chalk. It was filled with
trophies of the hills stuffed birds and
animals, skins and antlers from which
depended in careless confusion dog
harness, suowshoes, guns and articles
of clothing. A door to Iho left led into
the bunk room, whore travelers had
been wont to sleep hi tier three deep.
To the rear was a kitchen and cache,
to tlio right a compartment which
Struve called the art gallery. Here
free reign had been allowed tho origi
nal owner's artistic fancies, aud he
hail covered the place with pictures
clipped from gazettes of questionable
repute till it wus a bewildering ar
rangement of pink ladies In tights, pu
gilists In scanty trunks, prize bulldogs
and other ics moral characters of the
sporting world.
to be continued. ' i'
INFLAMMATORY UHEUMATISM OUHKI) IN
3 DAYS.
Morton I mil, of LebHiinn. Iud khjh; "My
wlfo linj Inllntnraatory njioumMUra In every
nuihclo mid Joint; her Huffcrliii; wan terrible
nnd Iter body ami face wcro Hwrnllvn almost be
yond recognition; hud Ijcod In bed six week
Hiul liRd eight physician, but received no
beneflt until pho tried Dr. Deletion's HiUof for
KhuiimatlHro. U Kvo lnunodlnto relict and
Hhe was nblo to wnlk about in three clave, i am
Btiro li wved her life." Sold by II. a, Qrice,
DruggUt, Rod Cloud.
H '1
J SY
K fzr
' V L
DO YOU GET UP
WITH A AMB BACK?
Kidney Trouble Makes You Miserable.
Almost everybody who reads the news
papers is sure "to know of the wonderful
cuics made by Dr.
Kilmer's Swamp
Root, the grent hid-
k ncy, Hvcr and bluu-
it tier remedy.
ii is uic great men
ical triumph of the
nineteenth century ;
discovered nftcr years
of scientific research
by Dr. Kilmer, the
eminent kidney and
bladder specialist, and is wonderfully
oucccssfnl in promptly curing lame back,
uric acid, cutarrh of the bladder and
Rrfght's Disease, which is the worst
form of kidney trouble.
Dr. Kilmer's Swainp-Root is not rec
ommended feu every tiling but if you have
kidney, liver or bladder trouble it will be
found just the remedy you need. It has
been tested in so many ways, in hospital
work nnd in private practice, and has
proved so successful in every case tlmt a
special arrangement bus been made by
which all readers of this paper, who have
not already tried it, may have a sample
bottle sent free by mail, also a book tell
ing more about Swnnip-Koot.nnd how to
findoutifyoM have kidney or bladder trou
ble. When writing mention reading this
generous oiler in this paper aud send your
address to Dr. Kilmer fo
& Co., llinehnniton.irt1KSa?fcfl
xt V mm.,; ,,...i,...it?2iXCwnsn;H.4ar
A" J. li IVmUIiii ICM.K.r" "F" ""J
' ' " L-J,1 "v,Bji
n
fiftv-cent aud one
dollar size bottles are Homo cf Bnomp-itoot.
sold by nil good druggists. Don't make
any mistake, but remember the name,
Swamp-Root, Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Kant,
ami the address, Hingliamton, N. Y., on
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llliiMrntlon KIiowIiig Mixed Fnrmlna Guciio In
TERN CANADA
Rome of the choicest lnnds for praln CTOwlnir,
ntoclt raisins nrnl mixed fnrinloc In tfao new dis
tricts of Saskatchewan and Alberta iutvo ti
cently been Oinnrd for Hottlrtuont under Hi
Revised Homestead Regulations
Entry mny now bo nindo by proxy (on certain
conditions), by the father, mother, Bon.daujjlltcr,
brother or Bister of an Intendtiuf bomestendf r.
Thousand1 of homesteads of 100 acres each ui&
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for your vhlldtcn, good laws, splendid crops,
and railroads convenient to market.
ICnt ryfeofn each cine Is f 10.00. For pamphlet,
"built best Wcst,"partlcunrs as to rnteK, routes,
best tlnio to uu and where to locate, apply to
V V. IUCNN'KTT
801 New York Ufa tilde. Omaha. Neb.
Canadian Government Agenv
jdCwBm
m
MAKE A GOOO INCOME
ftnri lnUlrii Ut jMtMttfc irjouhnttirvV
twiiM, win tQV in U' fori on tntl
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vr vera vu Mia limSTO) HHIfc
Star Drlino Machine Co., nkioo.O
Mercer's
Barber Shop
Basement of
Potter Block.
Massaging
a Specialty
Just Received, a Car of
FLOUR
AT
PLUMB'S FLOUR
and FEED STORE
You can save money by
taking 500 pounds of him.
City" Dray and Express Line,
F. "W. 8TUDEBAKKH, PROP.
Goods Delivered to any part of the city.
Charges as low as the Lowest;
CITY AGENTS FOR ADAAS EXPRESS CO.
TELEPHONES,
Residence 188.
OfieiiQ.
LsffljSk
K
mm
'C3-
r
Sj!fc
They Compel
Admiration
First, because thev iook so crood. and
- r 1 r --
then, because thev wear so well and last
so long. That's the
Studebaker
!-
Wagon
$
v
?.'
$
K
'
and we guarantee tlmt there isn't a
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ly good wagon is.
Wti liavu finmp, c;tiw1flin(mr
books for friends who call.
Get one. It is worth readiner.
m
t
'$;m
&?&
?..
Wolfe & Beardslee, Redioud,Neb.
I SAY, niSTER!
Da you know tlmt it will pay YOU, as
well as US, to buy your lluildin Ma
torlal rind Coal at ourynrds? Not only
that our pricos avehaqr lower, or at
loast as low, n.8 thoHo of our competit
ors, but because wo tako ospeoial care
of and protect all can bo classed as
REGULAR CUSTOMERS.
PL ATT FREES CO.
Coal. Lumber.
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