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The Spoilers.
By REX E. BEACH.
Copyright, 1005, by Rex E. Beach.
Continued from page ,'l.
with a rear of deatli which mttltlplu'd
JiIh enormous Hlrcnjrth, others (lint tin;
power dluil In his adversary a toward
for IiIh treason, but It was not so.
No sooner had Itoy encompassed Mc
Namara'H waist from tliu roar than he
Hlld bis (laiiuiKoil hand up past tho oth
er's cheat and around the back of his
neck, thus hrltiKlni; bis own left arm
done under his enemy's left nrmpll,
wedging the receiver's head forward,
wlill with his other hand ho grasped
tlie politician's right wrist close to the
revolver, thus holding him in a grasp
which could not be broken. Now came
the test. The two bodies set them
helves roekllke and rigid. There was
no lunging about. Calling tip the final
atom of bis strength, (Slenlster bore
backward with his right arm, and it
became n contest for the weapon,
which, clutched In the two hands,
swayed back and forth or darted tip
and down, the fury of resistance caus
ing it to trace formless patterns In the
nlr with Its muzzle. McNninnra shook
himself, but he was close against the
wife and could not escape, his head
bowed forward by the lock of Ihe min
er's left arm, and so be strained till the
breath clogged In IiIh throat. Despite
the grievous toll his right hand moved
back slightly. His feet shifted n bit.
while the blood seemed bursting from
his eyes, but he found that the long
lingers encircling IiIh wrist were like
gyves weighted with the strength of
the bills and the Irresistible vigor of
youth which knew no defeat. Slowly,
inch by inch, the great man's arm wa
dragged back, down past his side, while
Ihe strangling labor of ills breath show
ed at what awful cost. The l nuzzle of
the gun described a semicircle and the
knotted hands began to travel toward
the left, more rapidly now. across his
hro.ul back. Still he struggled and
wrenched, but uselessly. He strove to
tire the weapon, but bis fingers were
woven about It so that the hammer
would not work. Then the inlner be
gan forcing upward.
The while skin beneath the men's
strips of clothing was stretched over
groat knots and ridges which sunk and
swelled and quivered. Helen, watching
In silent terror, felt her brother sinking
his lingers into her shoulder and heard
him panting, his face ablaze with ex
citement, while she became conscious
Uiat In1 had repeated time and again:
"It's the hammer lock - the hammer
lock."
Hy now McNaninra's arm was bent
ami cramped upon his back, and then
they saw filenlsler's shoulder dip, his
elbow come closer to his side, and his
body heave In one linnl territlc effort
as though pushing a heavy weight.
In this silence .something snapped like
a stick. There came a deafening re
port and the scream of a strong man
overcome with agony. McN'amara
went to his knees and sagged forward
on to his face as though every bone In
his huge bulk had turned to water,
while his master reeled back against
the opposite wall, his heels drniridni:
In the litter, bringing up with oiitllung
arms as though fearful of falling,
swaying, blind, exhausted, his face
blackened by the explosion of the re
volver, jet grim with the llirht of vic
ti ry.
.ludge Stlllmau shouted h.Mctcnll. :
"Arrest that man. ipilekl limn let
III in go!"
It was the miner's llrst realization
that othirs were there, liaising his
'head he stand at Hie fat es c,,.
against the partition, then groaned the
words:
"1 beat the traitor and and -I broke
lit m with- my hands!"
ins vengeance wmPlJuTlinir eouiplMc 1.
His knees were bending; his limbs
were like leaden bars, his chest a fur
nace of coals. As he reeled down the
lane of human forms, supported by his
guards, he came abreast of the girl and
her companion and paused, clearing
Ids vision slowly.
"All, there you are!" he said thickly
to the gambler and began to wrestle
with his captors, baring his teeth In a
grimace of painful effort, but they held
jtlm as easily ih though he were u
child and drew hlci forward, his body
sagging limply, his face turned back
over his shoulder.
They had htm near the door when
Wheaton barred their way, crying:
"Hold up a minute! It's all right,
Hoy"
"Aye, Bill-It's all tight. Wo did our
- best, but wo were done by a damned
blackguard. Now he'll send mo up,
but I don't care. I broke him with
my naked hands. Didn't I, MeNn
mum?" lie mocked unsteadily at the
boss, who cursed aloud In return,
glowering like an evil mask, while
Stlllman rati up, disheveled and shrilly
Irascible.
"Take htm away, I tell you! Take
him to Jail!"
But Wheaton held his place, while
the room centered Its eyes upon him,
Bccntlng some unexpected denouement.
He saw It, and, In concession to a nat
ural vanity and dramatic Instinct, he
threw back his head and stuffed his
hands into his coat pockets, while the
crowd waited. He grinned Insolently
at the Judge and the receiver.
"l'lils will be a day of defeats and
disappointments to you, my friends.
That boy won't go to jail because you
will wear the shackles yourselves. Oh,
you played a shrewd game, you two,
with your senators, your politics and
your pulls, but It's our t::rn now, and
we'll make you dance for the initios
you gutted and the robberies you've
done and the men you've' ruined.
Thank heaven, there's one honest court,
CIlAl'TKU XXll.
Soi.DiKUS seized the young man.
who made no offer ill resist -auee.
anil the loom became a
noisy riot. Crowds surged up
from below, clamoring, iiuestioning.
1111 some one at the head of the stairs
shouted down:
"They've got ltoy (ilenisler. lie'--killed
.Me.N'aniara," at which it murmur
arose that threatened to become a
cheer.
Then one of the receiver's faction
called, "Let's hang him. lie killed tun
of our men Inst night." Helen winced,
but Stlllman, roused to a t-orl of ma
levolent courage, quieted the angry
voices.
"Olllcer, hold these people back. I'll
attend lo this man. The law's In ni.v
hands and I'll make him answer."
MeXamara roared himself, groaning,
from Ihe door, his tight arm swinging
from tlje shoulder strangely loose mid
distorted, with palm twisted outward,
while his hn tiered face was hideous
"with pain ami tlere.it. He growled
broken maledictions at his enemy.
Itoy meanwhile said nothing, for as
the savage lust died in him he realized
that Ihu whirling faces before him
were the faces of his enemies, that the
Bronco Kid was still at largo and Unit
fef A JJ 1 ! I t
It JJ H
"ItV'Jf innhr joa douce or tltc mlnrs
yon onfed."
ami 1 happened to tlnd It." He turned
to the strangers who had accompanied
him from the ship, crying. "Serve those
warrants." and they stepped lor ward.
The uproar of the past few minutes
had brought mini running from every
direction till, liudlug no room mi the
stairs, they had massed in Ihe street
below while the word tlew from lip to
lip concerning tills closing scene of
their drama, the battle of the Midas
the great light upstairs and the arrest
by tlie 'Frisco deputies. Like Siitd
bad's genie, a wondrous tale look shape
from the rumors. .Men shouldered one
another eagerly for a glimpse of the
actors, ami when the press siren mod
tint, greeted it with olle.s of ques
tions. They saw the unconscious mar
shal h.M'iio forth, followed by Ihe old
judge, now a palsied wretch, slinking
beside his captor, a very shell of a man
al whom they Jeered. When .MeXama
ra lurched into view, an Image of th
reat and chagrin, their oices rose
menacingly. The pack was turning
ami Im knew It. but, though racked
and crippled, lie lieut upon ilieui a
visage so full of tlelianee ami coiitetnp
lumis malignity that they hushed tlieiu
selves, and their linal picture of him
was that of a big man downed, -but
unbeaten to the last. They began to
cry for !leuKtor, mi that when he
loomed In Ihe doorway, a r.iggtd. he
fide llgiire. his heavy shock low over
his eys, his unshaven face aggressive
j even in Its weariness, his corded arms
j .intl ehesi haie beneath the llulicrhig
j streamers, the si reel broke into wild
cheering. Here was a man of their
own, a son of the uorlhlaml who labor
ed and loved and fought in a way they
understood, and lie had come Into Ills
due.
I'.ut Uo.v. dumb ami listless, stag
gered up the street, refusing (he help
of every man except Wheaton. lie.
heard his companion talking, but
grasped only that the attorney gloated
ami gloried.
"We have whipped them. boy. We
have whipped them at their own game.
Arrested In their very tloor.vafds cited
for contempt of court that's what
Ihey are. They dNolio.ved those oilier
writs, ami so got them."
"I broke his arm," muttered the
miner.
j "Yes. I saw you to II! Cgh! It was
an nwitii tiling: i niuldu'i prove con
spiracy, but they'll go o jail for a
Utile while Just Ihe same, and we have
broken the ring."
' "U snapped at the shoulder," the
other continued dnliy, "y.c: '
shovel handle. I felt it but he tried
to kill me, and I bad to do it."
The nttorney took Boy to his cabin
and dressed his wounds, talking In
cessantly the while, but the boy was
like a sleep walker, displaying no ela
tion, no exeltuniont, no Joy of victor..'.
At last Wheaton broke out:
"Cheer up! Why, man, you act like
a loser! Don't you run I he that we've
won? Don't you understand that the
Midas Is yours? And the whole world
with It'r"
"Won?" echoed the miner, '""hat
do you know about It, Bill? The
Mldas-the world what good are they ?
You're wrong. I've lost yes I've lost
everything she taught mo, and by
some (lainnul trick of fate .she wan
there to see mo do It. Now, go away;
I want to sleep."
He sank upon the bed with Its tangle
of blankets and was unconscious bo
fore the lawyer had covered him over.
There he lay like a dead man till
late in the afternoon, when Dextry
and Slapjack came in from the hills,
answering Wheaton's call, and fell
upon him hungrily. They shook Roy
Into consciousness with Joyous riot,
pommeling him with affectionate
roughness till he rose and Joined with
them sillily. He bathed and rubbed
the soreness from his muscles, emerg
ing physically lit. They made him
recount bis adventures to the tiniest
detail, following his description of Ihe
light wllli absorbed Interest till Dextry
broke into mournful complaint:
"I'd have given my half of the Midas
to see you bust him. Lord, I'd have
screeched with soopreme delight at
thai."
"Why didn't you gouge his eyes out
when you had him crippled V" question
ed Slapjack vindictively. "I'd 'a done
It."
Dextry continued: "They tell me that
when he was arrested he swore In
eighteen different languages, each one
more refreshin'ly repulsive an' vig'rotts
than the precedln'. Oh. I have sure
missed a-plenty today, partle'Iar be-
cause my own diction is geltln' run I
down an' skim milky of late, showln'
nad lack of new Idees, which I might
have as.slm'lated soniethln' robustly
original an' expressive If I'd been hero.
No. sir: a nose bag full of nuggets
wouldn't have kept me away."
"How did It sound when she bust
ed':" Insisted the morbid SIiuius, but
Olonister refused to discuss I lie com
bat. "Come on. Slap," said the old pros
peetor; let s go uovvniown. I in so
bet up I can't set still, an', besides,
mebbe we can get the story the way It
really happened from somebody who
ain't bound an' gagged an' chloroform
ed by such unbecotiiin' modesties.
Roy. don't never go Into vavvdyvllle
with thoin personal episodes, because
they read about as thrlllln' as a cook
book. Why. say, I've had Ihe story of
that light from four different fellers
already, none of which was within
four blocks of the scrimmage, an'
they're all dllY'rcnt an' all better'n your
account."
Now thai !lenlster's mititl bad re
covered some of lis poNe he realized
what he hat done.
"I was a beast, an animal," he groan
ed, "and that after all my striving. I
wnntid to leave that part behind. 1
wanted lo be worthy of her love and
trust even though I never won It, but
at Ihe first lest I am found kicking. I
have lost her confidence. Yes-, and
what Is worse. Infinitely wore, I have
lost'iny own. She's always seen me at
my worst." he went on, "but I'm not
that kind at bottom not that kind. I
want to tlo w Inn's tight, and If I have
another chance I will I know I will.
I've been Hied too bard, that's all."
Some one knocked, ami he opened
the door to admit the Kronen Kid and
Helen.
"Wiiit it minute, old man." said the
Klil. 'Tin here as a friend." The
gambler handled himself with tlilllcul
t.v. offering in explanation:
Tin all sewed up in bandages, of
one kind or another."
"lie might to be ill bed now, hutho
wouldn't let mo come alone, and I
could not wait." the girl supplemented,
while her eyes avoided (ilotiister's In
strange hesitation.
"He wouldn't let you. 1 don't under
stand." Tin her brother," announced the
Bronco Kid. "I've known It for a long
lltue. bill I -I-well, you understand, 1
couldn't let her know. All 1 can say Is,
l've gambled square till the night 1
I played you, and I was as mail as a
! dervish then, blaming you for the talk
I I'd heard. Last night I learned by
J chance about Slruve ami Helen and got
I to the madhouse In time to save her.
I'm sorry 1 didn't kill him." Ills long
I while fingers writhed about the arm
of lib chair at the memory.
1 "Isn't be tlendV" Olenlster Inquired.
"No. The doctors have brought him
in, and he'll get well. He's like hair
the men in Alaska -here because the
' sheriffs back home couldn't shoot
straight. There's something else. I'm
, not a good talker, but give me lime
I ami I'll manage It so you'll understand.
I tried ttt keep Helen from coining on
lids errand, but she said it was the
square thing and she knows better
i than I. It's about those papers she
brought In last spring. She was afraid
! you might consider her a parly to the
deal, but .von don't, do you V" lie glar
ed belligerently, ami Roy replied Willi
r fervor:
' "Corlalnlv not. tlojuji," ,
.. -, .
those documents I '
and contained enot'g'i
ttp this eoiiMih'toy a
Judge ami MoXninnra :" '
but Struve kept Ihe h ' i
and wouldn't give It up "'"t'lo'tt a jr'eo
That'.-t why she went away 'v't'i hint
She Ihoi'ght It win r'':''t. an-! tint's
all. But If seems Wli''it':i In 1 sue
eeetled In another wav. X'l'v. I'm com
Ing to th. point. The Judge and Me
Namara art! arrested for o.-mtompt of
court ami they're as good in cvivietod:
you have recovered your mine, and
these men are disgraced. They will go
to Jail" -
"Yes, for six months, perhaps," broke
In the other hotly, "but what does that
amount to? There never was a bolder
crime consummated nor one more
cruelly unjust. They robbed a realm
and pillaged Its people, they defiled a
court and made justice n wanton, they
jailed good men and sent others to
ruin; .tnd for this they are to suffer
how? By a paltry line or a short Im
prisonment, perhaps, by an ephemeral
disgrace and the loss of their stolon
goods. Contempt of coutt Is the ac
cusation, but you might as well con
vict it murderer for broach vf the
IMJiice. We've thrown them off, it's
true, ami they won't trouble us again,
but they II never have to answer for
Often The Kidneys Are
Weakened by Over-Work
Unhealthy Kidneys Make Impure Blood
It used to be considered that only
urinary and bladder troubles were to be
traccu lo uie moneys,
but now modern
science proves thai,
nearly all discastu
have their beginning
in the disorder ri
these most important
organs.
The kidneys filter
and purify the blood
that is their work.
Therefore, when your kidneysare weak
or out of order, you can understand bow
tptickly your entire body is affected and
bow every organ seems to fail to do its?
duty.
If you are sick or " feci badly," begm
taking the great kidney remedy, Dr.
Kilmer's Swamp-Root, lecause as soon
us your kidneys are well they will help
all the other organs to health. A trial
will convince anyone.
If you are sick you can make no mis
take by first doctoring your kidneys.
The mild and the extraordinary effect of
Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root, the great
kidney remedy, is soon realized. It
stands the highest for its wonderful cum
of the most distressing cases, and ismiIiI
on its merits by all
their ,ea. infamy. That will go un-1 ,ndoila7 S
IMiiusiiou winie ineir lawyers quinine
over technicalities and rules of court.
I guess It's true that there Isn't any
law of (tctl or man north of tlfty-throo;
but If there Is justice south of that
niiitk, those people will answer for
conspiracy and go to the penitentiary."
"You make it hard for me lo say
what I want to. I am almost sorry
we caine, for I am not cunning with
words, am) I don't know that you'll
understand," said the Bronco Kid
gravely. "Wo looked at It this way:
you have had your victory, you have
beaten your enemies against odds, you
have recovered your mine, and they
are disgraced. To men like them that
last will outlive and outweigh all the
rest; but the Judge is our uncle and
our blood runs in his veins. He took
Helen when she was a baby and was
a father to her in his selfish way
ing her as best lie knew how.
she loves him." I
"I don't quite understand you," said
Boy.
And then Helen spoke for the first
time eagerly, taking a packet from bet
bosom its she began: .
"This will fell the whole wretched '
story. .Mr. (ilenistcr, 'ind show the plot
In all Its vlleness. It's hard for me to'
w i I iiiriinrr i
iSlMPfi
Dottles. You may
have a sample bottle tiMnoofflwamD-noct.
by mail free, also a pamphlet telling yoi
how to find out if you have kidney"
bladder trouble. Mention this p:pe.
when writing to Dr. Kilut'jr & Co., Iling
hamton, N. Y. Don't make any mistake,
but remember the name, Swamp-Boot
Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Hoot, and the ad
tfvess, Dinghamton, N. Y.. on every bottle.
'SSTsT- Li2r's4
Tftr- .. 'J
- .a J JT-rtT- aa-SiN I
'mk
- n tttt --aai'fT
sntviM!iKvnsmc? ii-je
mvNi"1 niifm'TT- --i .
AWSfcJpMfflffl
r M V -- lt,T
'-' - 'I
$fc5 :...- r
lov-Alltl
befra my unch , but this proof Is (
yours by right to ue as you see 111. I
ami I can't keep it." '
"ln you mean Unit this evidence will
show al! tli.it V Ami you're going to
ghe it to me because you think It Is
your tltilyV"
"It belongs to you. 1 have no choice.
But what I came for was to plead and
ask a little mercy for my undo, who
Is an old. old man, ami very weak.
This will kill him."
He saw that her eyes were swim
iiiing, while Ihe little chin quivered
ever so slightly and her pale cheeks
were Hushed. There rose In him the
old wild desire lo lake her In his arms,
a yearning to pillow her head on his
shoulder and kiss away the tears, to
smooth with tender caress the wavy
hair and bury his face deep In it till
he grew drunk with the madness of
her. lint he knew at last for whom
she re.illv pleaded.
"71
IT 1IK CONTINUED. i ,
What a Settler Can Secure In
WESTERN CANADA
160 Acre Grain-Growing Land FREE.
20 to 40 Buihb Wheat to Uie Acre.
40 to 90 BiuheU Oatt to the Acre.
35 to 50 Buthelt Barley to the Acre.
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Splendid Railroad Fncilitie and Low Ratei.
School and Churchei Convenient.
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Good Climate and Perfect Health.
Chance for Profitable Invottroent.
Sotno of iht'ltholrust urnin-prcHluoInc lantlR iic
Saskatchewan antl Albert? niny now tic acquire-'
In thco most lictilthlul and prosperous section
under the
Revised Homestead Regulations
by which entry inaybomaCctiyproxytoncetlan
conditions), by tho father. mother, son, danuhli"
brother or sister of Intending homesteader.
Untrv fee in each i-nsc is 51H.C0. Korpampblc
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best time to to and where to locate, apply to
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2 -- K-
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