Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-11-05
The Spoilers.
BY REX e. BEACH.
copyrisht. 1905. by E. Beach. =

poured forth In cataract He dived
under the breach unhesitatingly and,
STOPPING. lifted the line rs near to its
former level rs possible, holding the
entire burden upon his naked pate.
He gesticuiated wildly for help.
while over him poured the deluge Of
icy, muddy water. 1t entered his gap
ing waistband. bullying out his yellow
trousers till they were fat and full and
the seams were bursting. while his
yawning boot tops became as boiling
springs. Meanwhile he chartered forth
profanity in such volume that the ear
ached under 1t as must have ached the
heroic Slapjack under the chill Of the
melting snow. He was relieved quick
ly. however, and emerged triumphant,
though blue and puckered. his wilder
ness Of whisliers streaming like timber
stalactites, his boots loosely ''squish-
ing" while oaths still poured from him
In such profusion that Dexry whis-
pered:
"1Ain't he ring tailed wonder? It's
plumb solemn an reverent the way he
makes them untamed cuss words sit
up an beg. Us privilege to be pres
ent. That's gift. that Isl
You'd better get some dry Clothes"
they suggested, and Slapjack proceed
ed few PAGES toward the tents, hob
bling as though treading on pounded
glass.
"Ow-w" he yelled. "These blasted
boots is full of gravel"
He seated himself and tugged at his
foot till the boot came away with a
sucking sound; then. instead of emp
tying the accumulation ut random, lie
poured the contents into Dextry's emp
ty gold pan. rinsing 1t out carefully.
The other boot he emptiel likewise.
They held a surprising amount of sedi-
ment, because the stream that had
emerged from the crack in the sluices
had carried with it pebbles. sand and
this point. Standing directly beneath
the cataract. most Of it had divcd fair
ly into his inviting waistband, follow
ing down the lines of least resistance
into his boot legs and boiling out at
the knees.
"Wash that" he said. You're apt
to get prospect"
With artful passes Dextry settled it
in the pan bottom and washed away
the gravel. leaving yellow glittering
pile which raised yell from the men,
who had fingered curiously,
NIyo Mans C1n u, &I,o l.aA ,.-p
shouted.
elbow much do you run to the foot
Slapjack?"
"He's a res'lar free milling ledge"
mo, he amt; he's too thin. He's
nothing but stringer, but he'll pay to
work"
The old miner grinncd toothlessly.
Gentlemen. there amt no better
way to save fine gold than with under
currents an blanket rifles. I'll have
to wash these garments of mine an
clean up the soapsuds cause there's a
hundred dollars In gold dust clingin'
to my person this minute" He went
dripping up the bank. while the men
returned to their work singing.
After lunch DeXtry saddled his
broncho.
:4'm goin' to town for q pair Of gold
scales, but I'll be back bE supper; then
We'll clean pp between shifts. She'd
ought to give us a thousand ounces the
way that ground prospects" He loped
down the gulch. while his partner re-
turned to the pit. the flashing shovel
blades and the rumbling undertone of
the big workings that SO fascinated
him,
It was perhaps 4 o'clock when he
was aroused from his labprs by q shout
from the bunk tent. where group Of
horsemen had clustered. AS Glenister
drew near he saw among them Wilton
Strnve. the lawyer, and the his, well
dressed tenderfoot of the Nartharn,
Mcnamara, the man Of the heavy
band. struHe straightwaF engaged
him:
"say. Glenistcr, we've come out to
see about the title to this claim"
"What about its'
"Well. 1t was relocated about a
month ago" He paused,
hYes. What Of that7'
"Galloway has commenced suit"
''Thc ground belongs to Dextry and
me. We discovered It, we opened II
pp, we've complied with the law. and
we're going to hold It." Glenistel
spoke with such conviction and heat as
to aonplus Struve but Mcnamara. who
bad sat his horse silently until now
answered;
"certainly, sirj if sopF title is good
has arrived in Alaska and we've got
to let 1t take its course There's no
need of violence-none whatever-but
briefly. the situation is this: Mr.. Gal
loway has commenced action against
you. the court has enjoined you from
working and has appointed NE as re.
ceirer 10 operate the mine until the
suit is settled. It's an extraordinary
| procedure. Of course. but the condl
| lions are extraordinary In this country
| The season Is SO short that it would he
unjust to the rightful owner e the
claim lay idlo all si,mmer. so to avoid
that I've been put in charge. with in
structions to operate it and preserve
| the proceeds subject to the courts or
der Mr.. Voorhees, here IS the United
States marshal. He w{l serye ths
papers"
GIenister threw up his hand in gcs
ture of restraint.
Hold on. Do you mean to tell me
| vt too ,oy~ =