Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-12-12
The Spoilers.
BY REX L. BEACH.
Copyright, 1905. by Rex Z. Beach.
by REX L. BEACH.
CHATTER xxi. tContinued)

everything she taught me, and by
SOC damned trick of fate she was
there to see me do It. Now, go away;
] want to sleep"
lie sank upon the bed with its tangle
Of blankets and was unconscious be-
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 hunGriIy They shook Roy
into consciousness with joyous riot,
pommeing him with affectionate
roughncss till he rose and Joined with
them stfIly. lie bathed and rubbed
the soreness from his muscles. emery
ing physically fit They made him
recount his adventures to the tiniest
detail, following his description of the
fight with 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
scrceched with sooprcme delight ut
that"
Why didn't you gougc his eyes out
when YOU had him cripplcd?" question
ed Slapjack yndictvcly I'D "a done
it."
Dcxtry continued; "Thcy tell me that
when he was arrested he swore IN
eighteen different languages, each one
more rcfroshln'iy repulsIre an Vigorous
than the prccodiu'. Oh, ! have sure
missed a-nlcnty today, particular be-
cause my own diction Is Gettin run
down an skim milky Of late, shown
sad lack OF new idcos, which l might
have aSsim lated somethin robustly
original an expressive If I'd been here.
No, sir; a nose bag full Of nuggets
wouldn't have kept me away"
'TTow did it sound when she bust
edE' insisted the morbid Simms. but
Gleuister refused to discuss the COM
bat.
Come on, Slap" said the old pros
poctor; lets so downtown. I'm so
hct up l cant set still, an, besides.
mcbbe we can get the story the way It
really happened from somebody who
amt bound an gagged an chloroform.
ed by such unbocomin' modesties.
Roy, don't never go into vawdyvllle
with them personal episodes, because
they read about as thrillln as a cook
book. Why, say, I've had the story of
that fight from four different fellers
already, none of which was within
four blocks Of the scrimmage, an
they're all dlf'rent an all better'n your
account"
Now that Glenlster's mind had re-
covered some Of its poise he realized
what he had done.
Il was beast, an animal" he groan-
ed, land that after all my striving. I
wanted to leave that part behind. l
wanted to be worthy of her love and
trust even though | never won it, but
at the first test ] an found lacking. |
have lost her confidence. Yes and
what is worse, infinitely worse, have
lost my own. She's always seen me at
my worst" he went on, "but I'm not
that kind at hottom-no that kind. l
want to do what's right. and if l have
another chance | will know | will
I've been tried too hard, that's all"
Some one knocked, and he opened
the door to admit the Bronco Kid and
Helen.
wait minute, Old man." said the
Kid. I'm here as friend The
gambler handled himself with di0cul-
~, Offering IN explanation:
I'm all sewed up in bandages of
one kind or another"
"He ought to be in bed now, but he
wouldn't let me come alone, and
could not wait the girl supplemented,
while her eye avoided Gleulster's in
strange hesitation
lie "vu. irt You. don't under
stand"
I'm he" brother" announced the
Bronco Kid, I've known it for long
time, but I-I-well, you understand,
couldn't let her know. All | can say is,
I've gamblod square till the night
played you, and | was as mad as
dervish then, blaming you for the talk
Ia heard. Last night l learned by
chance about Struye and Helen and got
tc the roadhouse in time TO save her.
I'm sorry I didn't Kill him" His long
white fingers writhed about the arm
Of his chair at the memory.
Isn't he deadf" Glepister Incurred.
"No. The doctors have brought him
in, and he'll get well. He's Ike half
the men in Alaska here because tho
sher!ffs back home couldn't shoot
straight, There's something else. I'm
not n good talker but give me time
and I'll manage it so you'll understand.
l tried TO keep Helen from coming on
this errand, but she said it was the
square thing and She knows better
than |. It's about those papers she
brought in last spring. She was afraid
you might consider her n party to the
deal, but you don't, do you?" He glar-
ed belligerently, and Roy replied with
fervor:
"Certainly not Go on"
well, she learned the other day that
those documents told the whole story
and contained enough proof to break
up this conspiracy and convict the
Judge and Mcnamara and all the rest.
but Strive kept the bundle in his safe
and wouldn't give It up without price.
That's why she went away with him.
bhe thought IL was right, and-that's
all, But It seems Wheaton had sue
ceeded in another way. Now, I'm com
Ing to the point, The Judge and Nc
Namara are arrested for contempt of
court and they're rs good as convicted;
you have recovered your mine, and
ihese men are disgraced. They will 20