The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-17
The Spoilers.
By REX E. BEACH.
Copyright 1905 E.

ripped the placers open with double
shifts. Every day stream Of yellow
dust poured into the bank and was
locked In his vaults, while those mine
owners who attempted to witness the
cleanups were elected from their
claims. The politician had worked
with incredible swiftness and system,
and a fortnight after landing he had
made good his boast to Strive and
was IN charge of every good claim in
the district, the owners were ousted,
their appeals argued and denied and
the court gone for thirty days, leav-
ing him a clear field for his operations.
He felt contempt for most of his vic
TINS, who were slow witted Swedes,
grasping neither the purport nor the
magnitude Of his operation, and to
those litigants who were discerning
enough to see its enorRity he trusted
to his organization to thwart them.
The two partners had come to feel
that they were beating against a wall
and had also come squarely to face the
proposition that they were without
funds wherewith to continue their bat
think Of the daily robbery that they
suffered, for the Midas turned out
many ounces of gold at every shift,
and more maddening to realize the re-
ceiver's shrewdness in Gripping them
by his theft Of the gold in their safe.
That had been his browning stroke.
I'VE must get money quick" said
Glenister. "Do you think we can Dor
row."
''BorrowY' shifted Dextry. Folks
don't lend money IN Alaska"
They relapsed into moody silence
Il met a Teller this mornin' that's
workln' on the Midas" the old man
resumed HE came IN town fer a
pair of gum boots an he says they've
run into awful rich ground-so rich
that they have TO clean up every morn
in when the night shift goes of cause
the rifles clog with gold''
''Think Of itr' Glenister growled. 'Tf
we had even part Of one of those
cleanups we could send Wheaton out
side"
In the midst of his bitterness a
thought struck him. He made as
though to speak, then closed his mouth.
But his partners eyes were on him.
filed with a suppressed but growing
fire. Dextry lowered his voice eau
tiousiy:
'sThere'II be $4,000 in them siuioea
tonight at midnight"
Glenister stared back, while his pulse
pounded at something that lay In the
others words.
1T belongs to u.s." the young man
said. There wouldn't be anything
wrong about it, would there?"
Dextry sneered. Wrong! Right
Them is fine an soundin' titles in q
mess like this. What do they meant
/ tell you at midnight tonight Alec
Mcnamara will have $4,000 Of our
money
"GodI What would happen If they
caught u.s." whispered the younger
following out his thought They'd
never let US get off the claim alive. He
couldn't find a better excuse to shoot
US down and get rid of us. If we came
up before this judge for trial, we'd go
to Sitka for twenty years"
Sure! But it's our only chance. I'd
ruther die on the Midas in a fair fight
than set here bitin' my hangnails. I'm
CROWN old, an I won't never make
another strike. AS to bein' caught
them's our chances. / won't be took
alive, promise you that, and before I
go I'll get my satisfy. Castin' things
up, that's about all man getS in this
vale of tears, jest satisfaction Of one
kind or another. It'll be a fight in the
open, under the stars, with the clean,
wet moss to lie down on, and not
scrappin' match of freak phrases and
law books inside of stinkin' court
room. The cards is shuffled and in the
box, pardner, and the game is started
If we're due to win, We'll win If
we're due to lose, we'll lose. These
things is all iggered out a thousand
years back. Come on, boyl Are you
gamer
"Am I gamer" Glenisters nostrils
dilated, aud his voice rose a tone.
'Am l game? I'm with you till the
big cash in, and Lord have mercy on
any man that blocks our game to-
night"
Wen need another hand to help
u.s." said Dextry. "Who can we get?"
At that moment, as though In an
swer. the door opened with the scant