Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-12-20
he Spoilers.
By REX s. BEACH.
: copyrish.. 1905 BY Re. 3. pe.eh. :.
I've known that for a long time"

NC u'oSAiCe ulOTuey udb put On
some new men. I've fixed the woman
who rooms next to him, and through
her I've got a Zine on some Of them,
but haven't spotted them all. They're
bad ones, up river men mostly, rem.
nants Of Soapy Smiths Skagway gang
They won't stop at anything"
Thank you. I'll keep my eyes
oper.,'
"A few nights inter Glenister had rea-
son to recall the words Of the sleuth
and to realize TINT the game was grow
Ing close and desperate. To reach Ills
cabin, which sat OH the outskirts of tlle
town, he ordinarily followed one OF
the plank walks which wound through
the confusion of tents, warehouses and
cottages lying back of the two princi.
pal streets along the water front. This
part of the city was not laid out In
rectangular blocks, for in the early
rush the first corners had seized what.
ever pieces of ground they. found va.
cant and erected thereon some kind of
buildings to make good their titles.
There resulted formless tumble OF
huts, cabins and sheds, penetrated by
no cross streets and quite unlighted.
AT night one leaving the Illuminated
portion OF the town found this dark.
ness Intensified.
Glenister knew Ills course so well
that he could have walked 1t blindfold.
ed. Nearing corner OF the warehouse
this evening he remembered that the
planking MT this point was torn up, SC
to avoid the mud he lcaped lightly
across. simultaneously with his jump
he detected movement In the shad-
ows that banked the wall ut his elbow
and saw the flaming squirt OF revolver
shot. The man had crouched behind
the building and WINS SO close that II
seemed impossible to miss. Glenister
fell heavily upon his side, and the
thought flashed over him, "McNama-
ra's thugs have shot me-"
His assaiiant leaped out from his
hiding place and ran down the walk.
the sound Of his quick, soft footballs
thudding family out into the silence.
The young man felt no pain, however,
30 scrambled to his feet, felt himself
over with care and then swore round
| ". He was untouched. The other
had missed him clearly. The report.
coming while he was In the act of
leaping had startled him so that lie
had lost his balance, slipped upon the
wet boards and fallen His assailant
was lost in the darkness before he.
could rise. Pursuit was out of the
question, so he continued homeward,
considerably shaken, and related the
incident to Dextry.
"You think it was some of McNa-
mara's work, eh:'' Dextry inquired
when he had finished
-"Of course. Didn't the detective
warn me todayy'
| Dextry shook his head. ut don't
seem like the game is that far along
lyet. The time is coming when we'll
30, 70 tire mat with them people, but
they've got the aige on us now ,, IS
what could they gain by putting you
I'lway? l don't believe it's them, but
whoever it is you'd better be careful
or you'll be got"
Suppose we come home together
after this" Roy suggested, and they
arranged to do SO, realizing that dan
ger lurked In the dark corners and
that 1t was in some such lonely spot
4 that the deed would be tried again.
They experienced no trouble for time,
y though on nearing their cabin one
night the younger man fancied that he
saw shadow glide away from It's vi
entity and out into the blackness Of
Il the tundra as though some one had
stood at his very door waiting for him,
then became frightened at the two f1g-
ures approaching. Dextry had not OBJ
served 1t, however, and Glenister was
not positive himself, but 1t served to
give him the uncanny feeling that
some determined, INSCRIPTIONS force
was bent on his destruction. He de-
termined to go nowhere unarmed
II A few evenings later he went home
early and was busted in writing when
Dextry came in about 10 o'clock. The
old miner hung up his coat before
speaking, lit cigarette, inhaled deep
~, then, amid mouthfuls of smoke, be-
gan:
~ had my own toes over the edge
tonight. was mistook for you, which
compliment / don't aim to have re-
Ipeated."
| Glenister questioned him eagerly.
"We're about the same height, an
these hats Of ours are alike. Just as !
came by that lumber pile down yonder
a man hoped out an throwed 'gat'
under my nose. He was quicker than
light and near blowed my skelp Into
the next block before he saw who l
was. Then he dropped his weepon and
said:
".My mistake. Go on accepted
bis apology"
could you see who he WASP
"Sure! Guess
II can't
at was Bronco Kid"
"Lord!' CALCULATED Glenister. .De
you think he's after me-"
"He amt after nobody else, an takt
my word for 1t, it's got nofhin' to dc
with MCNAMARA nor that gamblin' row
)! He's too game for that. There's some
other reason .
This was the first mention Dextry
had made Of the night at the Northern
II don't know why he should have i
In for me. never did him any "a
vors,. Glenister remarked cynically.
well, you watch out anyhow. II
sooner face Mcnamara an all thu
crooks he can hire than that gambler
During the next few days Roy un
dertook to meet the proprietor Of tn,