The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-02-14
The Spoilers.
BY REX e. BEACH.
=: Copyright. Rex Reach.

McNamara's distress was patent to
his antagonist, who advanced upon
him with the hunger Of promised vic
tory, but the young mans muscles
Dbeyed his commands sluggishly; his
ribs seemed broken, his back was
weak, and on the inner side of his legs
the flesh was quivering AS they came
together the boss reached up his right
hand and caught the miner by the face,
burying thumb and fingers crablike
into his cheeks, forcing his slack Jaws
apart thrusting his head backward,
while he centered every ounce of his
strength in the effort to MAIN. Roy
felt the flesh giving way and flung
himself backward to break the hold,
whereupon the other summoned his
wasting energy and plunged toward
the safe, where lay the revolver. In
stinct warned Glenister of treachery,
told him that the man had sought this
last resource to save himself, and as
he saw him turn his back and reach
, or the weapon the youth leaped like a
panther, Selling him about the waist,
grasping McNamara's wrist with his
right hand. For the first time during
the combat they were not face to face,
and on the instant Roy realized the
advantage given him through the 9th
er's perldy, realized the wrestler's
hold that was his and knew that the
moment of victory was come.
The telling takes much time, but so
quickly had these things happened that
the footsteps of the soldiers had not
yet reached the door when the men
were locked beside the safe.
OF what happened next many gar
bled accounts have gone forth, for of
all those present none but the Bronco
Kid knew its significance and ever re-
counted the truth concerning it. Some
claim that the younger man was seized
with a fear Of death which multiplied
his enormous strength, others that the
power died in his adversary as reward
for his treason, but it was not So
No sooner had Roy encompassed Nc
Namara's waist from the rear than he
slid his damaged hand up past the 9th
er's chest and around the back of his
neck, thus bringing his own left arm
close under his enemy's left armpit,
wedging the receivers head forward,
khile with his other hand he grasped
the politicians 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
selves rocklike and rigid. There was
no lunging about. Calling up the final
atom Of his strength, Glenister bore
backward with his right arm, and 1t
became contest for the weapon,
which, clutched in the two hands,
swayed back and forth or darted up
and down, the fury of resistance caus-
ing it to trace formless patterns in the
air with its muzZle. Mcnamara shook
himself, but he was close against the
safe and could not escape, his head
bowed forward by the lock of the min
er's left arm, and so he strained till the
breath clogged in his throat. Despite
the grievous toll his right hand moved
back slightly. His feet shifted a bit,
while the blood seemed bursting from
his eyes, but he found that the long
fingers enclrcling his wrist were like
gives weighted with the strength of
the hills and the irresistible vigor of
youth which knew no defeat. Slowly,
inch by inch, the great mans arm was
dragged back, down past his side, while
the strangling labor Of his breath show
ed at what awful cost. The muzzle Of
the gun described semicirce and the
knotted hands began to travel toward
the left, more rapidly now, across his
broad back. Still he struggled and
wrenched, but uselessly. He strove to
fire the weapon. but his fingers were
woven about it so that the hammer
would not work. Then the miner be-
gan forcing upward.
The white skin beneath the mems
strips of clothing was stretched over
great knots and ridges which sunk and
swelled and quivered. Helen, watching
in silent terror, felt her brother sinking
his fingers into her shoulder and heard
him painting his face ablaze with ex-
element, while she became conscious
that he had repeated time and again:
'It's the hammer lock-the hammer
lock-"
BY now McNamara's arm was bent
and cramped upon his back. and then
they saw Glenister's shoulder dip, his
elbow come closer to his side, and his
body heave in one final terrific effort
as though pushing a heavy weight
In the silence something snapped like
a stick. There came a deafening re-
port and the scream Of strong man
overcome with agony. Mcnamara
went to his knees and sagged forward
on to his face as though every bone i'm
his huge bulk had turned to water,
while his master reeled back against
the opposite wall, his heels dragging
in the litter bringing up with outfung
arms as though fearful Of falling
swaying, blind, exhausted, his face
blackened by the explosion of the re-
volver, yet grim with the light of VIC
tory.
Judge Stillman shouted Historically:
ARREST that man, quick! Don't let
him gov
1t was the miners first realization
that others were there. Raising his
head he stared at the faces close