The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-03-10
TheSpoilers.
~ REX 3. BAAcH-
Copyright isG, BY Rsx n Beach


Answering W nedlph Ndlf anu itii
upon him hungriy. they shook Roy
into consciousness with joyous riot,
pommeling him with affectionate
|roughness till he rose and Joined with
them stifily. He bathed and rubbed
the soreness from his muscles, emerg-
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
screeched with soopreme delight at
that"
why didn't you gouge his eyes out
when you had him crippledY' question
ed Slapjack vindictively. "Td "a done
It,"
Dextry continued: "They tell me that
when he was arrested he swore. in
eighteen different languages. each one
more rcfreshin'ly repulsive an Vigorous
than the precedin', oh, have sure
missed a-plenty today, partic'lar be
cause my own dictlon is gettin' run
down an skim milky of late. showin'
sad lack of new idees. which might
have assim'lated somethn' robustly
original al expressive If I'd been here
No sir: nose bag full of nuggets
wouldn't have Kept me away"
How did il sound when she bust
ed?" insisted the morbid Smms, but
Glenister refused TO discuss the com
bat.
Come on. slap" said the old pros.
pcctor: lets 20 downtown. I'm so
het M can't SGT still. an. besides.
mebbc we can get the story the way it
really happened from somebody who
amt bound an gagged an chloroform-
ed by such unbecomn' modcsties
Roy. don't never go into vawdyvillc
with them personal episodes. because
they read about ms thrlllin' as n cook
book. Why. say. I've had the story of
that fight from four different fcllers
already. none Of which was within
four blocks Of the scrimmGge, an
they're all dff'rent an all better'n your
account"
covered some OF its poise he realized
what he had done.
Il was n beast. an animal" he groan-
ed, "and that after all my striving
wanted to leave that part behind.
wanted 10 he worthy Of her love and
trust even though | never won il. but
at the first test | am 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 bottom-not that kind.
want TO do what's right. and il 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.
"Walt n minute, old man." said the
Kid. I'm here as a friend" The
gambler handled himself with difficult
ty, Offering in explanation:
I'm all sewed up in bandages Of
one kind or another"
'ue ought TO be in bed now, but he
wouldn't let me come alone, and
could not wait" the girl supplemented.
while her eyes avoided Glenister's in
strange hesitation.
HE wouldn't let you. don't under
stand"
I'm her brother" announced the
Bronco Kid. 1--WE known il for a long
time. but I-I-well, you understand,
couldn't let her know. All can say is,
I've gambled square till the night
played you, and | was as mad as n
lervish then, blaming You for the talk
I'd heard. Last night | learned by
chance about Strive and Helen and got
TO the roadhouse in time TO save her.
I'm sorry didn't kill him" Ills long
white fingers writhe1 about the arm
Of his chair at the memory.
Isn't he deadY" Glenister inquired
mo. The doctors have brought him
IN, and he'll get well. He's like half
the men in Alaska-here because the
sheriffs back home couldn't shoot
straight There's something else. I'm
not a good talker, but give me time
hhh a. IL ~ NOli u
I tried TO keep Helen from coming or
this errand, but she said il 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 a party to the
deal, but yen don't, do your He glar-
I'd belligerently, and Roy replied with
'ervor:
Certainly not. Go on"
"Well. she learned the other day that
those documents told the whole story
and contained enough proof to break
up ills conspiracy and convict the
Judge and Mcnamara and all the rest,
but Strive kept the bundle in his safe
md wouldn't give il up without n price.
That's why she went away with him.
She thought IL was right. and-that's
all. But It seems Wheaton had sue
,eeded in another way Now, I'm com
ng to the point The Judge and Nc
\amara are arrested for contempt of
,ourt and they're as good as convicted;
Tou have recovered your mine, and
hese men are disgraced. They will go
% iail''-
"Yes. for six months, perhaps" broke
In the other holly. "but what does that
amount to? There never was a holder
primo ponSummotod NOR ono mora