The Red Cloud chief., 1908-03-06
The Spoilers.
BY REX E. BEACH.
- copyrisbt 1905 by E. Beach.

of his enemy worked I'm Glcnister to
destroy his composurc, and his purpose
blazed forth unhiddcn.
He stood there unkempt anl soiled.
the clean sweep OF jaw and throat
ovcrgrown with three days black
stubble. his hair wet and matted. his
whole left side foul with clay where
he had fallen in the darkness. A mud.
dy red streak spread downward from II
cut above his temple. beneath his eyes
were sagging folds, while the flicker M
his mouth corners betrayed the high
nervous pitch to which he WAS keyed.
II have come for the last act. Nc
Namara. Now we'll have ii out man
to man"
The politician shrugged his shoulders.
"You have the drop on me. I am I'M
armed" At which the miners face
lighted iiercciy, and he chuckled.
"Ah, that's almost too good Ia be
true. ! have dreamed about such II
thing and have been hungry to feel
your throat since the first time ! saw
you. It's grown on me till shooting
wouldn't satisfy me. Ever had the
feeling? Well. I'm going to choke the
life ont Of you with my bare hands"
Mcnamara squared himself.
II wouldn't advise YOU TO try Ii. ]
have lived longer thap you. and I was
nsscr beaten. but I know the feeling
You speak about. have il now"
Ills eyes roveIl rapidly up and down
the others form. noting the lean thighs
and close drawn belt. which lent tho
appearance of Sparscness. belicd only
by the neck aud shoulders. He had
beaten better men. and he reasoned
that if il came To il physical test in
these crampcd quarters his own great
weight would more than Offset any Su-
pcriOr agility the miner might possess.
The longer he looked the more he
yielded to his hatred of the man before
him AMI the more cruelty he longcd to
satisfy il.
Take off your coat" said GlcniSter.
"Now turn around. All right. | just
wanted TO see If you were lying about
your gun"
"i'n kill you." cried Mcnamara.
Glenbstcr laid his six shooter upon the
safe and slipped off his own wet gar
mcnt. The difference was more mark
ed now and the advantage more
strongly with the receiver. Though
they had avoided allusion to Ii, each
knew that this fight had nothing to
lo with the Midas and each realized
whence sprang their fierce cnmity
And II was meet that they should
come torcthcr thus. 1t had been tho
one certain and logical event which
they had felt inevitably approaching
from long back. And It was fitting
moreover. that they should fight alone
and unwitncsscd. armed only with the
weapons Of the wilderness, for the!
were both of the far. free lands. were
both of the fighters type and hac
both warrcd for the first great prize
They met ferociOusly. McNamarf
aimed fearful blow, but Glenisiel
met him squarely. beating him of
clcvcrly, stepping in and out. his
/ arms swinging loosely from his shoul
drrs like whalcbonc withes tipped will
lead. He moved lightly, his footing
+ made douby secure by reason Of hi!
soft soIcd mukluks. Recognizing hi
, opponents greater weight he under
took merely Ia stop the hcadlon:
PUSHES and remain out of reach n
long as possible. lie struck the poll
tician fairly in the mouth 50 that th'
mans head snapped back and his fist
went wild, then. before the arm
could grasp him. the miner had brok
en- ground and whipped another blow
across, but Mcnamara was Il boNe
himself, so covered and blocked II
The politician spat through his mash
ed lips and rushed again. sweeping
his opponent from his feet, Agai
GleuiSter's fist shot forward like
lnmp of granite. but the other came o.
head down and the blow finished to
high, landing on the big mans brow
4 sudden darling agony paralyze
Eoy'S hand. and he realized that h
had broken the mrta"arpsi bones an
that hcnceforth II would he useless
Before he could recover M"Namar
had passed under his extended arr
and seized him 10y the middle. thel
Ihrustiug his left lrg back of Roy
he whIrIed him from his balance. t'in;
ing him clear and with resistless fore
II seemed that II fatal fall must 70
low, but the youth squrmed catIib
In the air, landing with set muscle
which rebOunded like rubber, Eve
50. the receiver was upon him befol
he could rise. reaching FOR the youn
mans throat with his heavy hand
Roy recognized the fatal strange
hold aud, scizing his encmy's wrist
endcaVOrcd To tear them apart, bl