The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-04-16
The Spoilers.
BY REX E. BEACH.
-: copyrisht. 1905. e. -
By REX E. BEACH.
GContinued from last week. !

Voorhees, and the district attorney,
then there would. be bloodshed. riot,
chaos The soldiers would be called
ont ard martial law declared, the
streets would become skirmish grounds.
The vigilantes would rout them with
out question. for every citizen Of the
north would rally to their aid. and such
men could rot he stopped. The judge
would go down with the rest Of tho
ring. and what would happen to-her
He took down his Winchester. oiled
and cleaned it. then buckled on belt
Of cartridges. Still he wrestled With
himself. He felt that he was ing
ground between his loyalty to the igi-
lsntes and his own conscience. The
girl was one Of the gang. he reasoned
she had schemed with them to betray
him through his love. and she was
pledged to the one man in the world
whom lie hated with fanatical fury.
Why should lie think Of her in this
hour? Six months back he would have
looked with jealo:ls eyes upon the right
TO lead the viGilantes, bit tbs change
that had mastered him-Nhat was *!
Not cowar;ice. nor caution. No. Yet.
being Intangible. it was none the less
marked. de his friends had shown him
an hour since.
He slipped out into the night. The
mob might do as Il pleased elsewhere.
but no man should enter her house. He
folrd light shining from her parlor
wia,.ow. and. noting the shade up IL
few inches, stole close. Peer!ns
through. he discovered Struve and
Helen talking. He SUNK back into
the shadows and remained hidden for
q considerable time after the lawyer
from the hotel and passed close by.
When the last group had chattcred
away down the street. he turned to the
front OF the house. and mounting the
steps. knO:ked sharply. AS Helen ap-
peared at the door. he stepped inside
and closed it after him.
The girls hair lay upon her neck anu
shoulders in tumbled brown masses.
while her breast heaved tumultuously
at the sudden, grim sight Of him.
She stepped back against the wall. her
wondrous. deep gray eyes wide and
troubled the blush Of modesty strug.
CLING with the pallor of dismay.
The picture panied him like knife
thrust This girl was his bitterest
enemy-no hope Of her was for him.
He forget for moment that she was
false and plotting. then. recalling It,
spoke as roughly as lie might and stat
ed his errand. Then the old man bad
appeared on the stairs above, speech
less with fright at what he overheard.
1t was evident that his nerves. so sore
" strained by the events Of the past
week. were now snapped utterly.
human soul naked and panic stricken
is no pleasant sight. SO Glenister drop
ped his eyes and addressed the girl
again:
Don't take anything with you. Just
dress and come with me-"
The creature on the stairs above
stammered and suffered inquiringly:
What outrage Is this. Mr.. Glenis-
ter:'
The people OF Nome are UP in arms.
and I've come to save you. Don't stop
to argue" lie spoke impatiently.
is this some r-ruse to get me into
your power:'
Uncle Arthur" exclaimed the girl
sharply. Her eyes met Glenlsters
and begged him to take no offense.
81 don't understand this atrocity.
They must be mad" walled the judge.
You run over to the Jail. Mr.. Glen
lister. and tell Voorhees, to hurry
guards here to protect me. Helen,
phone to the military post and give
the alarm. Tell them the soldiers must
come at once
Hold on" said Glenister. There's
no use Of doing that-the wires are
cut: and | won't notify Voorhees-he
can take care Of himself. l came to
help you. and If you want to escape
you'll stop talking and hurry up"
81 don't know what to do," said Still
man. torn by terror and indecision.
You wouldn't hurt an old man, would
you? Wait! III be down in a min
ute"
He scrambled up the stairs, tripping
on his robe. seemingly forgetting bis
niece till she called up to him sharply:
sStop, Uncle Arthur! You mustn't
run away" She stood erect and deter
mined. You wouldn't do that. would
you? This is our house. You repre-
sent the law and the dignity Of the
government. You mustn't fear a mob
Of ruffiaps. We will stay here and
meet them, Of course"
Good Lordw said Glenister. That's
madness! These men aren't rufians.
They are the best citizens Of Nome.
You don't realize that this is Alaska
and that they have sworn to wipe ont