The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-01-07

breath coming in raSping gaspS which
seemed to scar my throat, i waited, l
know not how long.
At last | was aroused by soft "hel-
TO-" and the nose of a swift gasoline
launch shot into the creek.
We had not long to wait. Clarke
lifted his eyes from his intent watch
on the shore line and said: He's
coming"
| knew who "he" meant and ! shiv-
cred at meeting Withersbee on those
black waters. Then my ear caught
the "puff-puff" of a launch.
Down in the boat, fellows, he's GO
ing TO fire" shouted Clarke. Dudley
succession his revolver cracked But
swiftly flying launch is not easy to
hit and we heard the bullets whistle
overhead
Withersbee's boat was almost upon
us when Clarke gave the wheel quick
twist and our pursuer shot past with
In three feet of our gunwale. AS he
threw the wheel Clarke's right arm
shot into the basket at his side. saw
his hand come out holding writhing
black object. He swung 1t about his
head once and let go. ! saw II hurtle
through the air and strike the doctor
full between the shoulders. Withers-
bee dropped the wheel and stood up
trying to fight the thing off while his
boat, free of her helm, swung round
in circles.
Suddenly he sprang to the gunwale
of the boat, threw up his arms and
with piercing, terrified shrek disap-
peared in the black waters of the bay.
Clarke shot our boat over to the
staggering derelict. reached over her
side and stopped her engine. / held
the gunwales together while Dudley
leaped into the doctors boat at
bound and returned bearing in his
powerful arms the unconscious form
of young woman. The figure in the
stern sat fixed and motionless.
Dudley swiftly cut the ropes which
bound her. IT'S she. It's She" he
muttered. Clarke felt her pulse. She's
only tainted" he said We fell to
chatting her wrists and Dudley scooped
up handful of sea water and bathed
her brow
At the tavern, after Miss Mason had
been safely slowed away in clean
warm bed by the motherly landlady
we patched together the ragged
threads of the story over the best in
the landlords cellar.
First" said Clarke, "if you are
Oliver Dixie, whose was the body that
DR.. Withersbee shipped to Chicago in
an opium case?"
He was another attendant, young
fellow by the name of Frank Williams.
We were very similar in appearance
even to the filings in our teeth.
81 didn't worry much about her for
he treated her well and she seemed
to be in no danger from him, and had
seen so many terrible things in cases
where he didn't want to marry them
that was sort of hardened to 1t any
way. l was the Waterman of the
whole place after Williams disap-
peared and the only white man about
| the institution, all the rest being
Chinks. talked with Miss Mason
on the sly sometimes but / paid no
attention to her appeals until one day
she mentioned the name of Mr.. Dud-
football heroes and l determined to
do something.
But, Clarke. how did you see
through all this when we were in Chi
cago" | asked.
Il didn't see through it by any
which you didn't. Part of 1t you
know. Then a connecting link was
the zinc can which | recognized al
once as one used in smuggling opium
picked up the threads of Miss Ma
sons case where | had dropped then
before, and the list of guests con
firmed my hazy recollection that there
was one from Etteso. The name o
the town did not strike me the frs
time, of course, but the name of th'
doctor did, for while turning the cast
, over in my mind J thought of some
thing which | should have Remembered
the first time II was that once in
Clark street opium den | had heart
the name 'Withersbee' In a cautious
whisper, My visit to Chinatown con
| iirmed this. l have a Chinaman Their
that | depend on a good deal, and IL
; reply to my question of who was tn
, greatest dealer in struggled opium IL
the country he whispered 'Withers
} bee swearing that he would never liv'
, to see another day for having told
4, Dudley and Miss Mason we're mar
ried the next spring and Clarke ant
= are often guests at their beautiful
Lake Forest home. Withersbee's SO
called asylum, from which, aided b!
the powerful Chinese tongs in whicl
he welded great influence, he conduct
cd his extensive smuggling operations