The San Francisco Sunday Call.
Magazine Section
Part I.
THE SPOILERS
HertTsiih The Sunday Call pre
sents the first, installment of "The
Spoilers" the great story by Rex
BcacJu'*it>hose:" plot !is->thcyamotts?
Nome conspiracy cases. &htch>l»a?e
tried in Scin Francisco, and lin*
mhlch Francis ].' Heney ' figured: I
On succeeding Sundays thc^ other <
chapters of this absorbing story" out
of life trill be published.
CHAPTER I
The Encounter
QLENISTER gazed out over the
harbor, agleam with the lights
of anchored ships, then up at
the crenelated mountains, black
& gainst the sky. He drank the cool
air burdened with its taints of the sea,
while the blood of his boyhood leaped
within him.
"Oh, it's fine — fine," he murmured,
"and this is my country — my country,
after all, Dcx." It's in my veins, this
hunger for the north. ,1 grow. I ex
pand." ' \u25a0 \u25a0 '.-. , . {ij .;.
"Careful you don't bust," warned
Dcxtry. "I've seen' men 'get plumb
drunk on mountain air. Don't expand
too strong in one spot." He, went
back abruptly to his pipe; its villainous
fumes promptly averting any danger
of the air's foo tonic qualit}'.
"Gad! What a smudge!" sniffed
the younger man. "You ouglit .to be
in - quarantine."' '. » , , ,
"I'd ruth<r smell like a man than
talk like a kid. You desecrate the
hour of -meditation with rhapsodies oh
nature -• when your esthetics . ain't
honed up to the beauties of good to
bacco." \u25a0> • ' i-> '
The other laughed, inflating ; his
deep chest. In the gloom he stretched
his muscles restlessly, as though an
excess of vigor filled him. > - .
They were lounging upon the dock,
while before them lay the Santa Maria
ready- for her midnight sailing. Be
hind slept Unalaska, quaiut, antfgtfe
and Russian, rusting amid the fogs
of Bering sea. Where, a w-eelc before,
.mildeyed natives had dried their cod .
among the old bronze cannon, now.
a frenzied horde of . gold seekers paus
ed in their rush to the new El Dorado.
They had come like a locust cloud,
thousands strong,, settling on the edge
of the Smoky 'sea, \u25a0'\u25a0waiting- the 'going
of the ice that barred them from thejr,
golden 'fleece — from. Nome the new,
where men found fortune in a night.
The mossy hills back of the village
were ridged with graves of those who
had died on the out trip ahe fall -be
fore, when a plague had gripped the
land— but what of that? Gold glittered
in th e s an ds, so said ' the survivors ;
therefore men^ came in armies. 1 Glen-:
istcr and Dextry had 'left Nome/ in- the
autumn previous, the young -man > rag
ing with fever.' "Now" they .returned
to their own land.
. .''This .air ; whets j. every .animal 1 in
stinct in me," ' Glenister 'broke '\u25a0' out
again. "A'wayJ from; the citjes I-turn
savage. •-' I ,fecl the.old ;\u25a0 primitive.;pas
sions—the fret for' fighting." .; \u25a0 ' !
"Mebbc .you'll have a 'chance.*' \.
"How so?".' ': :':''. \ ;. •, . : \u25a0 * -
"Well, it's . this .way. I .met | Mexico
' Mullins this mornm'.v You" mind, old
Mexico, '.don't j ; ou?. The that
relocated - Discovery. ' claim. . on rAnvll
creek last summer?". V.,.\. '.;'".-.- ;
, ."You 'don't' mean that- 'tinliorri'; the
boys were^goingi to lynch for. claim
jumping?""' '." ' : .' ' v - ; . ?*. 'iT"/^ 1 '' A "l
\u25a0". /'ldentical!'. 'Remeriibcr ; me ' tcUin'
3'ou about, a good turn "I " done' him
\u25a0once, down," Guadalupe'way.?",;' k '"
"Greaser shooting -scrape, wasn't
•it?"" ' v ; ; ' 1 '\u25a0.-,•\u25a0 \u25a0;..-','.;;\u25a0 p
/ j "Yep! - -Well, I- noticed first off that
he's gettin'- fat; \high livin' fat, too, all
(«V( «V one spot, like ".he j was playin' I both
ends ag'iri: the r center.^ Also=he.wofe
'demon's •fit^tohandle* .with^icetongsi-'
; "SaysJ.'lqokin* at his ;side elevation,
•What's \u25a0accented! your j middle 'syilable
;so; strong; Mexico?' r f . ; " ./ '.-.;' ; : ; . v "{
f -".'Prosperity; ipQlitics,;anV the • Wai
;dorf; • A6tbrier^ says;he. *Ir^ seetns:Mex
hadn't '; jforgot^'oid ; days/ v;. He. 'claws
me; into* a"; corner: an'; says,, 'Bill,? I'm
'goin'rtb'pay ybu'back^fqr that Mor
'alezf <leal.^' V. v: v ' i* -\ l %
* "," 'It'''am'ti^cbmin' ; to j tne,': 'says ;I.
\u25a0''That's, a bygqiie'.V'i';;; ;" 'n,\
|| " (Listen j hcre f^.saysjhe,j an'iseein'
he I was ;in j earn es tj • I-; 1 fit him . run j on".
" 'How- much'' do you \u25a0 "\u25a0'value ?v that
r claiinio' : ypurn'a : t?''f'" "' •' •'• >\u25a0; "' :•-'
'. - ";H'ard telHn',fsays , 1.' ./ If. she holds
out like she run: last-fall; thcre'd ouglit
;to be K 'a",millibn 'clear; in. her.' ':' ,' ; ; : , J . ."\u25a0 '
j. !"H.ow, ; mueh'ir^you"/ clean ...up.V this
:Suniincr?',;"'K^'';^ i:<v: ,^ 1 "^ X " r *
! '--" " ' 'Bout 'Jf pur r , hundred •* 'thousand,
withUtick:''. \u25a0''.' .-J.n ;"•>-';\u25a0 . 'i.'i '-'.f jv^-. ;
: " 'Bill',"; says *he*'Jth'cre's* hell \u25a0 aVppp'
-pin' *; a'u' i iyou've < got \u0084\u25a0 to .-["watch : :. that
*ground'like^y.oyd\watchrafrattlesnaU'e.
' Dori't'. ever* leave g^t ya* grip! on
'it for you're 'down* an'-but.' \u25a0; > I'ni v*> :; ,'y
jaf^HeV'was^sp^
. scared I m'eVup, J 'cause i Mexico"' ain't • a
'gabby 'mak! ;- ;; .- C^' r i '%~V '\u25a0'^ :'
'.- ".'Whatdb^you^smean?'; says .I.< : .'- ,
' '- a /^ c J an '.' tell«ybuTnothm'?mor^Fm
'.puttinj^aL-string^ori; my-ipivn .- Neck 1 ;
'sayinV \u25a0 this^rnuch." " s You're square
'man^Bill.'jan'/rm-afgamblcr/fbut;^
. saved ? my >; life fbneet,^ an^
f'steer '; you? Avrorig.f' ! Fbr^ God's- 'sakft,
don t rlct cm ; j ump; y our i ; ground,* t hat s
'v ',', '.Lqt,\yho, jump, it ? ; , Cpn'gress has |
\u25a0 give .us*Judgcs.an\ courts 'an' ".marshals .
' — -rf-'/J •begins:'' ; '--"- r 'V.- :i '^/.'v'. ' i;: * .'H.-^-./'
' " " 'jTha^s r jtis't .it.'.r'Hp'w you'goin' to
bucMc'^hat^haji^^Thcm's/tli^^besV
'.car.ds ;.in?iihe>.deck. : -.There»'s v "a'"/man .'
cominl l)y.";the;"namc'rof ! McNamaraV
AVat'eh, him 'clost.)' I^can't^tcll^you .no
:a 'grip ori : your; ground/ ,' .'jTha^s'j.all '
jKe'<l^say.''''Vi9 J 'V-'-v-i ''^
y- "Bali ! X He's'.' 'crazy ! : ,*I •. wish"; some- :
.we'd, enjoy,, the , J exercise." \u0084 .' lla,' J,",-, j
"of v the /Santa Marian in-;:
\u25a0".terrup'te'd.'^'its'r hoarse^ rtnrop~-' :
l^pgxUpSte.njpVntaiii. ; .; -\ ' ;% . ;'j \* ) \u25a0.' ;_ : ;,
f *saids
':Dextry.V".'..'-V V ;';'«v r/,:-^-.^.' :^..^v>''i •' I
- r,';Sh-Ht^WKat's^ that ?;•-; the* otbex^
: whispered.; .;_,.. ;.\u25a0;\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0• ,;>,»; ; .,. Vl \ VA. 1 . :'„.
7-,^J Ifirs^tiie*pniy:1 firs^tiie*pniy : spun^ they/hea^ ;
•was - a"> stir.^frdrh i;tho^-;deck'Jof^tHe'r
: 'below'j
rattleTof-jowlbcks-'and^
a^yoice i cautiously; muffled. .V^j,' /*{ ;'; *. ."
i"*"Stop! fr'Stbpiltherel"r' >: "i 'Vvir j'x^r
'\u25a0/ \u25a0A"-, skiff /from; .the-idarkness',"
-'grbunding^pnrth.e^beachf
;figurelscr?n\b|ed.[out 4 a
-leaqingltb ':tite/,wharf: : tfmmediatelyTa «
; second "boat^plaihlyj in :" pursuit.' of s-the^
'first'l'oheV, "struck 'bnrth'e ' beach \ be- i
hind it.... \u0084 .., . , .
I . n- As 'i tiiejs c s capin sf C gurc Inioun .ted ' to ;
ttheirV'lc_yclt theirV'lc_ycl • the : watchers \u25a0• perceived
*\vlth /amazenlej^' that ,it/was; a -young
\yojtian. ; '.Breath '"sobbed. > from \hVr
Jungs, "jajid; - stunibling,,shc > \yould' have
ifalle*n' tjut. f orj Glenister, ; whu }ran;' foV
w4rd' arid- helped; ; her/ to' Her '"feet. • |<
; , . He - turned "tolhis : partner^ in puzzled
:in.quiry, : but, found; that' the
rliacl' crossed"; to \ the? ;h'ea'd of '\u25a0 the! land-
: ing'jadder.upwhich'thc. pursuers "were
climbing; \ '\u25a0 \u0084 ,},-.•.- J f V = "•\u25a0',> - ? -i - !-'.-W
- • "Just* a minuterryou " there ! ,'• Back
/voice 'was 'sharp; and 'unexpected,' and
an^ithc ,'dafkness '"» he -loomed tall . r an'U
to^th.qse'-.bifelow.'f (. -,>-..-. ; . tjx
sfsKSet but *bf the I ! way . ;v '.That. woman's
'4rrunaway,^icame{frohi th c "oit c * Uigh-.
(csti^theriaddeV.;;/;^ §^-
/•^"She^broke^qu— r"- -- - > '^V ; -: \u25a0!
; you wan t '\6 ad ver ti s e." it ? j£ Ce t /ou t ' of
'.the \way.' triere,*vye*'damn«fos>l \ \ \ % O, inib.
'Up.-lThors'en.'V.vHe* spoke ? like ,a jbuekp
'mate;y arid >his (words • 'stirred ;- the '- bifc
* \u25a0\u25a0• f :Thorsen*grasped. thVdpck^floqr/try-'
Mrig;;to iclimb) up^ibut^thet pld'rminer
I stamped jonrhis,; fingers /and> the- sailor
?tlie t; i(nder, ? nteh »with i|Him^to^the | beach
-;- " "'This {way 1 ;*^F6l|o w-iri'e I"-' shouted
the niatc, -making up'the'bank focthe
shore cndfoftttie wharf:/ \u25a0 f ''-'. : '-\:/''.\
v-You!<l *t?ettcr \u25a0[ ptil!. your.-, freight",
miss," Dcxtry • remarked^."they'll \u25a0"" be
.hcrc.rn'a-miriutc,"^ •». '\\u25a0• *• ( "> .
r V^Yes, yes! -Lctuis go!;>limust get
aboard : ; th'e^Sarita']Mhna. v . She's I&V
ing;no r \y. f 'Cprae. conic!" . \ , \ -! / *
V UlQinster: laughed,' as'.'tuough there
.were, a*- humorous", tou'ejr in her remark,
but'did'not, s'tir.T \u25a0:".*'.* .-\u25a0.'' '• -<:•-•
•'•'Tra gettiri' awful old "ah'^stiff to
irun, ..said, jyextry, removing ms.ma.ck
inaw,V'but; I >alk>w,; V ainV.too old. for
a-'lihle .''diversion-* in \u25a0• the' * way of .a
rough when "it, . conies 'riosiii'
around." 'lie' riioyedjightly," though
the^girl_;could- see. in the Jtalf, darkness
that' his, liar/, \yas v"^ : : • >;
i "Whitv'tld ydu •mchn'r'V.shc q'ues
tionedrVriarp!y.!,/; r< -\'. *£ ' 4 .'' - 1 '-'\u25a0 - : ' "
'. . "Yoa .miss^.wcMl' toy
.with 'cm; tUl v .Vou'cc ; 'aboard.'*- They
steppe'dacrbss. tip ihc^dQckhous'e, bixek
inga^lnst J hV;^TTic:.girrfoHo\v.edi '."
' ' Again 'cam'ettlic. warnTris-Wsst from
;tqe -{Steamer, '.anil, the , voice v of •an
:pfficcr : ",. ' , ; ;.,,.!• -*: •'; «? • •;
• \u25a0 ; "Clear'a\vay,that l: stern'lmc!''- -' > «
aVdjSomcJia\VvitVstf)icfc'(^lenistw
sh'e«fearedi 'this' more- tlulp -the men
\u25a0wiioseJappr'oaciiirig.rfeet 1 he^lrtrartf.' '
:T''"Y6u ;"cah -^ frfaitci 'it'; ail*' nght,' 1^ ; bp
u'rge'dfher^Trptgfiiy.' V'You'li'gef hurt
'tf.Vou|Stay 4 .here^-Ruualpr\g.and 'don't
(miruT us. vWe'-ve bccfi 30 days son"shipr5 on" shipr
'board'an'd AVere prayih^f 6f .^qniething
"to* -happen."; 'vHis/vbsce v SvaV^qyishlly
.glad, t as: if he -.exulted -in the /fray' that
was { to; come; vand : no-, sooner i had -he
•sppjeenj tlian*. tKe * sailorS*Acame - out* of
Hhe M darkness}ui)on r them." ; ' ". ' ' ' ; ]
..•beats'? there ; .: was f a i soace;- of '.whirling
f ortns and , -.wun the* sound of -list \u25a0on
•ilesJvJtHen abe- Wot, split up and forms
•plunged ' » outwards 'falling heavily.
:^^jn' v die?sai?ors^ras^ed. 'attempting
ito?cUiu^jj«.'*^hey» massed, upon Dextry
'only' £6^raisp^thi^emptjr * air, ; for he
.'shifted j with, remarkable 'agility, strik
ing .bitterly, as an old wolf snaps." It
was baffling work."" however, for in the
darkness \ his blows, fell short or orer
reached. . '
. ( _GJenjster, on the other l hand,. stood
carelessly, beating-themeh'off as they
canie.to hirri^ "*H« laughed i gloatingly,
.'deep in. his throat, as though the en
counter was^'niercly' some : rough sport.
.The girl | shuddered, for- the desperate
.'silence v of the attacking- men terrified
,her , more" than . a "".din, '.. and yet ih«
stayed, crouched against the wall.
\ \u25a0 swung 'at .a'dim target ,and,
missing it. was whirled off his balance.
'Instantfy Tiis antagonist^ grappled with
him* arid they-tf ell- to 'the JBoor, while
V third- man^shuffled about them. The
.girL throttled. a« scream.'. ' .
goin'-'to -kick 'im, Bill," the
man pahte,d' hoafselj*. ' <"Le' me fix
''im." He-swung" hi - heavy shoe and
.Bill' cursed 3 . with, stirring "eloquence,
i- "Owl: You're :kickhV me!t I've got
• 'im??saie -enough. -Tackle -the big un."
. -BiH's-aHy then, smarted- toward the
. others,*., his jbody" bent, his arms .flexed
\u25a0ye^t hanging, loosely. . He! crouched be
side:tHc gfr?, ignoring" tfef.^ while she
i heard t J;e" breath -wheezing . from his
.lungs; tlien silcntfy he leaped. Glen
;ister'had"hurlSd*a'man»from him. then
stepped back 'to" avoid » the* others,
-\yhen-he was seized from behind and
'iek'thV sailor's*' arms* wrapped about
•his neck", tlic sailor's leg's *locked about
•his thighs. *Nbw came "thfe girl's first
'kiiow^edKC of real* fighting* The two
Vp'uri s ba<fk and "forth 'so* closely cn
"twiricd^'s toTtfe 'indbtinguishable, the
"others holding off.- : Fbr'\Vhat : seemed
'many" minutes' 'thejr 1 'struggled, * the
ycux'g man~stnving*to reach' his ad
versarj,' till they crashed" against the
wall nia? her and she heard her cham
"pion's*breath" coughing" in hfs throat
at/the tightening grip of the sailor.
/Fright* Held her paralyzed^ for she had
'never seen mcii thus. •' A moment and
Glcnister Vould be \ do\tn * beneath
their feet— they' would kick
his 'life* but' \vitli :: their Keayy- shoes.
At thought of itf tfie' hece'ssity "of ac
tion smote her like a blow in the face.
*lfcr; terror ftll-away, 1 her - shaking
. muscles stiffened arid 'before realizing
i'wltattsne aid she In'd acted. 4 \u25a0 v
I ,'^hc. s^aman"^ back' wVs to her. She
reached out an&'gripped him by the
irair/whiFe-her finger*, tense as talons.
'sought his eyes. ' Then the hrr* loud
[souhd'of the \battjc arose. The mair"
yelled in sudden:terror; and the.other 3
as suddenly fell back. The" next in
stant $heteit a haml upon her shouf
derand heard Dextry's voice. \u25a0
. ''Are ye hurt?; No? iCome on, then.
•op wc"<"£ get -left-." • .He spoke quietly,
though S his ' breath was loud,' " arid.
. .(Continued /oa- Next * PageOi