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the armies of South America and Chinaā€”and

what have you.

 

A native employee stopped me at the door, and asked me what was my

business, and I told him I wanted to see Ace. He showed me into the

room which opened on the alley, and went after Bissettā€”which could

not of suited my plan better.

 

Purty soon a door opened, and Bissett strode inā€”a tall, broad-shouldered young fellow, with steely eyes and wavy blond hair. He was

in a dress suit, and altogether looked like heā€™d stepped right outa

the social register. And as I looked at him, so calm and self-assured,

and thought of poor Whithers being driv to crime by him, and the Old

Man losing his ship on account of his crookedness, I seen red.

 

ā€œWell, Dorgan, what can I do for you?ā€ he asked.

 

I said nothing. I stepped in and hooked my right to his jaw. It

caught him flat-footed, with his hands down. He hit the floor full

length, and he didnā€™t twitch.

 

I bent over him, run my hands through his clothes, found his six-shooter and throwed it aside. Music and the sounds of revelry reached

me through the walls, but evidently nobody had seen or heard me slug

Bissett. I lifted him and histed him onto my shouldersā€”no easy job,

because he was as big as me, and limp as a rag.

 

But I done it, and started for the alley. I got through the door

all right, which I was forced to leave open, account of having both

hands full, and just as I was dumping Ace into the back part of the

car, I heered a scream. Wheeling, I seen a girl had just come into the

room Iā€™d left, and was standing frozen, staring wildly at me. The

light from the open door shone full on me and my captive. The girl was

Glory Oā€™Dale, Ace Bissettā€™s sweetheart. I hurriedly slammed the car

door shut and jumped to the wheel, and as I roared off down the alley,

I was vaguely aware that Glory had rushed out of the building after

me, screaming blue murder.

 

IT WAS PURTY late, and the route I took they wasnā€™t many people

abroad. Behind me I begun to hear Bissett stir and groan, and I pushed

Spike over in the back seat to watch him. But he hadnā€™t fully come to

when I drawed up in the shadows beside the place Whithers had told me

aboutā€”a ramshackle old building down by a old rotting, deserted

wharf. Nobody seemed to live anywheres close around, or if they did,

they was outa sight. As I clum outa the car, a door opened a crack,

and I seen Whithersā€™ white face staring at me.

 

ā€œDid you get him, Sailor?ā€ he whispered.

 

For answer I jerked open the back door, and Bissett tumbled out on

his ear and laid there groaning dimly. Whithers started back with a

cry.

 

ā€œIs he dead?ā€ he asked fearfully.

 

ā€œWould he holler like that if he was?ā€ I asked impatiently. ā€œHelp

me carry him in, and weā€™ll search him.ā€

 

ā€œWaitā€™ll I tie him up,ā€ said Whithers, producing some cords, and

to my disgust, he bound the unconscious critter hand and foot.

 

ā€œItā€™s safer this way,ā€ Whithers said. ā€œHeā€™s a devil, and we canā€™t

afford to take chances.ā€

 

We then picked him up and carried him through the door, into a

very dimly lighted room, across that ā€˜un, and into anotherā€™n which was

better litā€”the winders being covered so the light couldnā€™t be seen

from the outside. And I got the surprise of my life. They was five men

in that room. I wheeled on Whithers. ā€œWhatā€™s the idee?ā€ I demanded.

 

ā€œNow, now, Sailor,ā€ said Whithers, arranging Bissett on the bench

where weā€™d laid him. ā€œThese are just friends of mine. They know about

Bissett and my sister.ā€

 

I heered what sounded like a snicker, and I turned to glare at the

assembled ā€œfriendsā€. My gaze centered on a fat, flashy-dressed bird

smoking a big black cigar; diamonds shone all over his fingers, and in

his stick-pin. The others was just muggs.

 

ā€œA fine lot of friends you pick out!ā€ I said irritably to

Whithers. ā€œDiamond Joe Galt is been mixed up in every shady deal

thatā€™s been pulled in the past three years. And if youā€™d raked the

Seven Seas you couldnā€™t found four dirtier thugs than Limey Teak, Bill

Reynolds, Dutch Steinmann, and Red Partland.ā€

 

ā€œHey, youā€”ā€ Red Partland riz, clenching his fists, but Galt

grabbed his arm.

 

ā€œStop it, Red,ā€ he advised. ā€œEasy does it. Sailor,ā€ he addressed

me with a broad smile which I liked lessā€™n Iā€™d liked a scowl, ā€œtheyā€™s

no use in abuse. Weā€™re here to help our pal Whithers get justice.

Thatā€™s all. Youā€™ve done your part. You can go now, with our thanks.ā€

 

ā€œNot so fast,ā€ I growled, and just then Whithers hollered:

ā€œBissettā€™s come to!ā€

 

We all turned around and seen that Bissettā€™s eyes was open, and

blazing.

 

ā€œWell, you dirty rats,ā€ he greeted us all and sundry, ā€œyouā€™ve got

me at last, have you?ā€ He fixed his gaze on me, and said: ā€œDorgan, I

thought you were a man. If Iā€™d had any idea you were mixed up in this

racket, youā€™d have never got a chance to slug me as you did.ā€

 

ā€œAw, shut up,ā€ I snarled. ā€œA fine nerve youā€™ve got, talkinā€™ about

men, after what youā€™ve did!ā€

 

Galt pushed past me and stood looking down at Bissett, and I seen

his fat hands clenched, and the veins swell in his temples.

 

ā€œBissett,ā€ he said, ā€œweā€™ve got you cold and you know it. Kick inā€”

whereā€™s that paper?ā€

 

ā€œYou cursed fools!ā€ Bissett raved, struggling at his cords till

the veins stood out on his temples too. ā€œI tell you, the paperā€™s

worthless.ā€

 

ā€œThen why do you object to givinā€™ it to us?ā€ demanded Whithers.

 

ā€œBecause I havenā€™t got it!ā€ raged Bissett. ā€œI destroyed it, just

as Iā€™ve told you before.ā€

 

ā€œHeā€™s lyinā€™,ā€ snarled Red Partland. ā€œHe wouldnā€™t never destroy

such a thing as that. It means millions. Here, Iā€™ll make him talkā€”ā€

 

He shouldered forward and grabbed Bissett by the throat. I grabbed

Red in turn, and tore him away.

 

ā€œBelay!ā€ I gritted. ā€œHeā€™s a rat, but just the same I ainā€™t goinā€™

to stand by and watch no helpless man be tortured.ā€

 

ā€œWhy, youā€”ā€ Red bellered, and swung for my jaw.

 

I ducked and sunk my left to the wrist in his belly and he dropped

like his legs had been cut out from under him. The others started

forward, rumbling, and I wheeled towards ā€˜em, seething with fight. But

Galt got between us and shoved his gorillas back.

 

ā€œHere,ā€ he snapped. ā€œNo fightinā€™ amongst ourselves! Get up, Red.

Now, Sailor,ā€ he begun to pat my sleeves in his soothing way, which I

always despises beyond words, ā€œthere ainā€™t no need for hard feelinā€™s.

I know just how you feel. But we got to have that paper. You know

that, Sailorā€”ā€

 

Suddenly a faint sound made itself evident. ā€œWhatā€™s that?ā€ gasped

Limey, going pale.

 

ā€œItā€™s Spike,ā€ I said. ā€œI left him in the car, and heā€™s got tired

of settinā€™ out there, and is scratchinā€™ at the front door. Iā€™m goinā€™

to go get him, but Iā€™ll be right back, and if anybody lays a hand on

Bissett whilst Iā€™m gone, Iā€™ll bust him into pieces. Weā€™ll get that

paper, but they ainā€™t goinā€™ to be no torturinā€™.ā€

 

I strode out, scornful of the black looks cast my way. As I shut

the door behind me, a clamor of conversation bust out, so many talking

at wunst I couldnā€™t understand much, but every now and then Ace

Bissettā€™s voice riz above the din in accents of anger and not pain, so

I knowed they wasnā€™t doing nothing to him. I crossed the dim outer

room, opened the door and let Spike in, and then, forgetting to bolt

itā€”I ainā€™t used to secrecy and suchā€”I started back for the inner

room.

 

BEFORE I REACHED the other door, I heered a quick patter of feet

outside. I wheeledā€”the outer door bust violently open, and into the

room rushed Glory Oā€™Dale. She was panting hard, her dress was tore,

her black locks damp, and her dark eyes was wet and bright as black

jewels after a rain. And she had Aceā€™s six-shooter in her hand.

 

ā€œYou filthy dog!ā€ she cried, throwing down on me.

 

I looked right into the muzzle of that .45 as she jerked the

trigger. The hammer snapped on a faulty cartridge, and before she

could try again, Spike launched hisself from the floor at her. Iā€™d

taught him never to bite a woman. He didnā€™t bite Glory. He throwed

hisself bodily against her so hard he knocked her down and the gun

flew outa her hand.

 

I picked it up and stuck it into my hip pocket. Then I started to

help her up, but she hit my hand aside and jumped up, tears of fury

running down her cheeks. Golly, she was a beauty!

 

ā€œYou beast!ā€ she raged. ā€œWhat have you done with Ace? Iā€™ll kill

you if youā€™ve harmed him! Is he in that room?ā€

 

ā€œYeah, and he ainā€™t harmed,ā€ I said, ā€œbut he oughta be hungā€”ā€

 

She screamed like a siren. ā€œDonā€™t you dare! Donā€™t you touch a hair

of his head! Oh, Ace!ā€

 

She then slapped my face, jerked out a handful of hair, and kicked

both my shins.

 

ā€œWhat I canā€™t understand is,ā€ I said, escaping her clutches, ā€œis

why a fine girl like you ties up with a low-down rat like Bissett.

With your looks, Gloryā€”ā€

 

ā€œTo the devil with my looks!ā€ she wept, stamping on the door. ā€œLet

me past; I know Ace is in that roomā€”I heard his voice as I came in.ā€

 

They wasnā€™t no noise in the inner room now. Evidently all of them

was listening to what was going on out here, Ace included.

 

ā€œYou canā€™t go in there,ā€ I said. ā€œWe got to search Ace for the

incriminatinā€™ evidence heā€™s holdinā€™ against Jed Whithersā€™ sisterā€”ā€

 

ā€œYouā€™re mad as a March hare,ā€ she said. ā€œLet me by!ā€

 

And without no warning she back-heeled me and pushed me with both

hands. It was so unexpected I ignominiously crashed to the floor, and

she darted past me and throwed open the inner door. Spike drove for

her, and this time he was red-eyed, but I grabbed him as he went by.

 

Glory halted an instant on the threshold with a cry of mingled

triumph, fear and rage. I riz, cussing beneath my breath and dusting

off my britches. Glory ran across the room, eluding the grasping paws

of Joe Galt, and throwed herself with passionate abandon on the

prostrate form of Ace Bissett. I noticed that Ace, which hadnā€™t till

then showed the slightest sign of fear, was suddenly pale and his jaw

was grim set.

 

ā€œIt was madness for you to come, Glory,ā€ he muttered.

 

ā€œI saw Dorgan throw you into the car,ā€ she whimpered, throwing her

arms around him, and tugging vainly at his cords. ā€œI jumped in another

and followedā€”blew out a tire a short distance from hereā€”lost sight

of the car I was following and wandered around in the dark alleys on

foot for awhile, till I saw the car standing outside. I came on inā€”ā€

 

ā€œAlone? My God!ā€ groaned Ace.

 

ā€œAlone?ā€ echoed Galt, with a sigh of relief. He flicked some dust

from his lapel, stuck his cigar back in his mouth at a cocky angle,

and said: ā€œWell, now, weā€™ll have a little talk. Come here, Glory.ā€

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