Show en of o the e Men d dby by C Captain G G. G Elliott Nightingale Copyright SOAPY SMITH CHANGES HIS IllS MIND MINDA A MORE notorious political racketeer racketeer rack rack- never lived than Soapy Smith For years he and his gangsters gangsters gang gang- did just as they please up and down the west coast and when Soapy decided to hit for the Yukon Yukon Yukon Yu Yu- Yu- Yu kon during the historically famous gold rush he took most of his gang of ruffians throats cut-throats and robbers with him Almost overnight 4 Soapy gained complete control of Skagway and soon the town was wide open multiplied by ten Skagway's streets became battlefields battlefields battle battle- fields where provoked and unprovoked unprovoked gunfights occurred daily as some of ruffians robbed and plundered outgoing well-heeled well and incoming ers alike nUke At night raucous voices singing lewd and filthy songs were augmented by cries of murder from Irom the street Might was right in every sense of the word meanwhile all sorts of gyp artists card sharps confidence ee men and shell-game shell crooks robbed and plundered right and left keeping o out t of trouble because because because be be- Boss had cause Soapy the Big arranged the police and judiciary to suit himself Soapy and his lieutenants planned and executed h hundreds of robberies and swindling schemes growing richer and more powerful the while Then came news the Northwest Mounted Police were about to escort about in inn n notes tes and gold from Lake Bennet post to Victoria British Columbia via the tho port at Skagway Surely this was too juicy a plum for Soapy and his gang to miss Moreover up to this time both Soapy and his henchmen had balked at any job that might make them step into ter ter- Even the reputedly daring Soapy py entertained a healthy respect respect respect re re- re- re for the Men of the Mounted Here was a job they could pull right on American soil where by rights the Men of the Mounted l had no business And so Soap and his bral trust brain trust 1 sat down a and n d schemed planned and arranged for tor every emergency This was to be bethe the the job job of the decade As Soapy organized an army of well- well armed men engaged boats and planted scouts here and there the commissioner of the Yuk Yukon n territory territory territory terri terri- tory bade good-by good and good luck to three Men of the Ule Mounted Inspector Inspector Inspector In In- Wood and two constables Their load consisted of their own personal kits and the After many anxious miles during during during dur dur- ing which the three Men of f the theM M Mounted followed the Skagway with furtive eyed rascals who were evidently scouts Inspector Inspector Inspector In In- Wood and his men arrived at Dyea where they immediately boarded a waiting rowboat and were soon rowing out ut across the bay Halfway across several w well well- u- u armed men in a rather large rowboat rowboat rowboat row- row boat manned by half hal a dozen stout- stout muscled oarsmen did their best to intimidate the Northwest Mounted and md made several attempts to bring the two taro boas into a collision Inspector Inspector Inspector In In- Wood handling the steering steering steering steer steer- steer steer- ing oar warned the Hie ruffians to keep their distance or he would fire lire upon them and thus arguing back and forth the two boats finally crossed the bay without any shootings or Upon arrival at the wharf however Inspector Wood and his men received d a r rough Ugh an and l' l tumble reception from almost a hundred ruffians lined up and ready for the big robbery As the Men of the Mounted stepped to the wharf carrying their they were tripped and jostled and pushed about hither and y yon n as they tried to make their way toward a small steamer that lay alongside v a await awaiting it ing lag their coming Kicked and pushed and tripped and otherwise held up and delayed things began to look really serious The great greal robbery was imminent And then j just st when it seemed that hat the Men Men of the Mount Mounted Pd were about to b be smothered by the mob the captain aboard board the steamer tooted the vessels ves sels sel's horn and instantly a score of armed m members of the Royal naval al V reserve were over the si side c and down among gang In Inno Inno Inno no time th the Men of the Mounted and their were snatched from rom the mc mob c and w were re aboard the steamer Soapy Smith surrounded by at at least a a score of his is most most trust trusted d gunmen had witnessed the whole show from the deck of a tug that was treading water nearby Although Although Although Al Al- though he had se seen n his best plans go h haywire he was yas still smiling or sneering when he opened up conversation conversation conversation con con- with Inspector Wood Like ke ter have yer stay r round u d Skagway Vay a day er cr two said Soapy its a mighty nice nicetown nicetown nicetown town have haye ier vier er W want Name it an Its It's How bout it Thank you Mr Smith the in inspector inspector m- m replied coolly but I mus must be about my business Id I'd advise you to keep of oil Can Canadian territory in the future as you have done so very well in the past Good afternoon afternoon after after- noon sir rY |