The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-26
The Big
Muskeg
By
VICTOR ROUSSEAU
nlustra&lens by
II. III. Livingstone
csvyrisAa BY sssvms NA csasaw
CHAPTER XVI
Under Arrest.

Molly saw Ii all as IL In q dream.
The hideous presence Of her assailant
was still with her Then she saw
Hackett and Bowyer pull pistols from
their pockets And each act was ex-
tended In her mind and vision through
an eternity, as IL 1t would never end.
She sprang to the table, seized the
oil lamp, and hurled it at their backs
1t struck them fairly, sending them
staggering before they had time to
fire. Instantly the curtains before the
windows were ablaze. A stream of
burning oil shot across the floor to the
divan, which began burning furiously.
filling the room with smoke Wilton
and the two men closed.
There followed a furioss struggle.
The combatants rolled over and over,
stumbling against the burning divan,
knocking over the chairs, crashing in
to the walls. All the while Mcdonald
hammered at the door and added his
shouts to the uproar.
Molly darted across the passage and
released him. They're numbering
Will" she cried. But the old man,
staggering out, only shouted distract
eddy. Molly ran back. Hackett had
Wilton by the throat, and, as she
entered the room, Bowyer wrenched
himself free, raised his pistol, and
brought the butt crashing down on
Wilton's head. Wilton toppled back
into the blazing Oil.
BOwyer aimed, but Molly knocked
up his arm, and the shot went wild
Bowyer turned upon Molly with a
CHASTITY grin.
Oh your he shouted, raising his
pistol to strike her down. Mcdonald
sprang between them. Hackett pulled
at Bowyer and dragged him to the
door. He whispered In his ear, and
Bowyer cursed him. They clinched In
the passage.
Molly was unconscious Of what was
transpiring. She had rushed to Wilton
and, grasping him by the shoulders
pulled him out Of the flames. Selling
him In her arms, she began madly beat
ing out the fire that was licking his
clothes and hair. She tore off his blaz-
ing coat and with it exdnguished
them. Then, holding his head against
her breast, she staggered toward the
door through the thick smoke, Nc
Donald at her side.
AS she neared 1t Hackett leaped for
ward. He pushed the factor violently
back and slammed 1t. An instant later
there sounded the click Of the key
In the lock.
THE wtndowl The window !" shout
ed the factor.
But that side of the room was liv
ing wall OF fire, and they seemed t
be trapped hopelessly. The heat was
becoming intolerable.
Molly ran behind the blazing divan
picked up the rife, and drove q smash
ing blow against the back wall.
cracked; again and again she dashed
the stock against IL, until a section o
! the pine planks gave way under he
! assault.
Together they carried Wilton through
into a room behind. Outside It wa
quite light; gust Of wind cam
through an open window and fanne'
! the flames to fury. With a roar tn
| fire leaped up the outer walls, and tn
whole front of the camp was ablaZe
| Molly scrambled to the sill, clun
there and dropped. The factor, lean
ing out, lowered Wilton's body. An
he himself dropped to the ground be
side the girl.
AS he dropped she perceived, with
out realizing 1t, that he had used bot
arms and legs. The paralysis had lef
H him.
They ran down toward the lake
carrying Wilton between them, an
making instinctively for the shelter Q
the underground.
As they passed the road, Bowye
came out of the stable, pulling fierce
" at the horses. which were fastene
to the rig. He had set his foot upo
the step when Lee Chambers an
Hackett broke upon him from anon
the trees.
They made a leap for the vehicle
Let us in, d-n you" Chamber
yelled
Bower dealt him blow with I'll