Graham guardian., 1922-09-26
CHATTER XXX
The Guilty Mani

rtt and Lee Chambers had established
the fact, ascertalned By a search-party
ON the day after the are. that there
were no human remains under the
charred timbers of the camp. Notwith-
standing this, when the attempts made
TO trace Mcdonald and his daughter
failed. Il was generally believed that
they had been lured there by the out
laws. and had either died in the flames
or had been murdered and their bodies
disposed OF.
Jim Belts had nothing more substan-
tiaI than anyone else on which to base
his search. He was resolved to free
Wilton. and. having failed with Kitty,
he determined to discover the other
woman who, he felt sure had been
mixed up in Wilton's life-if she
still lived.
Jim Belts built up the theory that
Wilton had arrived at the camp too
late to save the girl from Bowyer, and
( that. haif-cNazed. she had fled with her
| father into the wilderness. He went
To the fishing camp and spent day
prowling among the ruins, but he
learned nothing there. Then he went
! TO +he store. 1t was still empty. Tor
a new trading post was being estab-
lished northward, and the company had
not replaced the factor, perhaps would
not do so. Belts broke in.
Everything was us 1t had been on
the night of the fire. But Belts quick
ly discovered that someone had been
there since. For in the dust that COW
cred the floor of Molly's bedroom were
the faint imprint of feet. woman's
foot
That was all the clue Belts got, but
II satisfied him. He cast about him,
northward and eastward going into
every Indian encampment and talking
with the inhabitants. But 1t was a
! week before he got his second clue.@
Molly and her father left Wilton be-
side the road and crept stealthily into
the ,undergrowth. When they were a
sufficient distance from the camp they
made a wide detour, crossed the road,
and took the trail back toward the
portage, encountering nobody on the
way.
There, the factor got $500, and
made up a pack Of food sufficient
for two weeks journey. They put
on their snowshoes and started east
ward.
Molly had noticed that the factors
paralysis had completely left him. She
4 said nothing to him about 1t, however,
fearing to bring ii to his attention.
They Travelled for eight days. On the
eighth Mcdonald showed signs eof
weakness; he had oyertaxed his
strength.
They were following an Indian track
| that led to little Moravian mission,
twelve miles farther on. When they
reached It at nightfall. Mcdonald was
in q raging fever and half-delirious.
The brother In charge welcomed
| them; he put the factor TO bed and
nursed him assiduously through q
j sharp Aattack Of pleurisy. Mcdonald,
In his deilrium rnved necessarily. All
the ghosts Of the past tortured him.
Night after night he raved. while
Molly tended him In his anguish But
at last the delirium left him, and con.
science, screaming into the sick mans
s.ui. could no more pass the seal upor
his lips.
He was in a fever to be gone. He
wanted his rifle; he cleaned and oilet
1t. He asked for his snowshoes, anf
began examining the strings. AS Molly
gave them to him she suddenly per
ceived that one Of the strings wal
broken And there flashed into hel
mind the memory Of her discovery be
side the portage ON that day when she
saved Wilton.
She would not let the dark thought
in her heart come into consciousness
But she kneeled at the factors side
her arms around him. ''What is trou
bling your" she pleaded. Tell me-
Mcdonald was shaking like ar
aspen. "It's naething, lass" he bah
bled. "If I've repaid, it's for wront
that was done me and mine"
"What have you done2 Whom hav'
you repaidl You must tell me-"
He clutched at her. II warned hin
what would be If he came between M
and mine And when he sent vii
Carruthers to steal you from me--fo
he was at the back OF that---I sho
him"
"WhOm?"
Molly's gray eyes searched into hi
soul.
"Joe Bostockr ~
After long time Molly took the fac
tors hands In hers. wen go on" sh'
said In hard voice. THANK God
no innocent man has been suspected
I'll stay with you. I'll never speak o
this again. But IL ever the guilt is un
i Justly placed on anyone, you will g
back to Clayton and confess the truth
or I'll denounce you"
"Aye, I'll go back, Molly" he cried
'NO man shall hang for me, swea
it-if yen stay by me till then, Molly.
She left him, and, with u singula
clarity of mind, as If there were moth
ing more to fear or hope, and no rOoD
for further feeling. she went TO tn