Middletown transcript., 1922-09-16
CHAPTER xli-continued.


Scotland!" he shouted. "rm done with
this country. A mans thochts turn in
his old age to his homeland. To Aber-
deen!"
Molly was awed by the old mans
fanatical enthusiasm. "When shall we
go?" she asked.
"This autumn, lass = before the
SHOWS fall. But" he clutched her
by the arm-"yell say nought about
it?"
"But you must arrange with the COM
pany for new factor, and, If he isn't
trained"
His clutch became convulsive. "Not |
a word!" he cried fiercely. "Havena |
done weel by the company? 1t won't |
be the sufferer. If they thocht was |
going away they'd-anot a word, lass!
Promise me! Molly, lass, ye Wilma go
back on me now?'
mo, won't 60 back on you" she
answered.
But she did not like the idea of
stealing away, although the company
would suffer little. And then there
would be the forfeiture of his pension.
But she dared not bring up that SUBJ
ject in view of his evident obsession.
After while they began to make
preparations. They spoke of the jour-
ney as being weeks, instead of months
away. Then came night when the
factor tapped at MolIy's door She
dressed quickly and went out of her
room, to see the whole skyline ablaze.
Clouds of smoke were whirling down
on them. Suddenly rig with two
horses came dashing across the portage
and drew up at the door.
Molly recognized Lee Chambers and
Hackett, and turned and faced them,
though her heart was beating with
fear.
"We've come for you, Miss McDon-
ald," shouted Lee Chambers. "The
fires across the muskeg. and there
won't be anything left of this store in
twenty minutes. Come along!"
He shouted and gesticulated wildly,
and seemed hardly master of himself.
Mcdonald started and looked out
through the smoke clouds. But as
they approached the girl she drew
herself away.
Its not truew she cried. "The
fires on the other side. Why should
you come for us?"
II tell you you'll be burned to Gin
der inside of fifteen minutes!' yelled
Chambers. "We've got no time to
waste. We're going to drive you out
of danger. Come along"
81 won't comet" cried Molly. Don't
go with them, father. He's not speak
ing the truth! Look at his face"
Hackett pushed Chambers out of his
way and strobe up to the door, ~
guess that's true enough, what you
said. Miss Mcdonald" he said. 1.-THE
fire amt this side-but Will Carruth.
ers is dying. They pulled him out OF
his shack. He's in bad way. Mebbe
he'll just live till morning. He's call
ing for you.'
"Will-Will burned!' gasped Molly
looking at him with eyes of horror
Its gospel TRUTH" cried Chambers
"He can't rest till you go to him."
''Then why did you tell us an un
truth?" asked the girl, searching hi.
face as if to read to the bottom of hi.
soul.
Because we wanted to break 1
gently" shouted Hackett. He seizet
her by the arm. I'VE haven't no tim
to waste!" he shouted. "He may di,
any minute while we're talking here
"He didn't send you." cried Moll,
with sudden conviction. "Why shoul'
he have sent you? We won't go
You're lying Let me go!"
She pushed her father back into tn
store and tried to bolt the door b
their faces, but they set their shoul
ders against it and broke through
Molly ran to her room; they wer
there almost as soon as she. Sh
screamed. She heard Mcdonald
feeble shout cut off as Chamber
grasped him by the throat. And the
she was struggling mady in Hackett
arms.
Course you" he shouted. with
string of vile oaths, seizing her by til
hair and dashing his fist into her fac
She fought back like tigress broli
from him, and, snatching up the waite
pitcher, smashed it across his hea
cutting his face with the fragments I
porcelain. He grasped her by Il
throat. She clung to the bed, IL
table, to the door, screaming the viii
until his fingers tightened on h,
throat and the room swan black
around her.
She was family conscious of gs
thrust into her mouth, of being ca
ried, struggling, out of the store,
being lifted into the rig. Then she r
viyed to find herself huddled upon Il
floor, her father bending over her wi
his wrists tied, and mumbling In h
ear. The engineer, seated in front
them, was driving furiously along Il
trail southwark. Hackett, with o.
leg thrust out on either side of t
vehicle, was wiping the blood from /
face.
Desperate as she was. Molly won
have tried to leap from the rig b
for her father. She heard him &C
tinue mumbling; and at length t
meaning of his words reached
brnin, and the horror of them numb
her and repressed all thought of figl
ing.
"It'H be all right my lass" the (
man was muttering. "They won't h,
We no more. They're taking us to T,
BOwyer, reckon. He's bested
Well have to give in. Wen make I
most of it."
The old man shook with fear,
he laid his hand caressingly up