The Lamar register., 1922-07-12

She slipped ON the hooded coat
which she had left In the store, and
went slowly toward the portage. lis
tening int-ntly. The driving Wind had
swept II portion Of the trOdden road
clear of the fallen snow. In this. near
the edge Of the muskeg. she saw the
imprint Of mans snowshOe coming
from the swamp. Her eyes. trained 10
observation. detected instantly that
there had been loose string under
tho ball Of the foot, which had trailed.
leaving an oblique blur across the
impression.
There was the one imprint. and no
more. And. as she looked at IL, gust
Of wind drove II cloud OF snow over II,
obliterating II. Molly stood up. The
discovery which seemed Of no impor-
tance, passed from her mind. Again
she listened.
Then. with the uncomfortable feel.
ing that she was being watched, she
started and peered into the under
brush. A pair of beady eyes watched
her. They were those Of Jules. the
half-witted deaf-mute. For the mo-
ment Molly was startled. Then she
stepped forward. and the Muskegon
vanished soundlessly among the under
brush.
As The girl stood there she thought
she heard the cry once more. At once
she was running down To the edge Of
the swamp and, standing her ground
with difficulty IN the fierce gale, she
peered out. sheltering her eyes with
her hand.
Then. dimly out OF the whirling
snow, she saw q figure stumbling TO
ward her. bearing on its shoulder
something that looked like d railroad
sleeper.
Sometimes It vanished from her
sight ia the circular whirl Of sleet.
at others reappeared. stumbling into
the drifts, but ever nearing her. II
was within twenty-five feet of her
when ii slipped. and there followed
the crash of the rotten Ice beneath its
feet. The figure broke through the
slushy layer into the muskeg below.
Thus Wilton Csrruthers came to the
portage for the fourth time. And OIL
this occasion he was saved by the dead
man. for whose lif-l-ss body he had
risked his own life. For. as he fell.
still clutching at what he bore, the
srifrened form slid out over the un-
broken surface and held him head and
throat above the bog.
In moment Nelly wss running to.
ward Wilton. once his head went un-
der. and she cried out In despair. but
he reappesred. aud seemed 10 cling
automatically 10 his support. for his
eyes were closed and he wa. uncoD-
scious. His face was frozen white:
II Was only the contraction Of the
frozen sinews Of his fingers that gave
hIm his hold Oh Joe's bedy.
II was then that. in her horror
Molly recognized Wilton. She crept
toward the break, and lay down Oh the
ice. cropping toward him with her
hands. She shouted TO him to hold fast
and. finding that he was already un-
conscious. crept cautiously nearer over
the cracking surface.
Then she saw what II was that VIII
tou had been carrying. and she recog-
nized Joe. stunned moinentarlly by
he shock, she neryed herself to the
task OF rescuing the living. She still
crept forward until the upper part of
her body extended across the bresI
She placed her hands beneath Wiiton's
shoulders and tried TO lift him
Ii was task beyond her powers.
As she strained To II, suddenly the ice
broke all about her. and In u moment
she WIS nsundering beside Wilton In
The water.
At this place the underbed of the
portage was OF peat mixed with sand.
covered with water rather than slime
Nolly's feet touched bottom. The va.
ter was only shoulder-deep. With
quick resource she managed to draw
her feet up from the swamp and TO
drag Wilton forward pace or two
thus freeing him from the clutch Of
the muskeg. And now she felt firm
sand under her She continued TO
drag him toward the shore and, as
they moved, Joe's body. still ciutched
In the set Of Wilton's stiffened fingers,
slid grotesquely over the surface Of
the Ice beyond.
And somehow. breaking the rotten
Ice In front of her body as she moved,