The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-13
THE BIG MUsKEG
Continued from Third Page)

trusted.
I say-d-n poor whisky for re
spectacle CAMP" hiccoughed the
Swede.
Where did you get it," shouted VIII
ton, shaking him by the shoulders
lover yander," answered Andersen,
jerking his thumb in the direction of
the portage.
Where are the men gomez"
'Over yander," repeated Andersen
with another jerk.
Wilton strobe from the dining-room
his heart burning with Indignation
Who had brought liquor into the camp:
1t was a thing dreaded by employers
of labor, almost more than the oc-
casional typhoid epidemics While
liquor was to be obtained within
radius of five-and-twenty miles, work
would be practically suspended.
With Digby at his heels, he strobe
fiercely out toward the swamp. Big
Muskeg was less than three miles
away by the new road which had been
cut from the camp to the portage
Wilton's heart sank at the thought
of the men in the factors place with
Molly. The laborerS were chiefly
Hunkies and Galicians, docile as sheep
when sober, but changed by drink in
to wild beasts.
As they gained the opposite bank
they heard wild shouts of drunken
laughter, and, in mOmentary interval,
McDonald's angry protestant then
a cry from Molly.
They ran at the top of their speed,
Wilton leading.
He burst into the store. 1t was
filled with men, roaring and shout
ing; they were drinking from their
tin pannikins, which they had evident
~ brought designedly from the cook
house, and filling them from a hogs
head of liquor that stood in the center
of the room.
The old factor, wedged in behind the
counter, his right arm limp at his
side, was pushing his left into the
faces of the grinning Hunkies.
Molly, at the door of her room, her
lips parted, her eyes dilated with fear
was surrounded by ring of men. One
of them had his huge paws on her
shoulders, and, standing little be.
hind, was trying to bend her back
ward toward him. ~
Wilton took in the scene instan-
taneously through the thick haze of
sinking tobacco smoke. Everything
swan before his eyes. With a hoarse
roar of rage he leaped into the center
of the crowd, caught the man who had
his hands on Molly, and, spinning him
round, dashed his fists into his face
again and again until he was unrec-
Ognizable from the blood that covered
his broken features.
Screaming with pain, the man broke
from him. Before the astonished
Hunkies could collect their wits Wilton
was in their midst again. He drove
them before him; he snatched up
bottle containing a guttered candle
end, and, armed with this Terrible
weapon, brought it smashing down ON
their heads till he held only the
splinters in hts bleeding hands.
Stupefed by this onslaught, the men
ran for the doors But, jamming in
the entrance, the rear-most turned and
faced him. Three men set on him,
dealing savage kicks, and rushing at
him, head down, like battering-rams
OnD caught him In the pit of the
stomach and sent him topping against
| the counter
Instantly the whole mob was upon
him with knives, screaming with rage.
Wilton leaned against the counter, sick
and weak for the moment, and unable
to defend himself. But suddenly the
mob was flung violently away, and
he saw Digby, his fists flying like fails,
| striking out right and left, and telling
a man at every blow.
The respite enabled him to regain
his feet, snatch up another bottle,
and go to the Englishman's assistance.
| The Hunkies had no stomach for any
| more. This time they made the door
| way, and ran at the top of their speed
| toward the portage, leaving Wilton
/ and his assistant painting and ex-
hausted in their wake.
Wilton was about to go back to
| Molly when suddenly he caught sight
of two men who looked like Canadians
| Sinking into the kitchen, which opened
upon the side of the store. He recog-
nized them instantly as the two fake
| policemen, Hackett and Tonguay, and
| it was evident enough that they had
brought the liquor to the portage.
Shouting to Digby, he rushed after
them. But they were through the
kitchen and had gained the open be
fore he could get within a dozen PAGES.
Digby had evidently not understood
Wilton's shout
Good work. what?" he calculated.
.'Ryou have much of this sort. Mr..
CarruthersT
81 don't know" answered Wilton.
It'll be part of our business TO see
that there isn't any more"
1T wasn't on our school curriculum -
said the Englishman thoughtfnlly.