The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-10-26

what he had done.
The following morning the Sentinel
-Phayre's paper-came out with a
cartoon showing a widow dropping her
mite into a bottOmless pail marked
"Missatibi," which boiled over a slow
fire Of wheat stalks.
Somebody had betrayed the secret,
thus ~forewarning Bowyer and enabling
him to open his campaign to deride 1t,
But Wilton would not open his mind
to suspicion.
He took counsel with Jim Belts,
The old man IA frankly pessimistic.
ut looks to me-" he ruminated, "as
II them two snakes'll get the line.
Joe must have been mad, or mighty
hard put, when he hypothecated them
shares" He turned to Wilton. "What
dye want to worry about it for, any
way?' he asked. "If Joe took a chance
like that, he couldn't have felt too
strong about it,"
He laid his hand on Wilton's
shoulder. "Whisky's good.' he said
in his odd way. "So's ginger pop.
But the mixtures h-n. Sos women
and business, boy. I'd help We with
that loan il I could see my way. But
i can't. I've been stung too bad al
ready, and I've got a grandson to
look after. Ye'd better make terms
with Phayre.'
This was n Of the worst blows
that had fallen. III Belts had lost
faith. who would have kept 1t? He
understood the allusion to Kitty. Belts
thought he was In love with her. Then
so must other people.
He was due at the court that day,
and gave his evidence. The half
breeds received each six months In
the penitentiary-a light sentence, oil
the jury's recommendation. Afterward
Wilton had a talk with Quain.
The w men had sullenly refused
to give any reason for their flight. II
the outlaw Hackett had advised them,
they did not put in that plea.
The jury had believed that one OF
them had accidentally shot Joe, and
that this had been the cause of their
disappearance. So did Quain, ap-
parently.
I'm afraid, VIII, that we can't hope
for anything fresh dpon that subject"
he said.
This business done. Wilton went Ia
see Kitty, swallowing his pride. After
all. II was for Joe that he was plead
ing. Kitty received him in the old
friendly manner with a touch of re-
serve that should have put him on his
guard. But he began eagerly.
"Kitty," he said. ''you know we've
crossed the Muskeg."
Then Kitty showed her claws.
~ was so glad when j heard of ii.
WILL" she said. you've been trying
to do that all the summer, haven't
youg"
"Why-yes, Of course" said Wilton.
looking at her in establishment.
She put her hand on his arm with a
caressing gesture. "Do tell me what
a muskeg is. Will" she said. 1--WE
heard you speak of it so often. and |
can never remember the meaning of
those words"
And with that the last of Wilton's
Illusions fell from him, leaving him
face 10 face with stark reality. He
faced Kitty very gently.
kitty. listen to me now" he said.
i've been in this game for Joe-and
for you. When Joe died ! saw thai
we'd have to fight hard to keep the
line. l saw a lot OF money in it, later,
and meanwhile you'd have enough to
live on, so that we could use your
capital and your control TO carry GU,
Joe's plans
Eyes. Wili.r said Kitty, with the
air of one who listens YEARLY TO a
lesson.
".Joe's borrowing on those shares has
changed everything. The loan has tn
be repaid before the year Is out. If
IL isn't. you lose the line. They'll
wreck Il. and theyu wreck your for
tune. and that Of the other investors.
Then they'll reconstruct. When the
line has ceased to have any value at
all, Bowyer and Phayre will have a
new line Of their own. DO you under
standr"
urn trying to. Will" said Kitty
-But what do you van me to dey
SIN proposing this for yoar sake.
Kitty. n you sell your property In
Winnipeg you ean raise three or four
hundred thousand. believe co1id
borrow the rest. That win meet
Phnyre's loan. and you'll hsld The linz.
MS The only way. because no bank
would lend you money on the rest
81 yeur shares now. after Bowycr's
cn,npaign against us. And hrs made
the most OF the subsistence. IT'S
what I'm suggesting. But
Toe would have done II. And In a
few years i'm mean millions"
.Are yoa sure. VIM" askef Kitty
eagerly.
Nat sure. Kitty bur nearly ssire.
swin. you nre Toes execuiar. De
you advise me to tnke that risk7"
.Na.' said Wilton sharply.
sBut yon Just said"
AS joe's executor. 4 cant. It's M,
sound husiness. An exerutcr dareS
nor advi-r throwing ssss
for a speculation. As Joe's executor
nor
''rhen why did . advise me .iog
Kitty i~nnocenfiy.
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