Middletown transcript., 1922-08-05

Wilton strode from the dining room
his heart burning with indignation
Who had brought liquor into the camp!
1t was thing dTeaded by employers
of labor, almost more than the oc-
casioAal typhoid epidemics. While
liquor was to be obtained within a
radius of five-and-twenty miles. work
would be practically suspended.
With Digby at his heels, he strobe
f1ercely 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 rs 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 protest-and then
cry from Molly.
They ran at the top of their speed,
Wilton leading.
He burst into the store. 1t was
filed with men, roaring and shout
ing; they were drinking from their
tin pannikins, which they had evident
ly brought designedly from the cook
house, and filling them from 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 a ring Of men. One
of them had his huge paws on her
shoulders, and, standing II 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 tobaccosmoke. Everything
swan before his eyes. With 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 n
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 his bleeding hands.
Stupefied by this onslaught, the mer
ran for the door. But jamming in
the entrance, the rear-most turned and
faced him. Three men set on him
dealing savage kicks, and rushing at
MIN, head down, like battering rams
One caught him in the pit of the
stomach and sent him toppling 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 Dlgby, his fists flying like fails
striking out right and left, and telling
4 man at every blow.
| The respite enabled him to regain
his feet, snatch up another bottle
and go to the Englishmans 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
A~ANN~AN-~A