Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-10-12
CHAPTER Xll-Continued.

He turned fercely upon her. ITO
ScOtland!" he shouted. I'm done with
this country. mans thochts turn in
his Old age to his homeland. To Aber-
deen!"
Molly was awed b. 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-"ye'l say nought about
it?"
But you must arrange with the COM
pany for a new factor, and, if he isn't
lrained-"
His clutch became convulsive. "Not
Il word |" he cried fiercely. "Havena !
done wee by the company? 1t won't
be the sufferer If they thocht l was
going away they'd-not a word, lass!
Promise me! Molly, lass, We Wilma go
back on me now"
"No, won't go 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 sub
ject in view of his evident obsession.
After a while they began to make
preparations. They spoke of the jour-
ney as being weeks, instead of months
away. Then came a night when the
factor tapped at Molly's door. She
dressed quickly and went out of her
room, to see the whole skyline ablaze.
Clouds of smoke We're whirling down
en- them. Suddenly a rig with two
borses 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
Gear.
We've come for you, Miss McDon-
sid" shouted Lee Chambers. "The
Gre's 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.
IT'S not true" she cried. "The
fires on the other side. Why should
you come for us?"
Il tell you you'll be burned to a 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
ting the truth! Look at his face"
Hackett pushed Chambers out of his
way and strobe up to the door. 81
guess that's true enough, what you
said, Miss Mcdonald" he said. 1.-THE
fire amt this side-but VIII 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-WiIl burnedw gasped Molly,
looking at him with eyes of horror
ITS gospel truth !" cried Chambers.
"ie can't rest till you go to him."
Then why did you tell us an I'M
truth?" asked the girl, searching his
face as If to read to the bottom of his
soul.
Because we wanted to break II
gently" shouted Hackett. He seized
her by the arm. 1--WE haven't no time
so waste" he shouted "He may die
any minute while we're talking here
He didn't send you" cried Molly
with sudden conviction. "Why should
he have sent you? We won't go
You're lying! Let me go"
She pushed her father back into the
store and tried to bolt the door in
their faces, but they set their Shout
ders against it and broke through
Molly ran to her room; they were
there almost as soon as she. She
screamed. She heard McDonald's
feeble shout cut off as Chambers
grasped him by the throat And ther
she was struggling madly in Hackett's
arms.
Curse yOuw he shouted, with 6
string Of vile oaths. selling her by the
hair and dashing his fist into her face
She fought back like t:gress, broke
from him. end, snatching up the water
pitcher, smashed it across his head
cutting his face with the fragments OF
porcelain. He grasped her by tn,
throat. She chung to the bed, Tho
table, to the door screaming the while
until his fingers frightened on hel
throat and the room swan blackly
around her.
She was family conscious of ga.
thrust into her mouth, of being car
lied, struggling, out Of the store, Of
being lifted into the rig. Then she re
vived to find herself huddled upon thu
floor, her father bending over her will
his wrists tied, and mumbling in hel
ear. The engineer, seated in front o
them, was driving furiously along tn,
trail southwark. Hackett. with on,
leg thrust out on either side of tn,