Graham guardian., 1922-06-27
SYNOPSIS

L
keg, a seemingly lmpassable swamp in
the path of the Missatibi, railroad, Joe
Bostock, builder of the line, and Wilton
CarrutherS, chief of engineers, are CON
sidering the di .culties. rifle shot in
stanuy kills Bostock and breaks Car
ruthers' arm. Handicapped as he is, Car
ruthers determines to carry the body to
station of the Hudson's Bay company.
where one Mcdonald is the factor
CHAPTER u.--McDonald's daughter.
Molly, sees Carruthers struggling in the
muskeg and diags him from the swamp.
with his burden. unaccountaply, her
father objects 30 her saving carruthers'
CHAPTER III.-W eakened by his wound
and exertlons, Carruthers Is disturbed by
the appearance of Tom Bowyer Bostoeks
business rival and personal enemy. Bow
yer insults Molly, and Carruthers strikes
him After Bowyer leaves, Carruthers
declares his love for Molly, She prom
!ses TO be his wife,
that, lying on his bed, on which Molly
had insisted, he saw through the win
dow a sleigh approaching the store
He recognized the two men who
walked with the driver as Tom Bow
yer and Lee Chambers, the latter a
CONSTITUTIONAL engineer who had once
been employed by Joe Bostock, but
had left him for the New Northern.
He wondered what Tom Bowyer's err
rand was. He suspected that, learn
ing of their journey, Bowyer had come
20 spy out the progress of the Mis-
satibi.
He was in no mood to welcome
either him or Chambers. Chambers
was suspected of having betrayed a
good many of the Missatibi secrets to
the New Northern.
He decided to stay where he was,
unless Bowyer showed signs Of re-
naming. But suddenly an eXclama-
tion of anger from Molly brought him
sharply to his feet and into the store.
Bowyer had his arm round her and
was trying to draw her toward him..
Chambers, at his side, a small man
with sharp, mink-like face, was
staggering at the scene. Wiltons ad-
vent was like thunderclap TO the
pair.
In his flannel shirt and trousers, with
his left arm slung to his neck, Wilton
yet looked so menacing that Bowyer
released Molly at once and put him
self into an instructive attitude of self
deefpse.
He was q man of about five and
forty, redfaced. with red thinning
hair, gray over the temples, and the
bold, staring gaze that falsely passes
for candor, which some rogues acquire
In place Of the furtiveness of weaker
souls-such as Lee Chambers.
Bowyer stared, and suddenly he rec
ognized his man.
"Why, it's viii Carruthers J" he ex-
claimed with an affectation of jovial-
ty. How'd you hurt your arm, VIII"
Molly came quickly between the
two men.
"You'll--you'll perhaps realize that
this isn't Winnipeg suffered Wilton
inaptly enough. He was quicker with
his fists than with his tongue.
by George. it isn't!" cried Bowyer
In cordial agreement. 'I seem to have
put my foot in 1t as usual. Your par
don. Miss Molly. Thatll meet the bill,
WIFI" he continued, keeping up his
pretense of iolliness.
Wilton gulped. Toms eyes moved
swiftly from his face to the girls
"We're just in to have look
around" continued BOwyer. Not
much construction being done this
weather. l suppose you might think
I've come to spy out the Missatibi
land. Well, you'd be right II you did,
VIII. What's this story about coal de-
posits on your property? But perhaps
that's what the lawyers call leading
question, eh?"
All the while that he joSed he fixed
Wilton with his staring gaze. And
Wilton found himself wondering how
much Tom BOwyer knew.
The man was as sly as fox, for all
his etfrontery, and that was his
strength. He gave the impression of
being one kind of rogue, whereas he
was quite another, us many had dis
covered to their cost. There were few
more resourcefui and cold-blOOded
men, even In the Prairie city.
Il heard You and Joe had come up,"
continued Bowyer. $50 dropped In
to have a chat with him, though it's
taken me fifteen miles off my road.
Planned TO ask him to sell out his
valuable holdings, maybe"
Molly, who was standing behind
Bowyer, looked earnestly at Wilton.
He dared not signal to her, but he
caught the answering message In her
eyes, as If telepathlcally conveyed
II won't tell him." she meant TO say
Wilton's heart went out In intense
gratitude. 1t would have been un-
bearable to have had to tell Bowyer
that Joe was lying behind that thin
partition of pine. II would have been
blasphemy to have let Bowyer's gloat-
ing eyes fix themselves upon poor
Joe's body.
you've had long drive for moth,
Ing, then" said Wilton curtly. "Mr.
Bostock isn't here"