The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-09-22

what he had done.
The following morning the Sentinel
-Phayre's paper-camc out with a
cartoon showing a widow dropping her
mite into n bottomless pail markell
"Missatibi," which boiled over a slow
fire Of wheat stalks.
Somebody had betrayed the secret,
thus forewarning Bowyer ana enabling
him to open his campaign to deride it.
But Wilton would not open his mind
TO suspicion.
He took counsel with Jim Belts.
The old man was frankly pesSimistic.
1T looks TO me" he r%uminated, "as
if them two snakes'll get the line.
Joe must have been mad, or mighty
hard put, when he hy%pothecated 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 hill. Sos women
and business, boy. I'd help ye with
that loan If | could see my way. But
l 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 one Of the worst blows
that had fallen. If Belts had lost
faith, who would have kept it? 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, on
the jury's recommendation. Afterward
Wilton had a talk with Quain.
The two men had sullenly refused
20 give any reason for their flight. If
the outlaw IIackett 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-
parcntly.
I'm afraid, VIII, that we can't hope
for anything fresh epon that subject"
he said.
This business done, Wilton went to
see Kitty, swallowing his pride. After
all, it was for Joe that he vas plead
ing. Kitty received him in h old
friendly manner, with d 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.
81 was so glad when / heard of 1t,
Will" she said. you've been trying
to do that all the summer, haven't
you?"
"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. I've
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 to face with stark reality. He
faced Kitty very gently.
"Kitty, listen TO me now" he said.
give been in this game for Joe-and
for yOu. When Joe died | saw that
we'd have to fight hard to keep the
lire. | saw n lot Of money in il, later,
and meanwhile you'd have enough to
live on, so that we could use your
capital and your control to carry out
Jce's plans"
eyes, WILL" said Kitty, with the
air of one who listens wearily to a
lesson.
'Joe's borrowing or those shares has
changed everything. The loan has to
be repaid before the year is out. If
il isn't. you lose the line. They'll
wreck it, and they'll 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 lire Of their own. Do you under
stand?"
I'm trying to, WILL" said Kitty.
but what do you want me to do?"
"I'm proposing this for your sake,
Kitty. If you sell your property in
winnipeg you can raise three or four
hundred thousand. ! believe I could
borrow the rest. That will meet
Phayre's loan, and you'll hold the line.
It's the only way, because no bank
would lend you money on the rest
of your shares now, after Bowyer's
campaign against us. And he's made
the most of the subsistence. It's
speculative-what Pm suggesting. But
Joe would have done 1t. And in a
few years it'll mean millions"
"Are you sure, Will?" asked Kitty,
eagerly.
! "Not sure. Kitty. but nearly sure"
"Will. you are Joe's executor. Dc
YOU advise me to take that riSk?"
"No!" said Wilton sharply.
"But you just said"
"As Joe's executor, / can't. It's no,
sound business. An executor dares