The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-09-15

lie Spelll the morning III MS Office,
writing q report for the directors. The
ews would reach Clayton as soon as
it could be ~telephOned, but at least he
would have another chance. 1t vas
too late now TO think OF changing the
route without throwing the company
into liquidation. And Kitty held CON
troll.
The thought of that strengthened his
resolve. He could not bring himself
to 20 TO Molly with the dependency
upon him, but busted himself that af-
ternOOn examining the wreck.
For about a month he had had q
strange protege. One evening Jules
HaIfhead. the deaf-mute, appeared at
the door OF MS shack, and quickly as
sumed the care of it. He was nearly
always to be found there In Wilton's
absence. Sometimes, however, he
would betake himself back 70 the port
age, and he was free Of the camp,
where he ran errands :nd messages for
the engineers, and was the butt Of mild
practical jokes.
Wilton came to the conclusion, how
ever, that the Muskegon's mind was as
acute as any mans, and that his appar-
ent simplicity was nothing but the out
ward aspect Of his intirmity.
When Jules had cooked Wilton's sup
per that evening he came into the Office
in q state of excitement. The man had
loved the work. He was often to be
seen on the trcstle, clinging for dear
life to Il plank as the trucks rumbled
past within an inch Of his head. When
he saw the wreck Of the e~mbankmcnt
that morning, the foreman said that he
had burst into tears. Now he was evil
IDENTIFY trying to describe something TO
Wilton in pantOmime; but Wilton could
not follow his meaning.
Suddenly he seized a pencil from the
desk and, STOPPING, began to draw a
picture Of the trestle upon the wall
with remarkable skill.
Wilton's interest was at once
aroused. yes" he said, nodding TO
Jules. what about it,"
1t was his habit to talk, although the
deaf-mute could not hear his voice.
Jules had an instructive faculty of UNI
derStanding. He looked at Wilton and
nodded back.
He next drew four sprights-the
Ions. heavy trunks Of considerable
gifth that were driven into the ground
to support the trestling. Then he made
a Ctnn1nu limo nnTnSG nuah Thnn hn
drew a Ratchet la lacked up at Will
ton in pathetic eagerness, and nodded
again.
You mean that some n tempered
with the trestling?" shouted Wilton.
jules, who had watched his lips,
nodded eagerly. But, rs he always nod
ded when he was spoken to, little
meaning could be attached to that.
Wilton wondered if tlrat was what
he did mean. If the uprights had been
tempered with before they were set in
to the ground, by aX-crts OF otherwise,
the weight of the ballast would un-
doubtedly have broken them. The
break would not have been immediate
ly apparent, but the trestl:Eg would in
such case be practically imposed upon
the surface of the swamp, without sup
port. The ballast would have spread
over the muskeg, causing the entire
structure to subside.
"WhO did it," asked Wilton, speak
ing slowly and carefully.
Jules. who was still watching him,
suddenly turned and, with lightning
movements, drew d %caricature of Lee
Chambers on the woodwork of the
wall.
Wilton looked at ii and drew in his
breath. Then he nodded. Jules nod
ded in return, smiled, and left the
room. Wilton reflected deeply.
If Chambers was a spy of Bowyer's.
why had he shown him the bedrock at
all? On the other hand, assuming that
Wilton must eventually discover it
hn.self, Bowyer might have sent
Chambers to make a virtue Of q neces-
sity and to secure a position at the
camp, where he could be of service to
him.
In any case, Wilton could afford to
take no further chances with him. 1t
would serve no purpose to accuse him
of having tempered with The trestling.
lie would give him a post somewhere
where he could do no harm, and thus
get rid Of him.
Fighting down the burning rage in
his heart, he went down the road to-
ward the shack which the engineer Oc-
cupied. This was q reconstructed
shed. There was only n room in it.
but Chambers had ASKED to have this
rather thar share the quarters Of the
other engineers.
The men were back in the bunk
houses, brp the door of the shed was
padlocked. Thinking that Chambers
might be in the camp. he made his
way toward the other quarters. But
presently he heard some one calling
him and. turning, saw Andersen run
ming after tsS.
Were you looking for MIR. Cham
bers, sir?" asked the foreman.
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