The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-08-18

- - -'NS
ton.
The three trotted their horses up to
them, and, catching sight of the coffin
upon the sleigh, the Inspector dis
mounted. He looked hard at Wilton,
and suddenly he recognized him.
Its VIII Carruthcrs 7" he eX-
claimed, staring into his face in BeWil-
derment.
Wilton got up with an effort. "Morn-
ing, Jack" he said YEARLY. "Yes, it's
1. And here's Miss Mcdonald. You
know her, l Think"
The inspector turned his puzzled
glance on the girl. Mechanically his
hand went up to his cap in salute.
Then he looked at the sleigh again.
"And this iS-was Joe BOStOck," said
Wilton; and all at once, in the reac-
ton from the nervous tension, he felt
the tears streaming down his face, and
could hardly keep his lips steady.
"My God !" muttcred Quain. "An ac-
cident, WIZ"
"Shot!" shouted Wilton. "Some
sneaking dastard's bullet in the bush.
Shot at my side, The bullet broke my
arm after it had passed through Joe's
heart. and his blood and mine were
mixed together. 1t didn't need that
for me to know that I'll hound the
murderer fit takes me to my dying
day :"
"Joe-Joe dead whispered InSpec-
tor Quain, half unable to realize it.
Joe had been Il very living personality
in Clayton. "And murdered" he
added. Then:
where are your brepds?"
Gone! But they didn't shoot joe,
either by design or accident. That's a
story YOU can learn from Andersen,
at the halfway cache"
That's whore were bound for"
said Ouain. "We're looking for"
"And by the way" said Wilton with
a mirt&less laugh, as the relative un-
importance of the fact struck him, I'm
under arrest for having murdered
Joe"
Quain looked at him keenly, and
then turned his glance upon Molly In
inquiry. 1t was plain that he thought
Wilton was raving.
Chats true" said Molly. "a SER
! geant and Il constable from the Pas
| followed us up to Andersen's and
placed Wilton under arrest yesterday
morning"
The inspector rubbed his nose in
perr.exity. IF Will had told me that
l wouldn't have believed him, Miss
Mcdonald" he said. Describe those
policemen to me, please"
"The constable was short and dark,
stocky in build. The sergeant was fair,
with a long mustache-"
"Bit Of a squint?"
"a cast in his left eye. His name
is Peters. The other one Is named
Myers. You know them. them
II do" said Quain softly. Peters
is Jim Hackett, and Myers is TonQuay,
n half-Frenchman, from the eastern
townships. They were discharged
last year after a short time Of service,
as soon as their records became known,
and they got away, taking their uni
forms and equipment with them.
They're wanted for a c~attle-stealing
Job and impersonating members Of the
force. SO that end that trouble,
Will"
Qualn nodded to his men to dis
mount. Get the sleigh in TO barracks
as quickly as you can" he said, land
notify the coroner. i guess a'half-
days extra leeway won't do that pre-
cious p.ir much good. Miss Melon
ald-Will, old man, you can manage
to ride In. can't your"
Wilton, staggering to his feet, set
his face in a CHASTITY grin. I've held
on" he muttered. II guess l can hold
on for two hours more. There's q big
ger thing behind this than you-Or L
know just now. I'm going on ahead.
I'm all right, ard you won't stop me,
Jack?"
Austin Phayre, the president Of the
Bank Of New North Manitoba, stood
at the table. He was a man Of about
fifty, with a gray, waxed mustache, and
gOld-rimmcd glasses. His manner was
pompous, and he was Immaculate I'm
his black cutaway, with the expal.se OF
white cuff and tall collar.
"Mr. Chairman" he said, some of
us shareholders have requested that
the meeting be called in order that
we may obtain certain informa-
ton from those best qualified TO i'm
part it, as to the prospects of the Mis-
satlbi line, concerning which disQuiet-
ing rumOrs are afloat.
"You have before you a statement Of
our financial position. II is not the
most satisfactory one that could be
imagined. OF a total capital Of GTa
million dollars, nearly One-half has NJ
ready been disbursed. The estimate
before you provides for nearly two mil
lions more 10 be distributed over grad
ing, tracklaying, water-tanks, tele-
graph line, bridging and ballasting.
Meanwhile, unexpected difficulties have