Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-07-20
CHAPTER Iv-continued.

lou VIII, en- sneered the sergeant
With d SIDE glance at Myers s6o afy
sort of special pull In Clayton7"
Enough TO put the lid on you"
well, | guess you won't be going
into Clayton yet a while" jeered Pc
tiers. you're coming back to the Pas
with us and joe"
Wilton realized that Myers had
come up quietly upon the other side
Of him. He had the bewildered feeling
of being In q trap.
that7" he shouted.
The sergeant thrust his face for
ward into his own. ~grinning ma
~lIciously.
ut means that / arrest you for the
wilful murder OF Joe Bostock." he an
swered. And | warn you. In the
kings name. that any statement you
make will be used against you"
At the same moment Wilton felt the
touch of steel against his right wrist.
and swung his hand free Just In time
to avoid the snap OF the handcuff.
Looking at Sergeant Peters after the
instant's sideward glance. he found
himself covered by the heavy, regula-
tlon AS Colt. Before he could stir.
Myers had seized him from behind and
made a violent effort TO slip the hand
cuff upon his wrist.
Wilton heard Molly scream. The
girl came running out Of the room
with her hair tumbling about her
shoulders. and caught at Myers, arm.
The caretaker started toward them.
still holding the frying pan. In which
he was cooking the potatoes. his face
working with rage.
You On fools !" he shouted, laps
ing into his vernacular in his excite
ment. you got 1t all wrongl Mr.. Car
ruthers was Joe's best friend. So that
was your game when you come here last
night. chr You1l get broke for this
yob already, both Of you fellers, I tell
you"
Molly was grasping at Myers hand
as the constable still fumbled nerv-
ously with the handcuff. wont you
listen to commbn sense7" she
cried. mfr. Carruthers is the chief
engineer OF the line. All his interests
bound up with Il. Why should he
TO murder JoeT He was Joe's
best friend Everyone In Clayton can
tell you that. Why. he risked his own
life TO ave him Somebody's put
you on the wrong track. They're try
ing 70 make use OF you 10 keep him
out OF the way while they ruin the
line. And youth a for our mistake,
that's sure,"
And. with frenzled desperation, she
succeeded In pushing Myers away
from Wilton, and %Interposed between
him and the sergeant, whose revolver
pointed steadily at his forehead.
Peters scowled ~vicIously at her.
"You can tell all that az the inquest"
he snapped. 1--WE got orders to bring
you in, too. Get out of the wayr"
At that the superhuman tension that
held Wilton's rage In bounds seemed
to snap. His ears were ringing. and a
spotted mist fioated before his eyes.
Through this he saw Peters an Infinite
distance away, the revolver, now hard
iy larger than a pencil, pointing at his
head. Behind the sergeant he saw An
dersen, a doll-llke figure with a toy
pan In his hand. He leaped at Peters,
heard the weapon discharged, and was
conscious of the sting Of powder on
bis forehead and a commotion In his
hair.
Peters had shot to XIII. but the
weapon, the least bit diverted by Mol
ly's Intervention, had been retained
1t WIlton's forehead a little hurriediy,
and he had forgotten that the strong
Of which complaint had
been made by the police su-
was apt to throw the
bullet high at short distances.
Wilton shot his uninjured arm for.
ward with q vicious swing that caught
the sergeant on the cheek and sent
him staggering backward. But the
forcs Of the blow. communicated to
WIlton's left shoulder. wrsnched the
Wp~nd and forced d roa Of pain
49, ktA {fD~ n~t&~ 1919 ~~~.4~xz 1