The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-22
The Big
MuSkeg
By
VICTOR ROUSSEAU
Illustrations by
r. H. Livingstone
cspyrishs by Ssswazs KiA csnpsv
CHAPTER Kill.

his room and laid the body on the bed.
His face was set like flint In this he
traced the work of Bowyer; but the
tool, Lee Chambers, was the object
of his immediate vengeance.
Before anything else he must dis
cover the motive of the burglary.
He opened the safe, which he had
shut, and went through the papers
very deliberately. He was astonished
to find that everything appeared in
tact and just as he had left it.
Wilton could not understand 1t. He
tried to figure 1t out. He had already
come to the conclusion that the fire
had been started with the purpose Of
drawing himself and those in the vicin-
ity away from the Office, while the
burglary was being committed. But
why had it failed? And what had
Chambers been after?
He must have known that there was
no money In the safe. The mems pay
came up monthly by special messen-
ger, and was handed out the same eve
ming. 1t would arrive on the Monday.
Chambers could not have been after
spoil of that kind.
Wilton looked through Joe's papers
again. Everything seemed intact, and
nothing had even been tempered with.
1t must have been that Chambers took
fright after the murder.
Suddenly Andersen came running
across the smoking ground, followed
By some half-dozen of the engineers.
The foreman came painting up to the
door Of the shack.
1.-THE men are crazy drunk, Mr.. Car
ruthers, and they're planning to attack
the ofice!" he gasped. "Somebody's
been telling them the safes full Of
money and that they're going to be
laid off because of the fire."
Wilton reflected a moment, while
the engineers gathered anxiously about
him.
'They can't open the SAFE" said
Wilton. AT least, there's only one
man can, and he's been at it already.
No, never mind what l mean! 1 don't
want bloodshed. I'll open it and show
it to them" He turned to one of the
engineers. '9Take four men with you
and hurry to the store and see that nc
harm comes to Miss Mcdonald and
her father" he ordered. "And take
this" he added, picking the revolver
out Of the drawer and handing it tc
him.
you'd better come too, Mr.. Carruth
ers," the man suggested.
mo, I'll stay here" said Wilton
Hurry"
The engineer picked four men ant
they hurried down the road. Andersen
and two others remained with Wilton
Hardly had the party left when tn
mob came streaming out of the bunk
houses toward the Office, shouting an
yelling.
Seeing the four men standing In tn
doorway, however, they hesitated t
rush them, probably in the belief tina
they were armed, and stood off, ours
ing them.
Speak upP' shouted Wilton. "Wha
Is It you men want?"
The shouts died away to muttel
ing. A spokesman stepped forward.
I'VE want the money in the SAT,
and we'l have it!' he shouted. wv
all know you set the fire because tn
Ines busted, and you've got the SAT
chock-fuH Of money. You've worke
us like dogs all summer, and no.
you're going to lay US off because tn
eompany's busted. You'd better han
It over"
Evidently somebody had been tellin
the men that tale. Wilton was an
ious to try peaceful methods.
There's no money in the SAFE" b
answered. "Send a deputation of thre
men and you can examine it."
The Hunkies, who for the most pal
understood him very well, looked {
one another uncertainty. They wei
az dociIe as lambs without LEADERSHIP
} But they had a leader; the outla
Tonguay stepped forward out of til
crowd.
Come along, boys. he's fooling you
he yelled. Smash his head for hin
Give them what's coming to them !"
J But he skunk back into their mid
, as the believing mob rushed torWar
Wilton noticed that he was fingerir
q revolver in his coat pocket. He wal
ed till the mob was close upon Il
: shack. He had calculated that an i
stant's hesitation would follow, seize
it and sprang into their midst, stri
ing out right and left and telling
drunken laborer at every blow :
Tonguay fumbled desperately with Il
trigger of the weapon in his pockt
"a Wilton dealt him a smashing bic
that knocked him senseleSs. I
stopped, took the revolver and turn'
and faced his asSailants.
''Now, men," he said crisply. II