The Adair County news., 1922-05-30

with stunned look on his face The
policemen were not Of prepoSsesSing
appearance. The elder man, the SER
geant, was about forty years of age.
He had fair hair dropping mustache,
a slight cast in one eye, and an ex-
preston of sullen insOlence. His COM
panien, a short, stOcky young fellow,
looked hardly less surly and evidently
ill at ease.
Evening, Mr. Carruthers," said the
sergeant bruskly. I'm sergeant Pc
ters, and this is Constable Myers.
That's Joe BOstOck's body you're bring
ing in, l guess"
Wilton was staggered. "Yes, it's
Joe," he said, gulping. "How did you
get the news7"
The policemen exchanged glances.
Peters smiled scOrnfully under his
long mustache. ''It's known, all right.
It's our job to know them things" he
answered. I'm taking charge of it
to bring it in for the inquest"
'But you are-nOt from Clayton" said
Wilton, who, of course, knew all the
members of the small force of police
that was stationed there.
Were from the Pas" answered the
sergeant shortly.
From the Pas! That explained how
the sled had come along the road be-
hind him. BOwyer must have discOv-
cred the fact of JOe's death in some
manner and had probably spread the
news. Wilton surmised that Jules
Halfhead had somehow managed to
indicate the fact to him.
The constable solved his problem.
I'VE was on patrol" he yOuchsafed.
And we met parties who told us
about Joe BOstOck having met with an
accident, and that you was bringing
him in"
"That'll be ALL" snapped the SER
geant, looking angrily at Myers, who
subsided promptly. 81 guess this
young woman is Molly ,McDonald?" he
continued.
''ThiS lady is Miss Mcdonald" said
Wilton angrily, "and you'll keep a civil
tongue in your head, sergeant"
Peters looked him up and down inso-
lently. and for moment or two the
men faced each other in an aggressive
attitude. Then the sergeant, sneering,
swung on his heel. Wilton did not
know what to make of his attitude, for
the police were always friendly.
Andersen's room was placed at Mol
ly's disposal, and after Wilton had
seen to her comfort he went outside
the shack.
The dogs were yelping and snarling
over their fish from the cache. Pa
pillOn had just finished feeding them,
and Wilton thought Peters had been
speaking to him. Probably the SER
geant was trying to obtain infOrma-
ton.
The Swede came up to Wilton, hold
ing pan of sizzling brown potatoes.
81 can't believe it. Mr.. Carruthers,"
he said. "Only last week he passed
through here with you. Gosh, he was
fine man. Joe was! How did 1t hap
pen? And you're hurt yourself, sir"
he continued, glanCing at WiltOn'S arm.
Joe was shot at my side In the
woods. The same bullet hit me.
don't know who fired the shot. But
I'm going to know" said Wilton
grimly.
my God. it's all up with the line
yet" muttered the old man, with
drawing to his fire.
Wilton looked at Molly, who had
come out of the bedroom and was
standing near him. AnderSen'S excla-
nation had gagged the whole situation.
Wilton felt physically nauseated by
the heat in the shack, the unpleasant
ness of the situation, and recurrence
Of pain in his wound
He went over to Andersen. do you
happen to know either of those fel-
lOws?" he asked.
81 never saw them before, sir" said
the old man. 81 guess they amt from
these parts, from the looks and the
ways of EN-"
There's a new lot come up from
YOrktOn lately. Maybe they shifted
these to the Pas when they sent some
of the Pas men on to Clayton" Wilton
reflected. He turned to Molly. "Any-
way, We'll start bright and early" he
said. 81 suppose We'll have to have
those fellows company as far as Clay
ton. But wonder" He paused. 81
wonder whether Joe would forgive me
for leaving him in the hands of
strangers for a while, if it were for
Kitty" he muSed.
The two policemen came in, looking
surly and uncOmmunicative as ever.
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