Graham guardian., 1922-06-13
SYNOPSIS


keg. a seemingly impassable swamp in
the path OF the Missatibi railroad, Joe
Bostock. builder OF the line, and Wilton
Carruthers, chief of engineers, are con
stantly kills Bostock and breaks Car
ruthers' arm. Handicapped as he Is, Car
ruthers determines to carry the body to
a station of the Hudson's Bay company,
CHAPTER u.--McDonaid's daughter.
Molly. sees Carruthers struggling In the
muskeg and diags him from the swamp,
with his burden. Unaccountably, her
father objects 70 her saving Carruthers.
CHAPTER III.-weakened by his wound
and exertions, Carruthers Is disturbed by
the appearance of Tom Bowyer, Bostock's
business rival and personal enemy. Bow
yer insults Molly. and Carruthers strikes
him. After Bowyer leaves, Carruthers
declares his love for Molly. She prom
ises to be his wife.
"It will leave tonight But l wish
you had let me write that you are ill.,
The company would bring you TO Win.
nipeg. They can do wonders ut the
hospital there. and you'd soon recover
the use of your limbs"
Ever since his stroke the factor had
oiukEtu iiio tiEit iCS, unu tlShl
arm hung by his side. He hardly ever
left his bed, and then only to sit,
wrapped in his caribou robe, staring
out through the window at the port
age.
"Tll no go to Winnipeg" said Nc
Donald. "Pll just stay here until I'm
better. I'm thinking the Dog Tooths
will be bringing in their peltries next
week. I'm thinking I'll no buy De-
cember skins this winter"
II was thinking the same. The fall
was too late; they won't be purcbas-
Nhle' ELL the middle Of next month.
But the Dog Tootls will want debt"
'Tliey'll get no debt" said McDon.
aid. See to it, Molly! But l suppose
the sQuaws will get on the soft side OF
We, and it takes man to handle them.
I'll have to get wel," he continued,
speaking with feverish energy.
His mind, which had turned from
one idea TO another, running from its
fears. now leaped upon them. "Whatll
We do. Molly?" he demanded roughly.
"There, my lass. dldna mean to put
1t to you like that. But wherell ye
go If l dinna?"
Don't let us think Of that, father"
AYE, but We Gamma stay here. I
should have spoken before" In his
distress he fell into his native speech.
"AIony a nicht I've laid awake think
ing on il, before | had the stroke, in
the windy wacht here. | thOcht I'd
brocht We up unspotted frae the warid
And moo"
She laid her other hand On his, "If
the worst should happen, ! can take
care of myself. Don't fear for me. fa-
ther," she said
"If We could have the store. That'd
be best. But the company wouldna
have woman factor The c0mpany's
conservative. And the old store1i
last out my days and yours, In spite
of Joe Bostocks folly. That's what
Mr.. Bowyer called ii when he was
here for the moose I'm October. Joe
Bost0ck'll never cross Big Muskeg.
And If he could, where'd he get his
freight and passengers?
"If ever this country's opened UP,
Tom BOwyer will put his own line
through. He was telling me so.
But there's naething here but the
moose and caribou and the Indians.
It's always been that way; ii always
will be so.'
He caught her by the sleeve "Ye'n
no see VIII Carruthers againt' he
shouted.
"rm not likely to. unless he comes
this way" she answered in a con-
strained voice, dreading the outbreak
Of violence which she knew would fol-
low.
AYE, but he'll be here. l ken the
mon and his kind. The sight Of a
pretty face Is meat and drink to him.
He'll be here. and me lying helpless
abed. tell you | ken the mon. Mr..
Bowyer was telling me about him. His
names by-word among decent folks"
Well. Mr.. Bowyer's own reputation
isn't the best" she retprted, nettled
That she was forced to champion VIII
ton. You know Mr.. Carruthers has
an interest in Joe Bostock's line. OF
course, Tom Bowyer would try to set
you against theml"
The factors face grew purple with
rage; he choked for utterance.
Il ken the whole scheme weel!" he
shouted. when you went to Winni-
peg you got in thick with Kitty Bos-
tock. and never mail comes in but
there's letter from her. She and
Joe are going to get you there, to leave
me here alone. Aye, read that letter
the woman wrote you, telling you that
your life was wasted here. ken what
the warld is; | learned II one night
In Toronto, years ago And, mark me,
I'd rather see ye lying dead ut my
feet than the plaything of man like
WIN Carruthersm
That had been the burden of his re-
proaches ever since Tom Bowyer's
visit the autumn before.
Bowyer had poisoned his mind
against WiltOn-Moily was sure Of