The Adair County news., 1922-05-30

Promise me-Or else I'll lock the store
'd0c'r, Will, and I've got paddock that
even you couldn't force"
Molly seemed to be animated by a
resolution as feveriSh as his own.
@JuieS Halfhead had not fulfilled his
sAtEEtion of abSenting himself, prob
abr Son account of the storm, which
0aad made the security of the store
seem preferable to life in the forests.
He was faithful to the factor, and
had never deserted him in need He
could take care of him during the four
sor five days of her absence
MILTON was forced to yield
But you must make sure that Jules
viii stay" he said.
Hell understand. He'll stay" an
Swered the girl. Hes never run
szEszg zEhen 1 was gone to Moose
lake or Winnipeg"
Molly went up to. the factors room
with the faint hope of reaching some
understanding plumbing her ia
Eher's feeling against Wilton and over
acuE2ing it.
go, she said. He is very ill. He is
EO0lweak to travel alone, but he must
EaEEsL Joe BOStOck's body back to Clay
.s0H7'
"Oh, aye" said the factor, Sneering.
He needs care and attention during
che Journey. So am going with him."
Tn,e GSCtor sat up in bed, transfixing
tNaar- wr-fNl LII 80
YOU will go with Wilton Carruthers to
'ClaytOn!" he cried. +TYe Wilma come
ihaHase, then! Mark me, now, I've done
with you for aye! Molly, lass, We Wilma
.goE he pleaded, with a sudden change
-of tone- Think of your good name in
sS1LySOnI i havena reared We to have
ye desert me in my old age and sick
ness. Molly"
She turned quickly away to keep
her tears from falling. Jules can
take care of you for a few days, IA
SheEs" she said. Its not as if you
were helpless. And his life is at
Sfzke~
~And mebbe he'll die If you don't
stay with him when We get to Clayton,
'eh- tassT rasped out the factor in
~ifhering scorn.
That scorn nerved her; to his weak
1e<s she had almost yielded. She went
down and dressed herself for the jour
neS- She helped Wilton on with a
rnackfhaw, and put a caribou robe in
Ehe sleigh. Then, while the men were
Aarnessing the dogs, struck by a sud
.ieR thought, she stopped and began
20 examine the tracks of the snow
shoes about the edge of the portage.
They ran cOnfusedIy in all directions.
for the marks had been made by seven
different pairs-thOSe of BOwyer and
sCnzz1bers and their Indian; those of
Ny7Yz1m and his two half-breeds those
,uf'The deaf-mute.
az these Wilton's were blurred and
almost indistinguishable, made by his
dragging feet as She pulled him up
~SSoEn ffe swamp. But even had the
yyague purpose In Moliy's mind been
@-Sssar to her. there would have been
T1e need to examine those. The rest
were all similar in one reSpect-nOne
Szad a broken string.
Wilton and Molly had arranged that
E2e was to travel in the sleigh, to which
- second had been attached, bearing
-&ces body in a roughly made coffin
constructed by the men. The dogs
were harnessed, and they started.
III was little more than fifty miles
tEo clayton. Travelling along the
&-feared road, the distance could be
covered easily in two days. The
'sieGs ran well, the weather was
'7rlear and fine, and Wilton felt well
enough to walk a good deal. Their
thinner was almost like a picnic. By
evening the railhead had come into
sight in the distance. the empty camp,
Fzhe long sheds with the miscellany of
esupplies, the locomotive shops, and the
great ballast pits beside the line.
AS the dogs climbed the last hill
sahere came yelping from the cleared
WHY behind them. Looking back, they
perceived a sled approaching. Two
men walked beside it, and the dogs,
sighting WiltOn's, yelped in challenge,
ExTIich was taken up in an outburst of
answering grOwls.
The sled drew in toward them, and
fEffe men resolved themselves into a
sergeant and constable of the mount
sd police. Wilton had stopped his
ssdegs, but the newcomers did not halt,
.aand went on, with curt greetings,
saDWard the cache.
A1ittle surprised at their abruptness,
wilton let the sled precede his sleigh
As the dogs were eager for their meal,
he sent Papillon ahead with them, and
followed more ieisurely with Molly.
They arrived at the cache few min
Iltes after the half-breeds, to find the
tive policemen waiting for them, while
1.-The two men were embarrassing the
dogs Andersen. the old Swedish care