The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-17


the Viee-President, When He HAD
Finished.
the vice-president, when he had
finished.
An angry wrangle followed, which
led nowhere. They fatty refused tc
spend any money on advertising. AL
the while, Phayre, leaning back in his
chair, looked on and took no part in
the proceedings.
1T comes to this" said Curtis final
ly. humping the table energetically
Wen have to increase our capital
The delay has eaten into our reserves
Wen have to push straight toward
our objective. the Transcontinental
Then Wen have the monopoly Of a
steady freighting business"
He could not get them to listen to
the story of the wheat lands. Wilton
wanted to advertise it widely, to open
1t up to homesteaders. He had plans
for elevators. But the directors, who
resented Kitty's control, were dead
against him, and he got no thanks for
what he had done.
The following morning the Sentinel
-Phayre's paper-came out with a
cartoon showing a widow dropping her
mite into a bottomless pail marked
'Missatibi," which boiled over a slow
fire of wheat stalks.
Somebody had betrayed the secret,
thus forewarning Bowyer and enabling
him to open his campaign to deride It.
But Wilton would not open his mind
to suspicion.
He took counsel with Jim Belts.
The old man was frankly pessimistic.
'It looks to me-" he ruminated, "as
If them two snakes'n get the line.
Joe must have been mad, or mighty
hard put, when he hypothecated them
shares" He turned to Wilton. what
dye want to worry about it for, any
| way?" he asked eff Joe took a chance
like that, he couldn't have felt too
strong about it."
He laid his hand on Wilton's
shoulder. ''Whisky's good" he said
in his odd way. SOS ginger pop.
But the mixtures h-n. Sos women
and business, boy. I'd help We with
| that loan if 1 could see my way. But
| l can't. I've been stung too bad al
! ready, and I've got a grandson to
look after. Ye'd better make terms
with Phayre"
This was one of the worst blows
that had fallen. If Belts had lost
| faith, who would have kept it? He
! Ill, g. pnrf re
thought he was in love with her. Then
so must other people.
| He was due at the court that day,
and gave his evidence. The half.
! breeds received each six months in
the penitentiary-a light sentence, on
the jury's recommendation Afterward
Wilton had a talk with Quain.
The two men had sullenly refused
to give any reason for their flight. II
the outlaw Hackett had advised them
| they did not put in that plea
The jury had believed that one OF
them had accidentally shot Joe. and
that this had been the cause of theil
disappearance. So did Quain, ap
parently.
I'm afraid, Will, that we can't hope
for anything fresh upon that subject,
he said
This business done. Wilton went tC
see Kitty. swallowing his pride After
| all. it was for Joe that he was plead
ing. Kitty received him in the ole
| friendly manner, with a touch of re
serve that should have put him on hi:
guard. But he began eagerly.
kitty" he said. you know we've
crossed the Muskeg-"
Then Kitty showed her claws
81 was so glad when / heard of it
Will" she said. you've been tryin!
to do that all the summer, haven
you?''
''Why-yes, of course" said Wilton
| looking at her in establishment.
She put her hand on his arm with
caressing gesture. DO tell me wha
a nuskeg is. Will" she said "Fv'
heard you speak Of it so often, and
can never remember the meaning o
Those words.