The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-14


Digby's detection was a serious
blow. for it would be necessary to
make arrangements for a man to take
his place. However. Wilton decided
to take no steps to that end immedi-
ately. He inspected the camp, saw
that good job was being made Of the
cleaning up, and went to look at
Kitty's house
This was built substantially of logs,
and had already been half completed
It consisted Of four rooms and an out
kitchen, and stood at the edge of the
new road near the ridge about five
hundred yards from the nearest bunk
house.
That afternoon he made his first
examination of the Muskeg He took
soundings in several places, but the
peat seemed bottomless. Nowhere
could he reach rock bottom, except
within a few feet of the shore.
The underlying bed of peat was
everywhere. He went two or three
miles up and down the stream without
discovering any way Of bridging the
Muskeg. ,
He was too busy now to see Molly
more than an hour daily, but he al
ways went to the portage for a short
visit after supper.
The factor. who had learned to ex-
pect his coming at the same hour each
day, withdrew upstairs before he
arrived. Once or twice. when they
81. - 60 III
away in sulien anger.
As a prospective father-in-law, Nc
Donald seemed about as hopeless
proposition as could be conceived, but
the time to consider his own and Mol
ly's future would not come until the
line was on its feet. Big Muskeg was
the giant in the way. Often Wilton,
staring down at it's sullen depths from
the top of the ridge would feel 1t
as a personal enemy, defying him to
overcome it.
One evening Wilton was sitting in
his shack, utterly discOnsolate. He
had sounded nearly every possible
place without result. and even Molly
had failed to cheer him. He saw no
alternative before him except to re-
turn to Clayton and confess himself
beaten.
Andersen tapped at the door and
said that a man wanted to see him.
Wilton rose up and to his surprise, adj
mitted Lee Chambers.
The engineer was roughly dressed
md wretched-looking. He told Wilton
that he had tramped in from Cold
Junction, thirty miles southwestward,
the present terminal point of the New
Northern.
st thought maybe you would give
me q job" he said. 1--WE left Mr..
Bower for good. We had some
trouble. He wanted me to make a
crooked report, and l would not do
it. I'm through with him and his
dirty schemes"
Wilton gave him a chair and looked
him over coldly. He did not like
Chambers. and he suspected that he
was lying, and that Bowyer had sent
him to him for his own purposes.
Digby's disappearance had left him
in a hole, but that hardly justified his
taking on Lee Chambers, though he
was one of the ablest Of his profession
in Manitoba.
"WelI, Mr.. Chambers" he said, I'm
carrying on my work here on the lines
established by Mr.. Bostock. Joe Bos-
took had two maxims. The first was
Never lay off man IL you can help
it The second was: Never take on a
man who's left you And to be quite
frank-I feel about the same way. You
left the Missatibi, which had treated
you well, and we have reason to be
Mr.. Bowyer."
81 swear I didn't" shouted Cham,
hers. springing to his feet. "Prove
that, Mr. Carruthers!"
IT can't prove it." Wilton admitted
81 am giving you my personal feeling
about yourself, in confidence"
"Well, it's mighty poor sort Of con
fidence," spluttered the engineer. "See
here, Mr.. Carruthers. I didn't come
here to beg you for job. I want one
and can get one on any other line il
Manitoba. But I want to even thing:
out a little with Tom BOwyer first
He's played me dirty trick, and
don't take things lying down. I know
what your problem Is. I know you
| can't cross Big Muskeg. Suppose
show you, Ell? How'd you feel about
| 1t them"
Wilton's cool glance never wavered
I'm willing to hear more on the sub
ject, Mr.. Chambers" he said.
Right Before you'd even started
| to clear the bush was up here sound
ing every yard Of Big Muskeg cleal
along both shores. And there's rocf
bottom within two miles Of here Does
that interest you, Mr.. CarruthersT
| TT does" said Wilton frankly.
| IF show you"
II need an assistant, and you caE
have the position as long as you wan
it"
Lee Chambers grinned. That's goot
| enough for me- he said @T1l hold 4