The Adair County news., 1922-07-04

N~NA9 Nc DtAANs IA CUt[n IA4S kWA y
them In the bush togither.' I ha' one
death on my soul now,' / said. He
laughed that fox-laugh Of his. Ye're
afraid he taunted me. And that taunt
and laugh put the dell into me.
Listen, now, Mcdonald he said,
If ye could kill Joe Bostock and no
suspeeciOn come on We, would ye do
1t? He knew the rancor that was
like living coal in my heart, and he
saw that he'd won. Then he told
me his plan. 1 was to pretend a
stroke, so that my foot would be use
less, and my arm would hang useless
at my side. Then, he said, there'd
be no possible suspeeciOn on me- AS he
said, twas nOught to feign a stroke
nOught at all. Just to lie down and
breathe heavy, and never forget 1
cOuldna use my arm or leg.
He went ava and left me WI the
thOcht. 1t grew in me until it filled
my heart. Then one NIGHT he cam to
me-MOlly didna know that-and he
told me that Joe and Will Carruthers
were coming to the portage, and l
could catch them alone. The chance
came. Jules was in the bush, and
Molly'd gone to the Indian camp.
II slippit out o. bed and took the
rifle and one cartridge, put on my snow
shoes, and ran across the muskeg. It
wasna long before 1 saw them on the
ridge, black against the gray sky. /
crept up behind the rocks till / was a
hundred PAGES AVA. Joe Bostock's
back was turned. 1 drew a bead on
his heart and fired. They bath fell
down. 1 ran back to the store and
went to bed. Jules didna see me, and
Molly hadn't come hame."
He grOaned and hung his head upon
his breast. The voice of Payne cut the
silence like a knife.
You are telling this of your own
free will, McDOnald?" he asked.
"As God is my witness! I'm tellin'
this because my times come now, and
wouldna have VIII Carruthers swing
for that red fox yOnder."
What was the nature of Mr.. Bow
yer's hold on you, McDonaldf'
The crown attorney stood up with
wry smile.
Il object to that question" he said
quietly.
"Pl put it in this way, then: Why
did you hate Joe BostOckY
AYE, I'll tell that, toO," answered
Mcdonald. "JOe was married when
he was a young man, long ago. A
good girl. A sweet lass from my ane
town in Scotland. They were both
young. They Quarreled. She wanted
to vex him. She made up story that
showed her to be bad woman. She
went too far. Joe believed her. She
went to him and told him that she'd
lied. He wOuldna believe her word.
Because the foolish girl had manufac-
tured proofs-false proofs; and the ly-
ing scoundrel whom she trusted
claimed they were true.
HE blackmailed her after Joe had
left her. She was at her wits end. She
went to his Office to beg him to tell
the truth. 1 happened to go there.
1 overheard. She became frenzied and
drew a revolver on him. He struck
her. He got her by the throat. He had
a paper-weight on the table, sharp
| edged metal thing like a cleaver. /
struck him once with it. 1t split his
skull from side to side He died. Fen
while watched him he died.
'The girl was mad wi fear. l took
| A1 hoJ 4
divorced her in the States. But that
fox, Bowyer, knew. In my folly I'd
told him all. He said he'd be my
friend. He got me my position at the
portage. I've lived there ever since
first with my wife, then with my fears,
and always with MOlly-with Molly,
her child and-JOe's!"
The girs cry rang wildly through
the courtroom. She reeled and ran
toward him. Wilton, unhindered,
stopped down from the dock and sup
ported her. She clung to him, wild
eyed and helpless. Nobody intervened
Even when BOwyer sprang forward
though the judge raped his gave
smartly, it seemed only an automatic
or perfunctOry act, for he made no eff
fort to prevent his speaking.
Let me finish it ~ he yelled fiercely
He didn't die, you foOl-you ole
fool; Lord, you've been a laughing
stock these twenty years He's here
in court, and he's been blackmailinl
me as he blacEmailed you. Clark
the master-fOrger and safe-breaker-
though we didn't need you for that
step forward! Look at his head, Nc
Donald, and then see if you remembe
him!
Hes spoken true! The old fool
spoken true! I've handled many a mai
and woman in my time, but God Him
self, they say, can't handle a fool
He swung around on his accomplices
Keep your wits, Phayre!" he hOwle,
in wild derision. You didn't know hOv
Joe died. You're only the thief-th
common thief hired to work for me
You won't swing for this. Neither vii
l. took my chances-but, by God
! couldn't handle a foOl!"
They rushed toward him, but Bow
YER was 0nicker than they. And. al