Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-07-13
CHAPTER ~
aIn the klna,a Namelo

verish condition. He should neve
have left his bed. and the Journe!
seemed impossible.
1--WE got TO go. Molly" was al
Wilton could say.
"Then," she said with sudden deci
sion. II shall go with you. You cam
travel alone. Your men may be faith
tul enough. but 1t is my right to go
And you'll never get TO the meeting
without some one TO take care Of you
on the way. That's my condition
Promise me-or else I'll lock the store
door, VIII, and I've got a paddock that
even you couldn't force"
Molly seemed to be animated by a
resolution as feyerish as his own.
Jules Halfhead had not fulfilled his
intention of %absenting himself. prob
ably on account Of the storm, which
had 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
or five days OF her absence.
"But you must make sure that Jules
will stay" he said.
Hell understand. He'll stay" an
swered the girl. Hes never run
away when l was gone to Moose
Lake or Winnipeg"
Molly went up to the factors room
with the faint hope OF reaching some
understandlng-of plumbing her ia
theirs feeling against Wilton and over
coming Ii.
mfr. Carruthers is getting ready to
60" she said HE is very tit. He is
too weak TO travel alone, but he must
take Joe Bostock's body back TO Clay
ton"
"Oh, aye y said the factor, sneering.
HE needs care and attention during
the journey. So | am going with him."
The factor sat up In bed, t%ransfxing
her with a look OF fury. "You. LASS
you win go with Wilton Carruthers to
Clayton !" he cried. aye Wilma come
hame, then Mark me, now. I've done
with you for ayel Molly, lass, We Wilma
go r he pleaded, with a sudden change
Of tone. Think of your good name in
Claytonl | havena reared ye to have
We desert me In my old age and sick
ness. Molly"
She turned quickly away to keep
her tears from falling. Jules can
take car Of you for a few days, IA
ther," she said. TITS, not as If you
were helpless. And his life is at
stake"
"And mebbe he'll die II you don't
stay with him when we get to Clayton.
eh. lass?" rasped u the factor In
whitening scorn.
That scorn nerved her 10 his weak
ness she had almost yielded. She went
down and dressed herself for the jour
ney. She helped Wilton on with a
macklnaw, and put n caribou robe In
the sleigh. Then, while TIE men were
Harvesting the dogs. struck by a sud-
den thought, she stopped and began
to examine the tracks of the snow
shoes about the edge of the portage.
They ran eenfusedly In all directions,
for the marks had been made by seven
different p~alrs-those OF Bowyer and
and their Indian: those OF
Wilton and his two half-breeds those
the deaf.mute.
OF these Wilton's were blurred and
almost Indistlnguishahle. made by his
dragging feet as she pulled him up
from the swamp. But even had the
purpose In MoIly's mind been
10 her. there would have been
no need TO examine those. The rest
all similar in one respect-none
had n broken string.
Wilton and Molly had arranged that
he was TO travel in the sleigh, to which
second had been attached, bearing
Joe's body In a roughly made coffin
constructed by the men. The dogs
we're harnessed. and they started.
1t was a little more than fifty miles
Clayton. Travelling along the
cleared road, the distance could be
covered easily In two days. The
logs ran well. the weather was
lear and fine. and Wilton felt well
to- walk a good deal. Their
Inner was almost like a picnic. BY
the railhead had come into
light In the distance. the empty camp.
he long sheds with the miscellany of 1
Iupplies, the locomotive shops. and the |
treat ballast pits beside the line.
AS the dogs climbed the last hin
here came yelping from the cleared
way behind them Looking hack, they (
,erceeed a sled approaching. Two ]
men walked beside II, and the dogs. Z
Wllton's, yelped in challenge.
was taken up In an outburst of J
answering growls. I
The sled drew In toward them, and
he men eresoiyed themselves into a {
sergeant and a constable OF the mount y
d police. z Wilton had stopped his 4
logs. but the newcomers did not halt. '
md wen on. with curt greetings. I
oward the cache. 0
A little surprised al their ahruptness. Q
Wilton let the sled precede his sleigh
the dogs were eager for their meal
le sent Paplllon ahead with them. and =