The Adair County news., 1922-06-27

ended and time hung heavily upon
their hands.
The talk came at last. Mcdonald
was In his chair upstairs, Molly read
ing to him. But the factor did not
seem to hear her; he was looking out
of the window and brOOding as Of old.
Suddenly he turned to her.
''rm thinking of leaving here before
winter, lass" he said.
Leaving here, father? For good?''
For aye" he exploded 81 thocht
I'd die here and be laid beside your
mother. And I've held on! God, how
I've held on! But I'm done with that
hope. Would We leave the portage,
MOlly?" he asked wistfully.
"Yes, father! 1 wish we could.
wish we could go somewhere together
where we'd never have cause to re-
member it,
"Aye, never to remember it," he
echoed.
ITO Wlnnipeg?" she suggested tim
idly.
He seemed to tremble at her words.
He turned flercely upon her. ITO
Scotland ~ he shouted. "Pm done with
this country. A mans thOchts turn in
his old age to his homeland. To Aber-
deen!"
Molly was awed by the old mans
fanatical enthusiasm. "When shall we
go?" she asked.
"This autumn, lass - before the
SHOWS fall. But" he clutched her
by the arm-"yeTl say nought about
it?"
"But you must arrange with the COM
pany for a new factor, and, If he isn't
trained"
His clutch became convulSive. mot
a word :" he cried fiercely. "Havena 1
done weel by the company? 1t won't
be the sufferer. If they thocht was
going away they'd-not a word, lass
Promise me! Molly, lass, We Wilma go
back on me now?"
"No, won't go back on yOu," she
answered.
But she did not like the idea Of
stealing away, although the company
would suffer little. And then there
would be the forfeiture Of his pension
But she dared not bring up that SUBJ
ject in view of his evident obsession.
After a while they began to make
preparations. They spoke of the jour
ney as being weeks, instead Of months
away. Then came a night when the
factor tapped at Molly's door. She
dressed quickly and went out of her
Clouds of smoke were whirling down
on them. Suddenly a rig with two
horses came dashing across the portage
and drew up at the door.
Molly recognized Lee Chambers and
Hackett, and turned and faced them,
though her heart was beating with
fear.
"We've come for you. Miss McDon-
ald," shouted Lee Chambers. "The
fires across the muskeg, and there
won't be anything left Of this store in
twenty minutes. Come along"
He shouted and gesticulated wildly,
and seemed hardly master of himself.
Mcdonald started and looked out
through the smoke clouds. But as
they approached the girl she drew
herself away.
Its not true!" she cried. 'The
fires on the other side. Why should
you come for us?"
81 tell you you'll be burned to a Gin
der inside of fifteen minutes!" yelled
Chambers. We've got no time to
waste We're going to drive you out
of danger. Come alOng!"
81 won't comet" cried Molly. "DOn't
go with them, father. He's not speak
ing the truth! Look at his facet"
Hackett pushed Chambers out of his
way and strode up to the door. "I
guess that's true enough, what you
said, Miss Mcdonald" he said. "The
fire amt this side-but Will Carruth-
ers is dying. They pulled him out of
his shack. He's in bad way. Mebbe
he'll just live till morning. He's call
ing for you"
"Will-Will burned" gasped Molly,
looking at him with eyes of horror
"It's gospel truth :" cried Chambers.
"He can't rest till you go to him."
''Then why did you tell us an un-
truth?" asked the grrl, searching his
face as if to read to the bottom of his
soul
Because we wanted to break 1t
gently" shouted Hackett. He seized
her by the arm. I'VE haven't no time
to :" he shouted. "He may die
any minute while we're talking here.
'He didn't send yOu," cried Molly
With sudden conviction. "Why should
he have sent you? We won't go
You're lying! Let me go"
She pushed her father back into the
store and tried to bolt the door in
their faces, but they set their shOul-
ders against it and broke through.
Molly ran to her room; they were
there almost as soon as she. She
screamed. She heard McDOnald's
feeble shout cut off as Chambers
grasped him by the throat. And then
she was struggling madly in Haekett's
arms.