Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-06-29

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Bowyer was telling me about him. HI
names a by-word among decent folks.
We'll, Mr.. Bowers wi reputation
isn't the best" she retorted Lnettle,
that she was forced to champion VII
ton. "You know, Mr.. Carruthers ha
!, AN Interest In Joe Bostock's line. o
course, Tom Bowger would try to Sc
you against them !"
T The factors face grew purple witt
rage he choked for ut%terance.s
II ken the whole scheme weei 7" n,
shouted. when you went to Wfnnf
peg you got In thick with Kitty Bos
took. and never a mail comes In bui
there's a letter from her. She AND
Joe are going to get you there. to leave
me here alone. Aye. l read that letter
the woman wrote you. telling you thai
your life was wasted here. / ken what
the warld Is; | learned II one night
In Toronto, years ago. And, mark me.
ia rather see ye lying dead at my
feet than the plaything of a msn ike
VIII Carruthers %
That had been the burden of his re-
~proaches ever since Tom Bowyer's
visit the autumn before.
Bowyer had poisoned his mind
against Wllton-Molly was sure of
that. She suspected that Bowyer had
some hold over her father. She knew
that, years before. he had secured him
his position with the company. AS 1t
happened, the company needed men
for training-Scots; for the service
had become a tradition in North
Britain since the days OF Mckenzie.
And the company does not pick Its
employees out of the highways and
byways.
Molly had known Tom B0wyer since
childhood, although his visits TO
the trading post had occurred not
Oftener than once In two or three
years. She had heard much to his dis
credit In Winnipeg, and had verified 1t
when he spent a day or w at the
portage In October. Bowyer saw big
ger game In prospect than the moose,
and. as a beginning, resolved to rid
himself of a possible rival-Wilton.
Molly had spoken well Of him, and
Bowyer was a keen reader of mind.
When the storm of her fathers rage
had passed, the girl went down and
stood miserably in the doorway. His
insane outbursts were driving her TO
the very course he feared. Only his
illness kept her from going away. She
looked out. her mind In a turmoil Of
doubt.
Big Muskeg was at it's lonellest. The
gale was driving the snow before II In
clouds like spray, and the wind howled
through the gap In the bluffs. AS the
girl stood there she faHeied that she
heard a cry come across the frozen
swamp.
She slipped on the hooded coat
which she had left In the store. and
went slowly toward the portage. lis
tenlng intently. The driving wind had
swept a portion of the trodden road
clear OF the fallen snow. In this, near
the edge OF the muskeg, she saw the
imprint OF a mans snowshoe coming
from the swamp. Her eyes, trained to
observation, detected instantly that
there had been a loose string under
the ball of the foot. which had trailed.
leaving an oblique blur across the
impression.
There was the one imprint. and no
more. And, as she looked at II, a gust
OF wind drove a cloud OF snow over II,
obliterating 1t. Molly stood up. The
discovery, which seemed OF no Impor-
lance. passed from her mind. Again
she listened.
Then, with the uncomfortable feel
ing that she was being watched, she
and peered into the under
brush A pair OF beady eyes watched
her. They were those Of Jules. the
half-witted deaf-mute. For the mo-
ment Molly was startled. Then she
stepped forward, and the Muskegon
vanished soundlessfy among the under
AS the girl stood there she thought
she heard the cry once more. At once
she was running down to the edge Of
the swamp and. standing her ground
with difficulty In the fierce gale, She
peered out, sheltering her eyes with
her hand.
Then, dimly out OF the whIrling
snow, she saw a figure stumbling to-
her. bearing on its shoulder
something that looked like a railroad
:
Sometimes 1t vanished from her
sight in the circular whirl of sleet,
IT others r~eappeared. stumbling into
he drifts, but ever nearing her. IL
was within twenty-five feet OF her
II slipped. and there followed
he crash of the rotten Ice beneath its !,
feet. The figure broke through the I,
slushy layer into the muskeg below.
Thus Wilton Carruthers came TO the +,
for the fourth time. And on !.
his occasion he was saved by the dead :,
nan. for whose lifeless body he had !,
isked his own life. For. as he fell. :
Itill clutching at what he bore, the /
form slid out over the un- II
surface ana held him head and II
hroat above the bog H
In a moment Molly was running to-
- nxyfs.-- A. I. - III