The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-11-17
CHAPTER xvIIl-contlnusd.

know what happened. but / guess she
didn't 60 to the camp against her will,
Mrs. Bostock," he leered. maybe
she'd taken fancy to Lee Chambers.
I saw something of that sort In the
wind, and so hadn't started to carry
out our plan."
sour plani' gasped Kitty.
"The one that we agreed on, to keep
her away from VIII Carruthers," said
Bowyer' venomously.
He expected an outburst, but Kitty
was beyond that now. "You know that
I've come about WILL" she said In a
choking voice. II don't know what to
do. Nobody but you can help me.
What shall do?"
Bowyer pretended to reflect. 81 don't
quite see what / can do, Mrs. Bos-
tock," he answered. II don't believe
he's guilty"
"Of course, he isn't guiltyT
"Pve always said he isn't. But he'll
have to take his verdict from the jury.
| What is there we can DOR
Kitty looked at him In consterna-
tion. "The safe!" she gasped. THAT'S
what"
"But that has nothing to do with
yoe's death, Mrs. Bostock."
She sprang to her feet, confronting
him with dramatic Indignation. "You
know that 1t has everything!' she
cried. You're playing with me and
torturing me. Do you suppose don't
know what they're saying about him
that he forged Joe's name to those
checks and murdered him to prevent
discovery Do you suppose l don't
know that, when l gave you the COM
binatlon, just to help Will, that you
put those checks there? Let me tell
the truth on the witness standw she
pleaded. standing before him with
clasped hands, and the tears raining
down her cheeks.
"Tell the TRUTH You must be madl"
he shouted.
IF the jury knew that, they'd acquit
him. 1t could be arranged. I'd say I
gave the combination to Lee Cham
bers-"
Again Bowyer began to be afraid of
Kitty; but this time 1t was her stupid
ity he feared. And he saw that this
was the occasion to let loose one of
his habituated RACES. He seized her
hands in his, one in each, and twisted
them until she screamed with the pain.
Lets understand each other, Kitty
Bostock u he hissed In a furious
voice. "I'll take up your proposition
and show you what 1t means. Listen
First, you'll break your solemn cove
nant with me. Dishonest, you think
The sort that's made between people
every day. I've played fair with you.
And you'll play fair with me, or you'll
lose your forture-eyery penny of 1t.
That's first.
Second, so surely as you go into
the witness-box with such a story I'll
say you lie. I'll say he was your lover.
I'll say that he killed Joe at your in
stigation because you wanted to be
rid of him. I'll say that you went to
Big Muskeg and lived there, almost
next door to him. I'll bring forward
workman who saw you two together,
kissing on the swamp one evening. I'll
swear It's concocted story made up
by you to free. your paramour. What
sort Of figure do you think you'll cut
in the witness-box then, Kitty Bos-
tockT
Bowyer had calculated rightly. Up
on a woman like Kitty, petted and
spoiled from birth, the astounding
fact of physical violence comes as a
stunning shock that breaks down the
souls resistance. 1t Is only on repeti-
ton that the reaction comes.
And Bowyer calculated rightly again.
"Kitty Bostock," he said gently, IT
promise you that he shall be freed.
1 have the means, the influence, the
power. l know he didn't murder Joe.
Keep your head, and all shall be well.
I swear II. Do you believe meT'
She looked at him as II be had
hypnotized her. "Yes, believe you,"
she answered.
$50 surely as you speak one word,
he'll hang. Keep quiet, and he shall
be saved. Promise me you'll say moth
ing"
"Oh, I'll say nothing" walled Kitty,
wringing her hands. II promise you.
I see. Yes. understand now"
And she went out of the house with
her head low, dubious, and yet with
the sure conviction that Bowyer could
save Wilton. Bowyer copld save him,
but nobody else could do SO. She would
trust him, because there was nobody
else to trust
Between the house and the station,
Kitty grew conscious of an old man
walking beside her, trying to speak to
her. Absorbed In her thoughts, she
did not know how long he had been
there. Suddenly she realized that this
was Jim Belts.
She shrank back aghast, looking at
him with eyes wide with fear. Jim
nodded and smiled.
''It's all right; don't be afeared of
me, Mrs. Bostock," he said. You're
mighty worried about VIII. Amt you
now. guess we all ara Won't you
20 to Mr.. Payne and tell him what you
know?"
Tvhov had reacheA fhe sfation. The