Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-08-24

route without throwing the company
into liquidation. And Kitty held con
troll.
The thought of that strengthened his
resolve. He could not bring himself
to go to Molly with the despondency
upon him. but busted himself that af'
ternoon examining the wreck.
For about q month he had had q
strange protege. One evening Jules
Halfhead. the deaf-mute, appeared al
the door OF his shack, and quickly as
sumed the care OF Ii. He was nearly
always to be found there In Wilfon's
absence. Sometimes. however. he
would betake himself back to the port
age, and he was free of the camp,
where he ran errands and messages for
the engineers. and was the butt of mild
practical Jokes
Wilton came to the conclusion. how
ever, that the Muskegon's mind was as
acute as any mans. and that his appar-
n simplicity was nothing but the out
ward aspect Of his infirmity.
When Jules had cooked WIlton's sup
per that evening he came into the once
In a state Of excitement. The man had
loved the work. He was often to be
seen on the trestle. ciinging for dear
life TO q plank as the trucks. rumbled
past within an inch Of his head. When
he saw the wreck Of the embankment
that morning. the foreman said that he
had burst into tears. Now he was evil
IDENTITY trying to describe something to
Wilton In pantomIme: but Wilton could
not follow his meaning.
Suddenly be seized a pencil from the
desk and. STOPPING. began to draw a
picture of the trestle upon the wall
remarkable skill.
Wilton's interest was at once
.roused: yes" he said. nodding to
Jules. "what about itr'
1t was his habit to talk, although the
could not hear his voice.
Jules had an instructive faculty Of I'M
He looked at Wilton and
nodded back.
He next drew four uprights-the
long, heavy trunks of considerable
girth that were driven into the ground
to support the trestling. Then he made
a smudgy line across each. Then he
drew a Ratchet. He looked up at VIII
ton In pathetic eagerness, and nodded
"You mean that some n tempered
with the trestIings" shouted Wilton.
Jules, who had watched his lips,
nodded eagerly, But, as he always nod
ded when he was spoken to, little
meaning could be attached TO that.
Wilton wondered II that was what
he did mean. If the uprights had been
tampered with before they were set In
to the ground, by ax-cuts or otherwise,
the weight of the ballast would I'M
doubtedly have broken them The
break would not have been Immediate
Iy apparent. but the trestllng would I'm
such case be practically Imposed upon
the surface of the swamp, wtuhout sup
port. The ballast would have spread
over the muskeg. causing the entire
structure TO subside. :
who did IT." asked Wilton, speak
Ing slowly and carefully.
Jules, who was still watching him,
suddenly turned and, with lightning
drew q c~aricature Of Lee
on the woodwork Of the
wall.
Wilton looked at It and drew In his
Then he ncdded. Jules nod
led In return. ssBcd, and left the
DOM. Wilton re6ccted deeply.
IL Chambers was a spy of Bowyer'a.
Why had he shown him the bedrock af
IiiY On the other hand, assuming that
must eventually discover IL
Bowyer might have sent
7aambers - nahe q virtue of a neces-
ity and to secure a position at the
amp, where be could be of service to
i'm
In any Wiitsn could afford q
AXE 10 further chances with him. II
VSuld serve ~ purpose TO accuse him
( haFiax tameered with, the trestIinK
Ie would give him a post somewhere
rHere he csul< DO ne harm. and tbus |
II rid Of him.
Fighting down che Alarming rage La |
h heart, Ne wenf dewn the road to- |
sard the sAack which tie engineer oc- |
1p&ed. THIS was q reconstructed
he'd There wAs saay sse Don In IL.
It Chambers had asked TO have this
lther than share the quarters Of the
her engineer
The men yer bAck In the bunk
ousex. but the door of the shed was
ldiockAd. Thinking fhAt Chambers
light be In the camp. ~ Aade his
toward the other quartan- But
he heard some go <nllIHg
m and, turning. saw Andersam run
ng after him.
Were you looking for Mr.. czkam-
SIR asked the foreman.
-Yes. Where La heY"
sswhy. he went back 20 Clayton ffs&9
MIR. Carrutbsrx He said he was
Ang In for you"
kHlteHss suspicious suddenly famed
!. The keyr" he akouted. pulling
the paddock
II guess he took IT wAs him." said
~Hsre fhe staples pHE3e% out at 1
ce - .
waitec, tuning Hpfp Assser- !