Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-08-17
CHAPTER IV-Continued.
s.


with a side glance at Myers. Got any
sort of special pull in Clayton?"
Enough to put the lid on you"
"Well, l guess you won't be going
into Clayton yet WHILE" jeered Pc
tiers. you're coming back to the Pas
with us and joe"
Wilton realized that Myers had
come up quietly upon the other side
of him. He had the bewildered feeling
of being in trap.
what the devil do you mean by
that" he shouted.
The sergeant thrust his face for
ward into his own, grinning ma
liciously.
ut means that I arrest you for the
wilful murder Of Joe Bostock," he an
swered. and I warn you, in the
kings name, that any statement you
make will be used against you"
At the same moment Wilton felt the
touch of steel against his right wrist,
to avoid the snap of the handcuff.
Looking at Sergeant Peters after the
instant's sideward glance, he found
himself covered by the heavy, regula-
ton .45 Colt Before he could stir,
Myers had seized him from behind and
made a violent effort to slip the hand
cuff upon his wrist.
Wilton heard Molly scream The
girl came running out Of the room
with her hair tumbing about her
shoulders and caught at Myers arm.
The caretaker started toward them.
still holding the frying pan, in which
he was cooking the potatoes, his face
working with rage.
you d-n fools" he shouted, laps
ing into his vernacular in his excite
ment you got it all wrong! Mr.. Car
ruthers was Joe'S best friend. So that
VAS your game when you come here last
light, eh? You'll get broke for this
yob already, both of you fellers, I tell
you"
Molly was grasping at Myers hand
as the constable still fumbled nerv-
ously with the handcuff. won't you
men listen to common senSeW she
cried "Mr. Carruthers is the chief
engineer Of the line. All his interests
are bound up with 1t. Why should he
want to murder Joe? He was JOes
best friend. Everyone in Clayton can
ell you that. Why, he risked his own
life to save him! Somebody's put
TOu on the wrong track. They're try
ng to make use of you to keep him
but Of the way while they ruin the
line. And you'll pay for your mistake,
hats sure"
And, with frenZied desperation she
succeeded in pushing Myers away
rom Wilton, and interposed between
him and the sergeant, whose revolver
pointed steadily at his forehead.
Peters scowled viciousy at her.
You can tell all that at the inquest"
he snapped. "Ive got orders to bring
gOu in, too. Get out of the way"
At that the superhuman tension that
held Wilton's rage in bounds seemed
to snap. His ears were ringing, and a
spotted mist flOated before his eyes.
Through this he saw Peters an infinite
distance away, the revolver now hard
ly larger than a pencil, pointing at his
head. Behind the sergeant he saw An
lersen, doll-like figure with a toy
an in his hand. He leaped at Peters,
teard the weapon discharged, and was
conscious of the sting Of powder on
his forehead and a commotion in his
hair.
Peters had shot to kill, \ but the
weapon, the least bit diverted by Mol
Iy's Intervention, had been retained
at Wilton's forehead little hurriedly,
and he had forgotten that the strong
ammunition, of which complaint had
frequently been made by the police SUI
perintendents, was apt to throw the
bullet high at short distances.
Wilton shot his uninjured arm for
ward with vicious swing that caught
the sergeant on the cheek and sent
him staggering backward. But the
force of the blow, communicated to
Wilton's left shoulder, wrenched the
wound and forced groan of pain