The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-10

appearance. The elder man, the ser
geant, was about forty years Of age
He had fair hair, dropping mJastache.
q slight cast In one eye, and an ey-
preston Of suIien insolence HIS com
panion, short. stocky young fellow,
looked hardly less sur1y andlevidently
Ill at ease.
Evening. Mr.. Carruthers." tsaid the
sergeant bruskly. I'm sergeant Pc
tiers, and this Is Constable Myers
That's Joe Bostock's body you're bring
ing in, guess
Wilton was staggered. Yes, it's
joe" he said, gulping. How did you
get the newsT'
The policemen exchanged glances
Peters smiled scornfally under his
long mustache. Its known, all right
It's our job to know them things" he
answered. I'm taking charge Of it
to bring 1t In for the inquest"
"But you are not from Clayton" said
Wilton, who, of course, knew all the
members OF the small force Of poHee
that was stationed there.
@We're from the Pas" answered the
sergeant shortly.
FROM the Pasl That explained how
the sied had come along the road be-
hind him. Bowyer must have dfscov-
cred the fact Of Joe's death in some
manner, and had probably spread the
news. Wilton surmised that Jules
Halfhsad had somehow managed to
indicate the fact to him.
The constable solved his problem.
I'VE was on patrol" he vouchsafed
"And we met parties who told US
about Joe Bostock having met with an
accident, and that you was bringing
him In"
"That'll be all, !" snapped the ser
geant, looking angrily at Myers, who
subsidized promptly. II guess this
young woman is Molly McDonaldY he
continued.
'This lady is Miss Mcdonald" said
Wilton angrily, land you'll keep a civil
tongue In your head, sergeant"
Peters looked him up and down inso-
lently, and for a moment or two the
men faced each other in an aggressive
attitude. Then the sergeant, sneering,
swung on his heel. Wilton did not
know what to make Of his attitude, for
the police were always friendly.
Andersen's room was placed at Mol
ly's disposal, and after Wilton had
seen to her comfort he went outside
the shack.
The dogs were yelping and snarling
ever their fish from the cache. Pa
pillon had just finished feeding them,
and Wilton thought Peters had been
speaking to him. Probably the ser
geant was trying to obtain informa-
ton.
The Swede came up to Wilton, hold.
ing a pan Of sizzling brown potatoes
II can't believe 1t, Mr.. Carruthers, y
he said. "Only last week he passed
through here with you. Gosh, he was
a fine man, Joe was! How did 1t hap
pen? And you're hurt yourself, sir,
he continued. glancing at Wilton's arm
"Joe was shot at my side in the
woods. The same bullet hit me.
don't know who fired the shot. But
I'm going to know" said Wiltor
grimly.
"My God, It's all up with the line
yeti" muttered the old man, with
drawing to his fire.
Wilton looked at Molly, who ha(
come out Of the bedroom and was
standing near him. Andersen's excla
nation had gagged the whole situation
Wilton felt physically nauseated b!
the heat IN the shack, the unpleasant
neRs Of the situation, and q recurrence
Of pain In his wound.
He went over to Andersen. "Do yol
happen to know either OF those fel
lowsT he asked.
II never saw them before, SIR" sait
the old man. IT guess they amt from
these parts, from the looks and tn
ways Of 'em,"
tFhere's a new lot come up iron
Yorkton lately. Maybe they shifte'
these to the Pas when they sent som
Of the Pas men on to Clayton" Wilto
reflected. He turned to Molly. "Any
way, Wen start bright and early" b
said. u suppose We'll have to hav
those fellows company as far as Clay
ton. But wonder" He paused.
wonder whether Joe would forgive NJ
for leaving him in the hands 9
strangers for a while. II 1t were fo
Kitty" he unused.
The two policemen came in, lookin
sur4y and uncommunicatfve as eve