The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-09-07
CHAPTER w
ain the Kings Name!n


seemed impossible.
"Fve got to go, Molly" was al
Wilton could say.
"Then," she said with sudden deci
sion, 81 shall 20 with you. You cen
travel alone. Your men may be faith
full enough, but it is my right TO GO
And you'll never get to the meeting
without some one t o take care of yol
on the way. That's my condition
Promise me-or else I'll lock the stor,
door, VIII, and I've got a paddock tina
even you couldn't force"
Molly seemed to be animated by
resolution as feverish as his own
Jules Halfhead had not fulfilled hi!
intention Of absenting himself, prob
ably on account of the storm, which
had made the security of the store
seem preferable to life in the forests
He was faithful to the factor, anC
had never deserted him In need. He
could take care Of him during the -four
or five days Of her absence.
Wilton was forced to yield.
"But you must make sure that Jules
viii stay" he said.
Hell understand. He'll stay" an.
swered the girl. Hes never run
away when l was gone to Moose
Lake or Winnipeg"
Molly went up to the factors room
with the faint hope of reaching some
understanding-of plumbing her fla
theirs feeling against Wilton and over
coming 1t.
mr.. Carruthers is getting ready to
go" she said. "He Is very i'll. He is
too weak to travel alone, but he must
take Joe Bostock's body back to Clay
ton"
"Oh, aye !" said the factor, sneering.
"He needs care and attention during
the journey. SO | am going with him."
The factor sat up I'm bed, tr~ansfixing
her with a look Of fury. "You, lass
you will go with Wilton CGrruthers to
Clayton - he cried. "Ye Wilma come
hame, then! Mark me, now, I've lone
with you for ayel Molly, lass, We Wilma
go! y he pleaded, with a sudden change
of tone. Think of your good name I'm
Clayton! havena reared We to have
We desert me In my old age and sick
ness, Molly"
She turned quickly away to keep
her tears from falling. Jules can
take care of you for a few days. ia
ther," she said. ITS not as If you
were helpless. And his life Is at
stake"
sand mebbe he'll die IL you don't
stay with him when We get to Clayton,
eh, lassY' rasped out the factor In
whitening scorn.
That scorn nerved her; to his weak
ness she had almost yielded. She went
down and dressed herself for the Jour-
ney. She helped Wilton on with a
%mackinaw, and put q caribou robe In
the sleigh. Then, while tie men were
Harvesting the dogs. struck by a sud-
den thought. she stopped and began
to examine the tracks Of the snow
shoes about the edge OF the portage.
They ran ~confusedly In all directions.
for the marks had been made by seven
different pairs-those of Bowyer and
Chambers and their Indian; those of
Wilton and his two half-hreeds those
af the deaf-mute.
OF these Wilton's were blurred and
almost indistlnguishable, made by his
dragging feet as she pulled him up
from the swamp. But even had the
vague purpose In Molly's mind been
clear to her, there would have been
no need to examine those. The rest
were all similar In one r~espect-none
had a broken string.
Wilton and Molly had arranged that
he was TO travel In the sleigh, to which
a second had been attached. bearing
Joe's body In a roughly made coffin
constructed by the men. The dogs
were harnessed. and they started.
II was a little more than fifty miles
to Clayton. Travelling along the
cleared road. the distance could be
covered easily In two days. The
dogs ran well, the weather was
clear and fine. and Wilton felt well
enough to walk a good deal. Their
dinner was almost like a picnic. BY
evening the railhead had come into
sight In the distance. the empty camp.
the long sheds with the miscellany OF
supplies. the locomotive shops. aud the
great ballast pits beside the line.
AS the dogs climbed the last hill
there cames yeiping from the cleared
way behind them. Looking back. ther
perceived a sled approaching. Two
walked beside u, and the dogs
sighting wiIton's yeIsed In challenge
which was taken u? In an outburst of
answering growls.
The sled drew In toward them. and
The men resolved themselves Into a
sergeant and n constable Of the MONT
"a police. Wilton had stopped his
logs. hut the newcomers did net hal
md wont IN with curt greetings
oward the cache.
little surprised NJ their ahruptness.
let the sled srecedc his sleigh
Is he dogs were aa~er for their meai
sent Papilion ahead with them. and