The Adair County news., 1922-06-27
SYNOPSIS

SINOPSlS
CHAPTER I.-Looking over Big Mus
keg, a seemingly impossible swamp in
the path of the Missatibi railroad, Joe
Bostock, builder of the line, and Wilton
CarTuthers, chief of engineers, are con-
sidering the di. .culties. A rifle shot in
stanty kills Bostock and breaks Car
ruthers' arm. Handicapped as he is, Car
ruthers determines to carry the body to
a station of the Hudson's Bay company,
where one Mcdonald is the factor.
CHAPTER II.-McDonald's daughter,
Molly, sees Carruthers struggling in the
muskeg and drags him from the swamp,
with his burden. Unaccountably, her
father objects to her saving Carruthers.
CHAPTER Iu-Weakened by his wound
ana exeruons, Cerruthers is disturbed by
the appearance of Tom Bowyer, Bostock's
business rival and personal enemy. Bow
yer insults Molly, and Carruthers strikes
declares his love for Molly. She prom
tses to be his wife.
CHAPTER IV.-Carruthers has to reach
the town Of Clayton to attend a meeting
at which Bostock's enemies plan to wrest
control of the Missatibi from him. Molly
determines to go with him.
CHAPTER V.-Attacked by his dogs,
Carruthers' life is saved by Molly, who is
forced to kill the animals. They set out
on foot for Clayton, reaching it with
Carruthers In an almost dying condition.
He is In time to foil Bostock's enemies
and keep control of the line for Mrs.
Bostock.
CHAPTER VL-Carruthers learns that
Boetock has hypothecsted five hundred
shares Of the Mssatibi, ieopardizing his
control Of the line.
CHAPTER VII.-Lee Chambers, expert
engineer, hitherto associated with Bow
asks CarFntherS for work wing he
has broken with Bowyer. Crruthers
takes him on. Kitty Bostock, Joe's
widow, deeply in love with Carruthers,
though he does not realize 1t, comes to
live at the Big Muskeg. Circumstances
force her to avow her love. Carruthers
tells her of Molly and gently repulses her.
CHAPTER vIIL-Tom Bowyer seeks
Molly's love, and is repulsed. He in
veigles the chagrined Kitty into an alli-
ance for the purpose of separating Car
ruthers and Molly. Chambers deliberate
ly wrecks part Of the line crossing the
Big Muskeg, and fees from Carruthers'
wrath.
CHAPTER K.-Beguiled by Kitty, Molly
deliberately breaks with Carruthers. He
accepts her assertion that she is no longer
in love with him. The work of crossing
the muskeg goes on satisfactorily.
He took counsel with Jim Belts.
The old man was frankly pessimistic.
ut looks to me" he ruminated, "as
If them two snakes'll get the line.
Joe must have been mad, or mighty
hard put, when he hypothecated them
shares" He turned TO Wilton. "What
dye want to worry about it for, any,
way?" he asked. "If Joe took a chance
like that, he couldn't have felt too
strong about it,"
He laid his hand on WiltOn's
shoulder. "Whisky's good" he said
in his odd way. "SOs ginger pop.
But the mixtures h-ll. Sos women
and business, boy. I'd help We with
that loan if / could see my way But
/ can't. I've been stung too bad al
ready, and I've got a grandson to
look after. Ye'd better make terms
with Phayre."
This was one of the worst blows
that had fallen. If Belts had lost
faith, who would have kept it? He
understood the aIlusion to Kitty. Belts
thought he was in love with her. Then
so must other people.
He was due at the court that day,
and gave his evidence. The half
breeds received each six months in
the penitentiary-a light sentence, on
the jury's recommendation. Afterward
Wilton had a talk with Quain.
The two men had sullenly refused
to give any reason for their flight. If
the outlaw Hackett had advised them,
they did not put in that plea.
Nln s,,r, hoa hof of
them had accidentally shot Joe, and
that this had been the cause of their
disappearance. So did Quain, ap-
parently.
'Tm afraid, viii, that we can't hope
for anything fresh upon that subject"
he said.
This business done. Wilton went to
see Kitty, swallowing his pride. After
all, it was for Joe that he was plead
ing. Kitty received him in the old
friendly manner, with a touch of re-
serve that should have put him on his
guard. But he began eagerly.
'Kitty," he said, "you know we've
crossed the Muskeg"
Then Kitty showed her claws.
II was so glad when / heard of ii,
WILL" she said. you've been trying
to do that all the summer, haven't
you?"
"Why-yes, of course" said Wilton,
looking at her in astoniShment.
She put her hand on his arm with a
caressing gesture "Do lell me what
a muskeg is, WILL" she said. I've
heard you speak of it so often, and 1
can never remember the meaning of
those words"
And with that the last of Wilton's
illusions fell from him, leaving him
face to face with stark reality. He
faced Kitty very gently.
kitty, listen to me nOw," he said.
1--WE been in this game for JOe-and