Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-07-27

ton.
The three trotted their horses up to
them. and. catching sight Of the coffin
upon the sleigh, the Inspector dis.
mounted. He looked hard at Wilton,
and suddenly he recognized him.
"It's VIII Carruthersl he ex-
claimed, staring into his face In Devil
derment.
Wilton got up with an effort. Morn
ing, Jack" he said YEARLY. "Yes. it's
I. And here's Miss Mcdonald. You
know her, ! think?"
The Inspector turned his puzzled
glance on the girl. Mechanically his
hand went up to his cap IN salute.
Then he looked at the sleigh again.
"And this is-was Joe Bostock." said
Wilton: and all at nee In the reae-
ton from the nervous tension. he felt
the tears streaming down his face. and
could hardly keep his lips steady.
MY Godl' muttered Quain. IAN ac-
cldent, WHIP
sneakIng dastard's bullet In the bush.
Shot ut my side! The bullet broke my
arm after 1t had passed through Joe's
| heart,and his blood and mine were
mixed together. II didn't need that
for me to know that I'll hound the
murderer II IT takes me TO my dying
day."
"Joe-Joe dead" whispered Inspec-
tor Quain. half unable to realize II.
Joe had been a very living personality
In Clayton. "And murdered Z" he
added. Then:
where are your breeds?"
"Gonel But they didn't shoot Joe,
either by design or accident. That's a
story you can learn from Andersen.
at the halfway cache"
That's where we're bound for"
said Quain. "We're looking for"
"And by the way" said Wilton with
a mirthless laugh, as the relative I'M
Importance Of the fact struck him, I'm
under arrest for having murdered
| Joe"
Quain looked at him keenly. and
then turned his glance upon Molly In
Inquiry. II was plain that he thought
Wilton was raving.
THAT'S true said Molly. "a ser
geant and a constable from the Pas
followed us up t Andersen's and
placed Wilton under arrest yesterday
morning"
The inspector rubbed his nose in
p%erplexlty. IF VIII had told me that
I wouldn't have believed him, Miss
McDorald." he said. Describe those
policemen TO me, please"
"The constable was short and dark,
stocky In build. The sergeant was fair,
with a long mustache-"
"Blt OF a squint?"
"A cast In his left eye. His name
is Peters. The other one Is named
Myers. You know them. them"
II do" said Quain softly. Peters
is Jim Hackett, and Myers Is T%onquay,
a half-Frenchman, from the eastern
townships. They we're discharged
last year after a short time of service,
as soon as their records became known.
and they got away, taking their uni
forms and equipment with them.
They're wanted for a cattle-stealing
job and impersonating members OF the
force. So that ends that trouble,
WILL
Quain nodded to his men TO dis
mount Get the sleigh in TO barracks
as quickly as you can" he said, land
notify the coroner. / guess a half
davte awfra 1aavyaw xyo,,+ do tba+ ,~a
cious pair much good. Miss McDon-
ald-Wnh. old man. you can manage
TO ride In. can't your"
Wilton. staggering to his feet, set
his face In a CHASTITY grin. i've held
on" he muttered. II guess I can hold
on for two hours more. There's a big
ger thing behind this than you-or l.
know just now. I'm going on ahead.
I'm all right, and you won't stop me,
Jack7"
Austin Phayre. the president Of the
Bank of New North Manitoba, stood
at the table. He was q man OF about
fifty, with a gray. waxed mustache, and
gold-rimmed glasses. His manner was
pompous, and he was immaculate In
his black cutSway. with the expanse Of
white cuf and tall collar.
Mr. Chairman he said, some of
us shareholders have requested that
he meeting be called In order that
we may obtain certain informs
ton from those best qualified to Inn
part IT, as to the prospects of the Mis-
satbi line. concerning which disquIet-
Ing rumors are aioat.
You have before you a statement Of
our financial position. IL is not the
most satisfactory one that could be
Imagined OF q total capital of Ave
million dollars nearly oBe-half has al
ready been disbursed. The estimate
before you provides for nearly two mill
Hons more to be distributed over grad
Ing. trsck-laying. wster-Anks. tele-
graph line, bridging and %bsiIsstins.
Mean while. unexpected d~ifscuities have