The Lamar register., 1922-09-06

the east shore of Big Musl, =. The
swamp was spanned. The corduroy
had been laid upon the sink-hIlss, and
had borne the hallastlng. The ire sting
ran from bank 10 bank and carried the
metals firmly. hut the foundaTiun was
only a. yet laid halfway. and lhe final
proof had yet TO be made.
However, Wilton had no doubts Of
the result He had tried out the dan
ger-spots. The trestle would contain
the ballast His work had been accom-
piished.
After the subsistence he had paid a
dying visit 10 Clayton He had not
seen Kitty. and Kitty had not returned
Ia the camp. hut he had had stormy
meeting with the directors and. as he
had foreseen, had been given his
chance Ia try once more. There was
indeed. nothing else to be done. Bow
yer had made the most of the disaster /;
but II was TO Bowyer's interest that
Wilton should try again and fall That
would put the Mlssatibi promptly into
liquidation.
Now Wilton had succeeded. Big
Muskeg was conquered. and on the east
shore the vanguard of the line was
driving the cleared way forward and
pegging nIt the way for the metals
Soon grading would begin. Wilton's
camp would shrink. and the engines
would he moved ahead. and-he would
have time 10 think
lie dreaded that lie had not seen
Molly or the factor since that night
"f the subsistence. lie knew thar
Bowyer had paid more than one visit
Ia the store hut he shrugged his
shoulders and put II our nf his mind
The workmen. after their months
of arduous labor. had begun to grow
slack. There was resilveness In the
camp. Once or twice Wilton had seen
signs of liquor He detected II in the
slowing up Of work he had smelled II
in the bunkhouseS penetrating
odor Of cheap alcohol with its sugges
tion Of gasoline
Andersen, forestalling him, came 10
him about the tiv Of this discovery
They're geltInssthat rot gut again.
Mr.. Carruthers, he said. Il don't
know where. I'm keeping my eyes
peeled. but | ain't said nothing"
The best policy" said Wilton. The
men have worked hard. When this jobs
finished We'll let them slack up for
day or two. Then wen get down
to business on this proposition. But
II you md out anything let me know
al once"
A few days later came the spanning
Of the swamp. On the same afternoon
summons came from the court, to.
gether with a letter from Quain. The
police had at last picked up Paplllon
and fassepartout. and had recovered
the rife and transit compass. Wilton
was wanted In Clayton to give eyi.
dence against the men.
The call was opportune. Wilton had
already determined to put into execu.
tion Il plan that he had formed. II
WIS now October. and little more than
two months remained before the loan
would be called. That would give
Bowyer the control Of the Missatibi.
Driven by the ironical realization that
he was working for Bowyer. Wilton
had resolved to 90 to Clayton as soon
as the trestiing was completed, and
try 10 raise the money to pay Phayre.
who. he knew. would not renew the
note.
Big Muskeg was spanned. And. on
the strength OF that, Wilton believed
the time had come to give Joe's secret
to the world. He would publish far
and wide the secret OF the wheat
lands. He would establish sufficient
confidence in the line to make the
raising OF loan u possibility.
(Continned next ,vaeI-l