Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-08-04
CHAPTER V-Contlnued.

"Tm going on to Clayton. I'm feel
ing better. No, listen, Molly! l didn't
tell you, but my arm was swollen from
the bandages. They had frightened and
stopped the circulation. I'm better
without them. I'm feeling stronger
and the pains less. We a 60 on.
We've got to 60 on"
"Walk, WHIP
"We1l walk" said Wilton, rising
with great effort. The dying animals
had ceased to whimper, and stared at
him out of their glazing eyes. Outside
the snow was drifting down through
the leaf,ess branches, but the wind
was dying away. 1t was late in the
afternoon. though no sign Of the sun
came through the heavy, lowering
cloud.
"We1l go on" said Wilton.
And, going out Of the shack, he un-
fastened the cord Of the sleigh that
held Joe's body, and took 1t In bis
wounded hand.
"Will, it's impossible"
ut may be. But I'll try. I can't
face Kitty otherwise
Over the new snow the journeying
was not 80 difficult In their snow
shoes, but the drag Of the sleigh-rope
up the hills and across the corduroys
proved almost impossible. Their
progress was enthusiastically slow. The
night came down and shut them In.
And the nightmare Of delirium clouded
Wilton's brain, peopling the world
with phantOms. He lived over again
scenes of the past, and always Joe
was of them. 1t was a night Of unmit-
igated horror to Molly.
At every cache, at each shack, they
would stop, feeling the sheer lmpossi-
bility Of going on, and sit huddled In
their blankets under the lee, with the
drifting snow about them.
Yet always they went en- again; IN
til at last the n~ever-ending night lifted.
The sno ceased to fall; the dun
horizon was streaked with fire. And
slowly Wilton came back to full con-
seriousness.
They had toiled up their highest
hill, and as they reached the summit
they saw the sweetest sight that they
had ever seen. For far away was Clay,
ton, over the plain, with It's ugly
streets and bare, new houses, and the
gaunt station buildings, roundhouses
and locomotive shops.
They were white as shrouded bodies
besmeared with CRIME, and Wilton was
caked with the blood that had oozed
from his wounds and frozen.
Zone last try, Molly" he said, land
then they can do what they like with
me. But it's you who pulled tha'
trick, girl of mine!"
But as he spoke he slipped to the
ground and leaned his shoulders
against the sleigh.
"Seven miles yet, and the meeting''
at nine" he said. 81 can't make 1t
Molly. I've tried. I've fallen short
lust short. A little later, Molly, I'll
Try uSdlL. III gums W oASSP al bA'
sunshine"
Molly stopped over him, and it wal
a harder thing than she had ever don'
TO try TO drive the driven man fur
Their. But she knew that, HAVING
staked all, Wilton would be cOnten
with no less than the sacrifice of all.
Remember Joe, DEAR" she said
"and Kitty"
He tried to rise to his feet, but coul'
not. Wilton's mind was quite clear
but his BODY, driven by his will, ha,
collapsed suddenly like a worn-Ou
horse.
Three horsemen were riding owe
the plain toward them. They watches
them in a dull apathy. Even Moll,
hardly cared any more, except for WI
ton. And he had done all that a ma
could do.
As the men came nearer II could b
seen that they were Of the Mounte