Macon beacon., 1922-07-28
CHAPTER lV-Continued.

with side glance at Myers. "Got any
sort of special pull in Clayton?"
Enough to put the lid on you"
swell, l guess you won't be going
into Clayton yet WHILE" jeered Pc
ters. you're coming back to the Pas
with us and Joe"
Wilton realized that Myers had
come up quietly upon the other side
Of him. He had the bewildered feeling
Of being in trap.
"What tho devil do you mean by
that?" he shouted.
The sergeant thrust his face for
ward into his own, grinning ma
liciously.
'It means that I arrest you for the
wilful murder of Joe Bostock," he an
swered. "And I warn you, In the
kings name, that any statement you
make will be used against you.'
At the same moment Wilton felt the
touch Of steel against his right wrist,
and swung his hand free just in time
to avoid the snap of the handcuff.
Looking at Sergeant Peters after the
instant's sideward glance, he found
himself covered by the heavy, regula-
ton As Colt Before he could stir,
Myers had seized him from behind and
made violent effort to slip the hand
cuff upon his wrist.
Wilton heard Molly scream. The
girl came running out of the room
with her hair tumbling about hel
shoulders, and caught at Myers arm
The caretaker started toward them
still holding the frying pan, in which
he was cooking the potatoes, his face
working with rage.
"You d-n fools |" he shouted, laps
ing into his vernacular In his excite
ment, "you got 1t all wrong! Mr.. Car
ruthers was Joe's best friend. So tina
was your game when you come here las
night, eh? You'll get broke for thi
yob already, both Of you fellers, tel
you"
Molly was grasping at Myers han'
a. the constable still fumbled nery
ously with the handcuff. "Won't yo
men listen to common sense" sh
cried. "Mr. Carruthers is the chic
engineer Of the line. All his interest
are bound up with IT, Why should h
/ want to murder Joe? He was Joe
/ best friend. Everyone ingClayton ca
tell you that. Why, he risked his ow
life to save himl Somebody's pr
| YOU on the wrong track. They're tr,
ing to make use Of you to keep hi
| out of the way while they ruin n
| line. And you'll pay for your mistak
| that's sure"
| And, with frenzied desperation, ST
| succeeded in pushing Myers ava
from Wilton, and interposed betwet
him and the sergeant, whose revoly
| pointed steadily at his forehead.
| Peters scowled viciously at he
| "You can tell all that at the inquest
| he snapped. "Ive got orders to bril-
j you in, too. Get out Of the way"
= At that the superhuman tension tn
held Wilton's rage in bounds SEEM
to snap. His ears were ringing, and
spotted mist floated before his ey'
Through this he saw Peters an infinI
distance away, the revolver, now hai
ly larger than pencil, pointing at
head. Behind the sergeant he saw A
dersen, a doll-like figure with
nan In his hand. He leaped at Pete
heard the weapon discharged, and W
conscious of the sting OF powder
his forehead and commotion In
hair.
Peters had shot to kill, but
weapon, the least bit diverted by NJ
Tvs Intervention, had been realm
= at Wilton's forehead little hurried
and he had forgotten that the strc
ammunition, OF which complaint |
\ frequently been made by the police
,perintendents, was apt to throw
bullet high at short distances.
Wilton shot his unlnjured arm
ess IS, ward with q vicious swing that eau
ons the sergeant on the cheek ana s
b1 him staggering backward. But
TAT force Of the blow, communicated
,s5s , ns W,Iton's left shoulder, wrenched
.l:o0 wound and forced groan OF ?
nd