Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-08-10
CHAPTER w
ain the Kings Marcel"

but ne worried over lne SITUATION
all night, and in the morning Molly
saw with alarm that he was in a fe-
verish condition. He should never
have left his bed, and the journey
seemed impossible.
1--WE got to so, Molly" was all
Wilton could say.
"Then," she said with sudden deci-
sion, Il shall go with you. You can't
travel alone. Your men may be faith
full enough, but it is my right to go.
And you'll never get to the meeting
without some one to take care of you
on the way. That's my condition.
Promise me-or else I'll lock the store
door, viii, and I've got a paddock that
even you couldn't force"
Molly seemed to be animated by a
resolution as feveriSh as his own.
Jules Halfhead had not fulfilled his
intention of absenting himself, prob
ably on account of the storm, which
had made the security Of the store
seem preferable to life in the forests.
He was faithful to the factor, and
had never deserted him in need. He
could take care of him during the four
or five days of her absence.
Wilton was forced to yield.
"But you must make sure that Jules
will stay" he said.
Hell understand. He'll stay" an
swered the girl. Hes never run
away when 1 was gone to Moose
Lake or Winnipeg"
Molly went up to the factors room
with the faint hope of reaching some
understanding-of plumbing her IA
theirs feeling against Wilton and over
coming it.
"Mr. Carruthers is getting ready to
CO." she said. "He is very ill. He is
too weak to travel alone, but he must
take Joe Bostock's body back to Clay
| ton"
"Oh, aye!' said the factor sneering.
"He needs care and attention during
the journey. So am going with him."
The factor sat up in bed, transtiXing
her with look Of fury. you, lass
| SOu Will ~ Will w lll'll Sul ulllSlS W
Clayton!" he cried. Eye Wilma come
hame then! Mark me, now, I've done
with you for aye! Molly, lass, We Wilma
go!" he pleaded, with sudden change
of tone. "Think of your good name in
Clayton! l havena reared We to have
ye desert me in my old age and sick
ness, Molly"
She turned quickly away to keep
her tears from falling. Jules can
take care of you for a few days, IA
ther," she said. ITS not as if you
were helpless. And his life is at
stake"
"And mebbe he'll die if you don't
stay with him when We get to Clayton,
eh, lass" rasped out the factor in
whitening scOrn.
That scOrn nerved her; to his weak
ness she had almost yielded. She went
down and dressed herself for the jour
ney. She helped Wilton on with a
mackinaw, and put a caribou robe in
the sleigh. Then, while the men were
Harvesting the dogs, struck by a sud-
den thought, she stopped and began
to examine the tracks of the snow
| shoes about the edge of the portage.
They ran confusedly in all directions,
for the marks had been made by seven
! different pairs-thOse of Bower and
Chambers and their Indian; those of
! Wilton and his two half-breeds; those
of the deaf-mute.
OF these WiltOn'S were blurred and
almost indistinguishable, made by his
dragging feet as. she pulled him up
from the swamp. But even had the
vague purpose in Mclly's mind been
clear to her, there would have been
no need to examine those. The rest
4 were all similar in one respect-none
had broken string
- Wilton and Molly had arranged that
he was to travel in the sleigh, to which
a second had been attached, bearing
Joe's body in roughly made coffir
constructed by the men. The dogs
were harnessed. and they started.
1t was little more than fifty miles
to Clayton. Travelling along the
cleared road, the distance could be
covered easily in two days. The
dogs ran well, the weather was
clear and fine. and Wilton felt well
enough to walk good deal. Their
dinner was almost like a picnic. BY
evening the railhead had come into
sight in the distance, the empty camp
the long sheds with the miscellany OF
supplies, the locomotive shops, and the
great ballast pits beside the line.
AS the dogs climbed the last hill
there came yelping from the cleared
way behind them. Looking back, they
perceived a sled approaching. Two
men walked beside 1t, and the dogs
sighting Wilton's, yelped in challenge
which was taken up in an outburst Of
answering growls.
The sled drew in toward them. ant
the men resolved themselves into 8
sergeant and constable of the mount
ed police. Wilton had stopped his
dogs, but the newcomers did not halt
and went on. with curt greetings
toward the cache.