Graham guardian., 1922-10-03
COPYRIGHT BY STEWART KIDD COMPANY

oAAN VIC .tistChFh w yC so lpiS SC ~
listen TO me. lie was ever at me-
threatening ME with the auld threat
/ If | dinna obey When he came TO
the store a year ago | spoke OF win
Carfuthers, and how feared he'd been
sent by Joe to take Molly away from
me. Your chance will come, McDon-
ald,i he said 'Ye'll catch the twa o.
them in the bush togither 4 ma one
death on my soul now, ! said. He
laughed that fox-laugh of his. Ye're
afraid he taunted me- And that taunt
and laugh put the dell into me.
Listen, now, Mcdonald, he said,
If We could kill Joe Bostock and no
suspeecion come on ye. would ye do
IT.? He knew the rancor that was
like a living coal In my heart, and he
saw that he'd won. Then he told
me his plan. Il was TO pretend a
stroke, so that my foot would be use
less. and my arm would hang useless
at my side. Then, he said. thered
be no possible suspeecion on me. AS he
said twas lought to feign stroke
nought at ALL just to lie down and
breathe heavy, and never forget L
c6uldna use my arm or leg.
"He' Went ava and left me VII the
thocht. 1t grew in me until il filed
my heart, Then one NIGHT he cam to
me-Molly didna know that--and he
told me that Joe and VIII Carruthers
were coming to the portage. and /
could catch them alone. The chance
came. Jules was in the bush, and
Moliy'd gone to the Indian camp.
II slippit out o. bed and took the
rifle and one cartridge, put on my snow
shoes, and run across the nusSeg. t
wasna long before saw them on the
ridge, black against the gray sky. /
crept up behind the rocks till l was a
hundred PAGES AVA. Joe Bostock's
back was turned drew bead on
hls heart and fred. They bath fell
down. ran back 10 the store and
went to bed. Jules didna see me, and
Molly hadn't come hame."
He groaned and hung his head upon
his breast. The voice of Payne cut the
silence like knife.
"YOu are telling this of your. own
free will, McDonaldF" he asked.
"As God Is my witness I'm tellin
this because My times come now, and
wouldna have viii Carruthers swing
for that red fox yonder."
"What was the nature of Mr.. Bow
yer's hold on you. McDonald?"
The crown attorney stood up with
wry smile.
Il object to that question" he said
quietly.
"Ill put 1t in this way, then: Why
did you hate Joe Bostock?"
AYE, I'll tell that, too," nswered
Mcdonald. "JOe was married when
he was u young man, long ago A
good girl sweet lass from my ane
town in Scotland. They were both
young. They quarreled. She wanted
to vex him. She made up story that
showed her to be bad woman. She
went too far. Joe believed her. She
went to him and told him that she'd
itSu. kIt utlItNt IcI WoTu.
Because the foolish girl had manufac-
tured proofs--false proofs; and the ly-
Ing scoundrel whom she trusted
claimed they were true.
"He blackmailed her after Joe had
left her. SHE was at her wits end. She
went to his office to beg him to tell
the truth. / happened to go there.
overheard. She became frenzied and
drew u revolver ON him. He struck
her. He got her by the throat. He had
a paper-weight on the table, sharp
edged metal thing like cleayer. ]
struck him once with 1t. 1t split his
skull from side to side He died Fen
while watched him he died.
"The girl was mad wi fear. took
her ava. | married her, for Joe had
divorced her in the States. But that
fox, Bowyer, knew. In my folly I'd
told him all He said he'd be my
friend. He got me my position ut the
portage. I've lived there ever since
first with my wife, then with my fears.
and always with Molly-with Molly,
her child and--Joes"
The girls cry rang wildly through
the courtroom. She reeled and ran
toward him. Wilton, unhindered,
stopped down from the dock and sup
ported her, She clung to him, wllds
eyed and helpless, Nobody interviewed.
Even when Bowyer sprang forward,
though the judge raped his gavel
smartly, it seemed only an automatic
or perfunctory act, for he made no ef-
fort to prevent his speaking.
Let ME finish it !" he yelled fiercely,
'He didn't die, you fool--you old
fool; Lord, you've been a laughing
stock these twenty years He's here
in court, and he's been blackmaillng
me as he blackmailed you. Clark,
the master-forger and safe'breaker-
though we didn't need you for that
step forward Look Mt his head, Nc
Donald, and then see If you remember
himi