Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-08-02


my life II l dared suggest such a
thing"
Wilton frowned involuntarily az the
reference 10 the pretty young wife
whom Joe Bostock had married in
Winnipeg the year before. Joe's first
marriage had been unhappy; ii had
been long ago, and Wilton knew there
had been a separation, though Joe
was always reticent about that.
Kitty was five and thirty years
younger than Joe, and she had inter-
vened into fast friendship OF more
than a decade between Joe and VIII
ton. II made difference, as II always
does, though Joe had sworn II should
not, and Kitty thought the world Of
/ Wilton.
Wilton could. never understand his
secret feeling about Kitty She was
devoted 10 Joe. Perhaps that was
what lay beneath his latent antagO-
niSm toward her. He was jealous OF
her. He was jealous OF a woman's
| love for Joe.
Il guess mott" said Joe BostoclS
| again, pressing his hand hard down
on Wilton's shoulder.
And, In that instant, Wilton heard
the crack OF a rifle. and felt a violent
blow on the upper part Of the left arm,
which knocked him TO the ground. AS
he fell, Joe Bostock pitched forward
upon him.
Twice Joe's lips quivered, as II he
was trying 10 speak. Then the lower
Jaw dropped and the eyes rolled up
ward. A grayish pallor crept over the
face.
Wilton saw that Joe's macklnaw had
n tiny tear in II, over the breast A
trickle OF blood seeped through the
cloth. He wrenched the garment open
wiIh his right hand, pulled up the
sweater. and tore the shirt apart. The
heart fluttering like a wounded bird,
stopped under his hand. Joe sighed
once. but he never stirred again. The
bullet had passed clean through Joe
Bostock's heart from the back. And,
as he tried 20 raise Joe's body, Wilton
realized that the same bullet had
broken his left arm. which hung limp
from the shoulder.
he sprang 10 his feet, a mad
wrath giving back to him his ebbing
strength. He glared about him, but
IL was impossible TO ascertain from
where the shot had come. He could
not even locate the direction within
a hundred degrees, for Joe had been In
the act OF turning. Nobody was In
sight, and the woods were silent
His believing call Of fury that went
echOing through the trees ELECTED no
answer He tore strips from his hand
kerchlef. holding II between his teeth,
and. with his left hand on his knee,
knOtted them about a stick and i'm
provised a tOurn!quet. The blood was
squirting down his sleeve In jets, the
pain was intense, and It was impos-
sible TO take OF the mackinaw and
hope 10 replace his arms In Il; but
he twisted with all his force until the
diminishing flow showed that he had
compressed the artery. Thrusting the
longer end OF the stick beneath his
armpit. he passed the other through
the buttOnhOle OF the garment, and,
STOPPING. managed 10 get Joe's body
upon his shoulder and to hold II with
his right arm.
His impulse was TO carry Joe's body
back 20 the camp. but he knew that IL
would be impossible TO make the dis
n
the certainty OF mutilation by bears
or timber-wolves unless he could
build n calrn Of stones. And OF that
he was equally incapable. He set
Joe's body down. and, In the first full
realization OF his loss and his predlca-
ment. he shouted curses TO the sky.
That murder had been intended he
dld not believe; no doubt the shot had
been n bullet fired at some nearer
mark, perhaps a hare, and by one OF
the half-breeds. He suspected that
the transit-b bearer, following them up,
had fired the shot, and, seeing the IA
tally. had fled.
But the thought that this might be
the explanation was only a heeting
one. Joe was dead. and his body must
be cared for. just as II he were alive
taken back TO the camp and thence
out OF the woods. There was no pos
slblIty OF leaving Joe's body there.
Yet Il seemed 10 him that he could
not hope 20 reach the camp. And
now another idea came TO him.
II was seven miles back TO the camp,
but only FIVE TO the portage over the
frozen swamp. Upon the other side
Of the portage was a trail that came
ont OF the prairie southwark and
wound into the unknown north.
Along this Indians brought their win
ter catches to the trading-store OF
Mcdonald, the factor Of the Hudson's
Bay company.
Travelling was hard along the shore
| - .ha vreat Muskeg but Ii would