The Lamar register., 1922-08-16

me job. he said i've iert MT.
Bowyer for good. We had some
trouble He wanted me to make
crooked report, and I would not do
II. I'm through with him and his
dirty schemes"
Wilton gave him a chair and looked
him over coldly. He did not like
Chambers, and he suspected that he
was lying, and that Bowyer had sent
him to him for his own purposes.
Dighy's disappearance had left him
In hole. but that hardly justified his
taking on Lee Chambers. though he
was one Of the ablest of his profession
in Manitoba.
We'll. Mr. Chambers" he said, I'm
carrying on my work here on the lines
established by Mr.. Bostock. Joe Bos'
took had two maxims. The first was:
Never lay off a man II you can help
it The second was: Never take on q
man who's left you And to be quite
frank-I feel about the same way. You
left the MIssatibi, which had treated
you well, and we have reason to be-
lieve you gave useful information to
Mr.. Bowyer."
81 swear | didn'tr' shouted Cham.
bers. springing to his feet. Prove
that, Mr.. Carruthers!"
81 can't prove it." Wilton admitted.
Il am giving you my personal feeling
about yourself, In confidence"
well. It's mighty poor sort Of con.
fdence," spluttered the engineer. "See
here, Mr.. Carruthers. l didn't come
here to beg you for job. | want one,
and | can get one on any other line iD
Manitoba. But | want to even things
out little with Tom Bowyer first
He's played me Il dirty trick, and
don't take things lying down. l know
what your problem is. know you
can't cross Big Muskeg. Suppose I
show you, eh? How'd you feel about
II thenf'
Wllton's cool glance never wavered.
I'm willing TO hear more on the sub.
ject. Mr.. Chambers" he said.
Right, Before you'd even started
TO clear the bush l was up here sound
ing every yard OF Big Muskeg clear
along both shores. And there's rock
bottom within two miles of here Does
that interest you. Mr.. Carruthers7"
at does" said Wilton fransly.
III show you"
Il need an assistant, and you can
have the position as long as you want
IL"
Lee Chambers grinned. That's good
enough for me-" he said. TN hold II
right along. There won't he any other
road would have much use for me after
Tom Bowyer finds out what I've done
to him"
Wilton gave Chambers q bed In his
shack. The next morning they started
out to sound the muskeg. little
more than mile north Of the portage,
where the river dwindled to mere
trickle between two lakes in summer.
WAS an unlnviting bed OF peat, covered
with rotten slush: II was one of the
sounded.
"You1l get bottom here" said Cham.
bers. He swept his arm upward. You
see, I've figured It out like this Those
ridges are limestone. But the founda-
lions granite. You've noticed that. Of
course. The granite was there first.
The limestone was forced up later
through the clefts by subterranean ac-
tion. 1t filled up the holes and hollows
and spread up above the granite till
these bluffs were formed. But the
granite hasn't shifted. Here's where
the granite bed extends across the
muskeg. The mud filed up the cleft
and spread across the foundation. But
the foundations there. Try her out"
Wilton got bottom after two or three
attempts. As Chambers had said.
here was the foundation for the perma-
nent wIy-not the best conceivable,
and one that would require consider
able ballasting. but undeniably the only
route possible.
The next day preparations were be
gun for cutting the new road from the
camp. The weeks passed swiftly.
With mld-April came the breaking up
of the Ice. The ground hardened, and
the first team Of horses struggled Into
camp, drawing Its freight.
The end OF April saw Kitty's house