Middletown transcript., 1922-07-29

glance on the girl. Mechanically his
hand went up to his cap in salute.
Then he looked at the sleigh again.
"And this is-was Joe Bostock," said
Wilton; and all at once, in the reac-
tiOn from the nervous tension, he felt
the tears streaming down his face, and
could hardly keep his lips steady.
"My God!" muttered Quain. "An ac-
cldent, WHIP"
"Shot!" shouted Wilton. "Some
sneaking dastard's bullet in the bush.
Shot at my side! The bullet broke my
arm after it had passed through Joe's
heart, and his blood and mine were
mixed together. 1t didn't need that
for me to know that I'll hound the
murderer If it takes me to my dying
day"
"Joe-Joe dead" whispered Inspec-
tor Quain, half unable to realize It..
Joe had been very living personality
in Clayton. "And murdered !" he
added. Then:
| "Where are your breeds?"
Gone! But they didn't shoot Joe,
either by design or accident That's a
story you can learn from Andersen,
at the halfway cache"
That's where we're bound for"
said Quain. "We're looking for"
"And by the way" said Wilton with
a mirthless laugh, as the relative un-
Importance of the fact struck him, am
under arrest for having murdered
joe"
| Quain looked at him keenly, and
then turned his glance upon Molly in
inquiry. 1t was plain that he thought
Wilton was raving
"That's true" said Molly. "a SER
geant and constable from the Pas
followed us up to Andersen's and
placed Wilton under arrest yesterday
morning"
The inspector rubbed his nose In
perplexity. ''If Will had told me that
wouldn't have believed him, Miss
Mcdonald" he said. Describe those
policemen to me, please"
"The constable was short and dark.
stocky in build. The sergeant was fair,
with long mustache-"
"Bit of squint?"
"a cast in his left eye. His name
is Peters. The other one is. named
Myers. You know them, then?"
Il do" said Quain softly. "Peters
Is Jim Hackett, and Myers is Tonquay,
a half-Frenchman, from the eastern
townships. They were discharged
last year after short time of service,
as soon as their records became known,
and they got away, taking their uni
forms and equipment with them.
They're wanted for cattle-stealing
job and impersonating members of the
force. So that ends that trouble,
| WILL"
| Quain nodded to his men to dis
mount. Get the sleigh in to barracks
as quickly as you can," he said, "and
notify the coroner guess half
days extra leeway won't do that pre-
cious pair much good. Miss McDon-
ald-Will, old man, you can manage
to ride in. can't you?"
Wilton, staggering to his feet, set
his face in CHASTITY grin. 1--WE held
on" he muttered. Il guess l can hold
on for two hours more. There's a big
ger thing behind this than you-or L
know just now. I'm going on ahead.
Pm all right, and you won't stop me.
Jack?"
Austin Phayre, the president of the
Bank Of New North Manitoba, stood
at the table. He was a man of about
fifty, with gray, waXed mustache. and
gold-rimmed glasses. His manner was
pompous, and he was immaculate In
his black cutaway, with the expanse of
white cuff and tall collar.
"Mr. Chairman" he said, "some of
us shareholders have requested that
the meeting be called in order that
we may obtain certain informa-
tion from those best qualified to i'm
part it, as to the prospects of the Mis-
satibi line, concerning which disuuiet-
ing rumors are afloat.
"You have before you a statement of
our financial position. 1t is not the
most satisfactory one that could be
imagined. OF total capital of five
million dollars, nearly one-half has al
ready been disbursed. The estimate
before SOU provides for nearly two mil
lions more to be distributed over grad
ing, track-laying, water-tanks, tele-
graph line, bridging and ballasting.
Meanwhile, unexpected difficulties have
arisen. They tell us that the entire
route will have to be resurveyed; that
the swamps are impossible"
He glanced with affected investiga-
ton about the table.
''It seems hardly worth while to put
these questions under present circum-
stances" he said. But we should like
to be informed why the surveyors re-
ports were not properly checked. We
should like to know whether it is 60
ing to pay us to build line out into
this unsettled wilderness, and in how
many years? Finally. we wish to elicit
the opinion, whether our interests are
in the best possible hands,"
"What did your bank invest for. If
you feel thataway?" shouted an old,
roughly dressed man across the table.
.That Is exactly what am trying to
find out" retorted Austin Phayre
blandly. 'Tf Mr.. Belts will permit
me-"
"I'll tell We why We did It'll" yelled
the old man. rising to his feet and
shaking his fist vigorously. "Ye want
to get control for Tom Bowyer, SO as
he'll have another line to bankrupt.