Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-11-03
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER XVI
Under Arrest.


The hideous presence of her assailant
was still with her. Then she saw
Hackett and BOwyer pull pistols from
their pockets And each act was ex-
tended in her mind and vision through
an eternity, as if it would never end.
She sprang to the table, seized the
oil lamp, and hurled it at their backs
It struck them fairly, sending them
staggering before they had time to
fire. Instantly the curtains before the
windows were ablaZe. A stream Of
burning oil shot across the floor to the
divan, which began burning furiously,
filling the room with smoke. Wilton
and the two men closed.
There followed a furious struggle
The combatants rolled over and over,
stumbling against the burning divan,
knocking over the chairs, crashing in
to the walls. All the while Mcdonald
hammered at the door and added his
shouts to the uproar,
Molly darted across the passage and
released him. They're numbering
Will I" she cried. But the old man,
staggering out, only shouted distract
eddy. Molly ran back. Hackett had
Wilton by the throat, and, as she
entered the room, Bowyer wrenched
himself free, raised his pistol, and
brought the butt crashing down, on
Wilton's head. Wilton toppled back
into the blazing oil.
Bowyer aimed, but Molly knocked
up his arm, and the shot went wild.
Bowyer turned upon Molly with a
CHASTITY grin.
"D-n your he shouted, raising his
pistol to strike her down. Mcdonald
sprang between them Haekett pulled
at Bowyer and dragged him TO the
door. He whispered in his ear, and
Bowyer cursed him. They clinched In
the passage.
Molly was unconscious Of what was
transpiring. She had rushed to Wilton,
and, grasping him by the shoulders,
pulled him out Of the flames. Selling
him in her arms, she began madly beat
ing out the fire that was licking his
clothes and hair She tore off his blaz-
ing ceat~ and with 1t extinguished
them. Then, holding his head against
her breast, she staggered toward the
door through the thick smoke, Nc
Donald at her side.
AS she neared it Hackett leaped for
ward. He pushed the factor violently
back and slammed it. An instant later
there sounded the click of the key
in the lock.
1.-THE window! The window! ~ shout
ed the factor.
But that side of the room was liv-
ing wall of fire, and they seemed to
be trapped hopelessly. The heat was
becoming intolerable.
Molly ran behind the blazing divan
picked up the rifle, and drove smash
ing blow against the back wall. Ii
cracked; again and again she dashed
the stock against it. until a section OF
the pine planks gave way under hel
assault.
Together they carried Wilton through
d
quite light; gust of wind came
through an open window and famed
the flames to fury. With a roar th'
fire leaped up the outer walls, and thu
whole front of the camp was ablaze
Molly scrambled to the, sill, clun,
there, and dropped The factor, lean
ing out, lowered Wilton's body. Ant
he himself dropped to the ground be
side the girl.
AS he dropped she perceived, with
out realizing it, that he had used boil
arms and legs. The paralysis had lief
him,
They ran down toward the lake
carrying Wilton between them, ant
making instinctively for the shelter o
the underground.
AS they passed the road, Bowye
came out of the stable, pulling fierce
Iy at the horses, which were fastene
to the rig. He had set his foot upo
the step when Lee Chambers an
Hackett broke upon him from anon
the trees.
They made leap Tor the Venlclt
Let us in, On you" Chamber
yelled.
Bowyer dealt him blow with tn
whipstock that sent him staggering
With vile oath Hackett sprang TO
the step. Bowyer dashed him acros
the face, causing him to miss his foot
ing, and cursing and shouting. the tw
men rushed after him and disappears
down the road The sound of the gal
looping horses died away. Moll
kneeled at Wilton's side, bathing hi
face with water from the lake. TIL
factor held his wrist.
"His pulse. beats sound" he sait
Hell come back to himself soor
Let's ava, lass; let's AVA
The girl hardly heard him. Piteousl
she scanned Wilton's face for som
.;,..,o, ,,a+,,rY;saU consciousness. HI