The Adair County news., 1922-06-20
SYNOPSIS

6OBlOCh, OullO6I OI me w uSOh
Carruthers, chief of engineers, are con-
sidering the di. .culties. rife shot in
Gtantly kills Bostock and breaks Car
futhers' arm. Handicapped as he is, Car
ruthers determines to carry the body TO
q station Of the Hudson's Bay company,
where one Mcdonald is the factor.
CHAPTER II.-McDonald's daughter,
Molly, sees Carruthers struggling in the
muekeg and drags him from the swamp,
with his burden. Unaccountably, her
father objects TO her saving Carruthers.
CHAPTER Iu.-Weakened by his wound
and exertions, Carruthers is disturbed by
the appearance of Tom Bowyer, Bostock's
yer insults Molly. and Carruthers strikes
him. After Bowyer leaves, Cerruthers
declares his love for Molly. She prom
ises to be his wife.
CHAPTER IV.-Carruthers has to reach
the town of Clayton to attend a meeting
at which BQstock's enemies plan to wrest
control of the Missatibi from him. Molly
determines to go with him.
CHAPTER v.-Attacked by his dogs.
Carruthers life IL saved by Molly, who Is
forced to kill the animals. They set out
on foot for Clayton, reaching II with
Cerruthers In an almost dying condition.
He is In time to foil Bostock's enemies
ahd keep control Of the line for Mrs.
Bostock.
CHAPTER VI-Carruthers learns that
Bostock has hypothecated five hundred
shares Of the Missatibi' jeopardizing his
control Of the line.
This was built substantially of logs,
and had already been half completed.
1t consisted of four rooms and an out
kitchen, and stood at the edge of the
new road near the ridge, about five
hundred yards from the nearest bunk
house.
That afternoon he made his first
examination Of the Muskeg. He took
soundings in several places, but the
peat seemed bottomless. Nowhere
could he reach rock bottom, except
within a few feet of the shore.
The underlying bed Of peat was
everywhere. He went two or three
miles up and down the stream without
discovering any way Of bridging the
Muskeg.
He was too busy now to see Molly
more than an hour daily, but he al
ways went to the portage for short
visit after supper.
The factor, who had learned to ex
pect his coming at the same hour each
day, withdrew upstairs before ht
arrived. Once or twice, when the!
came face to face, he turned his heaC
away in sullen anger.
As a prospective father-in-law, Nc
Donald seemed about as hopeless
proposition as could be conceived, bu
the time to consider his own and Mol
ly's future would not come until tn
line was on it's feet. Big Muskeg wa
the giant in the way. Often Wilton
staring down at its sullen depths frop
the top of the ridge, would feel
as a personal enemy, defying him t
overcome ii.
One evening Wilton was sitting Il
his shack, utterly disconsolate. ii
had sounded nearly every possibl
place without result, and even Moll
had failed to cheer him. He saw n
alternative before him except to rt
turn to Clayton and confess himsel
beaten.
Andersen tapped at the door an
said that a man wanted to see hin
MllIOu IOSS W Ills SUI PAAS~' N'
mitted Lee Chambers.
The engineer was roughly dresse
and wretched-looking. He told Wilto
that he had tramped in from Col
Junction, thirty miles southwestern
the present terminal point Of the Ne
Northern.
81 thought maybe you would civ
me a job" he said. "Fve left NJ
Bower for good. We had SON
trouble. He wanted me to make
crooked report, and I would not
it. I'm through with him and h
dirty schemes"
Wilton gave him a chair and locke
him over coldly. He did not Ill
Chambers, and he suspected that
was lying, and that Bowyer had SCI
him to him for his own purposes.
Digby's disappearance had left hi
in a hole, but that hardly justified b
taking on Lee Chambers, though
was one of the ablest Of his protests
in Manitoba.
"Well, Mr.. Chambers" he said, 81
carrying on my work here on the lin
established by Mr.. BostOck. Joe BC
fock had two maxims. The first wa
Never lay off a man If you can he
it, The second was: Never take on
man who's left you And to be gu
frank-I feel about the same way. Y
left the Missatibi, which had treat
you well, and we have reason to
leve you gave useful information
Mr.. Bowyer."
81 swear l didn't" shouted Cha
bers, springing to his feet. "Prc
that, Mr.. Carruthers
81 can't prove it." Wilton admitt
81 am giving you my personal feel
about yourself, in confidence"
"Well, It's a mighty poor sort of C
fidence," spluttered the engineer. IS
here, Mr.. Carruthers. I didn't CO
here to beg you for job. / want o
and can get one on any other line