Show th 15 9 M ad 1 M ad 1 M k e 9 dy VICTOR ROUSSEAU by STWART KIDD COMPANY CHAPTER XIV 14 wilton rides alone ile he ran down toward tile swamp followed fo lifted lofted hy by tile the party of engineers the horses released during tile the fire were grazing along the edge they wire were wary vary however ho weyer and would not let themselves be approached for noine minutes the men made fruitless efforts to surround them however wilton managed to catch the mano of a big draught beast which had been in the front row of the grading yokes and despite despoto its appearance had taken the saddle and luid till a tolerable won action hut but hardly had lie ho made sure of it by a grasp gins in the mano alone and upper lip imn flatin the lie remainder snorting and flourishing their heels dashed through tile lordon cordon and galloped full speed toward the lake well vell bo be with you in a minute mr Carru theral shouted one of the men us as they went in pursuit but wilton without answering had sprung on the beasts back and lea leaning n jurord Jurn rd caught the broken halter guided it across the swamp lie ile lind bad no ile doubt that tile the outlaws who hail had bet tile the fire were responsible for mol lys abduction and if the trull trail led up to bowyer ISoMi cr ns as lie ft was us sure it would god help bowyers in ili a couple of minutes lie ho had put on oil the saddle and tautened the girth bridled the lie animal and was riding liard hard along the southward trait trail unarmed meanwhile the rest of the party parti spent a fruitless half hour trying to eatch horses borses at length after it con nul tullon they the hurried back to tile camp amp collected a few more awl anil americans and started out after wilton leaving a halt half dozen to keep the wor workmen kinen lit in check in the shack stared apa Hiett thet cully leally at andersen who sat bat with he file revolver in ills his hand keeping watch over ever his fits captive you allik I 1 kill dat fetter feller elk eh lie demanded after a while 1 I dunno my friend ansi answered vered andersen if you did I 1 guess you if wing for it all right see herel jim blackett tole me to ronie come liere here an tell de men deros deres money in de safe bate en an boyre fools to ha be ii worked il like dogs clogs and den be laid on off because do de companas comp anys busted dots dats ulf all I 1 know I 1 tole dem to got get der pay what lint was coming coining to dem ilos Posse feebly ebly said andersen you was a tool fool to do it though bou that storys for the police it nent in t for roe me you can tell the inspector ali len en lie he gets ecta etere 11 see herel you let me got yelled Tori guity 1 I do what for or you arrest me bows orders said anderson andersen gruffly be enough set down like a good teller fetter now you lie ile I 1 I 1 tell you I 1 do dat I 1 screamed Ton guny sinking back into tits his chair und and shuddering they watched each other for sonio time alma it was beginning to grow light suddenly the he trample of horses was heard outside then inspector quian appeared at tile the door of the shack nc ac com fly by four our mounted constables had considerable trouble fit lie he said dismounting and casting a glance about him at the burned out buildings and the still burning sheds that fire was set act by enemies of the shouted bli one of the engineers gi and weve got one of the in there I 1 lie he pointed tow towal d the shack quoin turned to ills his men who were awaiting the he order to dismount round up those men la in their bunk houses and keep tho the lot of era em under guard 1 he be said pointing toward tile groups of laborers that had gathered gu about the alio horses the constables drove the bach back toward joward their quarters two of be enough I 1 routed quain after them the other two lj Il eckett and james will dismount and rest their horses ril ill want you chaps chap sill I 1 youve had some trouble said to andersen why this aint trouble inspector answered the swede you yut ut look inside that room loom I 1 guess it aint the worst what I 1 told you ou already quoin strode to the door of waltons Wil tons uttered a sharp exclamation and bent over the body of jutes jules tio lie came back quickly who killet killed that indian he fie asked lee chambers I 1 guess tell me what you know why till nil I 1 know Is lio lie lone done sowo some crooked work ori on oil the abid beit be it it ont camp mr car ruthers bad biad time to ire fire hlin ansi ars night 16 buicie back after tile lio lire fire which I 1 geesa that teller fetter there knows knos about ih tell you yomi 1 I don know yelled who seemed in liche tae ex ji amity of batile sir mr carruthers said mr chambers jules ju cs there and got into the lie safe y I 1 luneo no more than that eliut hut but suddenly ith a frenzied acrea m leaped fron ills chair for the llie door again wita was just quick ca balough lough he be caught him on oil hie doorsill anil and the two men struggled furiously ton Toni guay ruay sual clied Ander sens revolver out of its ills hand andersons Ander sens send hand blind closed on the outlaws wrist qualls ran to grasp ays arm but before he could told hold it the struggle ended for lint tiuis kot got ills linger on oil the trigger and was trying to bring tile tho weapon in ili line with ander head bead andersen swung the outlaws arm around and tho the bullet discharged too late passed through ton gillys guaya left arm tile the spectators who lind gathered outside the shack had find come running la in at the sound of the shot ordered them out and taking ost off ton aguaya guaya coat lie he cut the sleeve of his shirt away one of tile tho constables brought him film tits his first ald case ind soon had the wound painted with iodine and bandaged ril ill not need you any further said tile the inspector to andersen help keep tile men in their bunkhouses lit in case of trouble take three or four of your own men im going after carruthers and I 1 expect to be back by noon ile called the second dismounted constable and they rodo rode oft at a swift pace toward the portage CHAPTER XV bowyers hour noer bowyer looked the incarnation of insolence and triumph as lie he stood in the doorway red faced red haired like somo some sleek fox that mat lins ling put off its habitual cu cunning because it la Is nt at last secure from danger ills vicious eyes ees fixed themselves upon the girls face as ag she fastened ancl tho hair that hung about tier her that hint brute wits was rough with you said dowser bowyer hut but I 1 guess you gaye gave turn him better than lie he gave gae you I 1 guess lie got what lie he deserved ue I 1 told then them you to come to any harm well mcdonald they use you ou too rough eli eh we were ere brought brou glit here by force and violence said molly defiantly are we he to be kept hero here in the sai same ra 0 way flay suddenly howler bowyer stepped forward rind find took tier her hands handa molly listen to me ino now he said bald liston listen quietly qu letl im not going to hurt you I 1 lovo love you ive ie got to have you molly dut but I 1 avant you ou to lovo love me lets leta forget it all you eay any molly did you ou ever think of what hat ive got to offer you OU 7 ao 00 tried to draw tier her hands away anal but lie he held them thein tightly and kemem boring tier her resolution site she schod brood with thena passive in ills his own on your our answer anser molly asked bowyer BOW er deverl Nc Ne verl erl she cried you rou knew that I 1 did you think I 1 was going to change because you had had nio me and inflicted this outrage upon me ino bowyer turned toward the factor maybe shell obey you McDonad McDonald 11 lie he sala said softly and something tn in ills his tone arrested the lie girls attention mcdonald McDona td was gray with tear fear lie ile leaped up molly he means itt it I 1 ile he screamed wo we cant escape him iwo in if you touch me again ill kill youl blell get you as lies hes got me molly say iny lyes yes tri to him film because lies won hell get what lie he wants anyway and its no ile shaine to see when youre beaten to rive give way the sight of the trembling old man swept awny all the lie girls resolve iter her loathing tor for their persecutor drove her to frenzy site she tore tier her hands from flo ran behind tho the divan nud and snatched up a rifle that stood there sho lie stock above tier lie head with loth both hands 1 it if you touch roo me again ril ill kill youl ahe lic cried i bowyer lobbed nt at the facto eThen then ill tell glicr ter I 1 know ne he said ire per years ive stood by you tind you yon tle tie filc tors hands went ni ilij na as it if he wro oft off it blow and thih e wn ans the unite of 0 0 whipped dog its ils eyes wont w nt on for years jears le ive protected you ou froni from the law now ive done with you you CM can tell me ino tom howler I 1 cried molly ile he swung toward tier her ill tell you then lie ho roared your fathers fat tiers a murderer iles hes been wanted by the pollee these twenty years or nire and lies hes still wanted the police dunt forget I 1 knew it from the first lie ile came to me and asked my help hell after lied hed murdered a man in a common brawl lie ile wanted to gle give himself up I 1 told him not to I 1 got him tits his job at the portage where hed be secure ive stood by him been ills hla friend protected him film but ill protect him no more lie wheeled upon the factor now speak to her lie ho shouted youre tier her eatherl fo fa therl there was intense mockery in his tone shell obey you ask her if she wants vanta you ou to swing in the jail jall yard at ork toll while ashes on tier honeymoon lioney mool with will vill Carrut hersl with a whimpering cry the ie factor dropped to ills knees and hid his big face in his hands molly let the rl rifle fall and shrunk shrank back against the wall A A cry broke from her lips it true fa father therl 1 she begged fixing tier eyes in terror upon the fac actors tell him it true you kill that man who insulted my mother I 1 and if you did you did it to protect her tell him its a hot 1101 tile the factors whimpering moans means wore were all her answer they ceased and for a full minute there was wag not the least sound in the room slowly stolly molly raised her head and the took look that had come into tier her eyes at last was one that bowyer had seon seen la in tile tho eyes of wany ninny men and women before lie ile knew that the time of ills his triumph haq had come unless I 1 marry you tom bowyer said molly i you on w will betray my father who ft ho trusted you ion ill give ghe him up to justice bowyer shouted til fight with ith what weapons ive ie got any man who was a man fight for what he wanted most moat ot of all in the world it if you ion dont give up I 1 swear hell hung hang you know what canadian lay laly Is I 1 swear to you ill have him hanged in yorkton inside of six mon months if you flent agree to what im asking of you OU and it if I 1 do agree 1 asked molly shuddering the sudden glance of hope in the factors eyes went to her heart but mcdonald crushed under his fits servitude had a flicker ot of manhood after all dont do it molly lass I 1 he be shout ed ill hangl hanel ile iio turned to howyer ill hangl ho he shouted hh and then ills hla voice broke into a whimper shut up you old tool fool I 1 said dow bow yer kr contemptuously if K you ou agree molly lie he said the post past will till all be forgotten I 1 swear it will I 1 love loo you ou and ill bo be true to YOU sou ill give you merj thing you want and ill make mcdonald a home as 03 long as aa he lives D n itt it I 1 you took look as it if I 1 was asking sor something nOthing awful of youl you I 1 the matter with alli tue me aint I 1 good elloura ello uga for coriou fo riou you she looked up to see ace dovers bowyers red rd face peering into her own on she shiv cred as if with mortal cold ill marry you ou she said tho slow smile that spread over oer bowyers Bo face was indescribable lie ire turned to mcdonald well than set tied at last lie he said rubbing ills his hands together lit in gloating self satis faction get to bed mcdonald I 1 molly and I 1 will sit up a while and talk over the details of ours our honeymoon trip that aint your our business maybe MB be well el if da a little attile lovo loio inking on the side too but not too rough I 1 guess I 1 know how to handle a girl I 1 ile iio strode toward the door and opened it the factor sto stood od stock still for n moment then nt at gowers Do 1 lip stumbled toward it nud and led him across tile tho passage nto into another room be comfortable in here sic ML donald bowyer bonier shouted slapping the lio old man on the back and dont you lou benr tor for molly ill take il mighty lighty good cam of tier her thero there followed tits ills returning footsteps and the lie sharp sudden elicit click or of a ley hey then come came a furious rattling from within turned angrily 00 oo go to bed bd you old foell lip ile shouted I 1 fell you id take care of tier her tile rattling ceased hut but molly heird heard the factors feet shuffling us lie ho stood irresolutely behind ills his door listening bowyer came back and the door doir behind him lie put ills his build on hollys shoulder tin glad sit nil settled at last I 1 lie ho said 0 d youve led me a chase molly I 1 IT hardest ardest ive ever it had a I 1 1 but I 1 knew rd id get you in tile the end when io you rn wish roe mo to marry you in 1 ii whisper bowyer threw back his head bond and lau laughed glied now youre talking 11 lio he on answered thata the point I 1 was coming to im tt it tul binem ronn man anti ini im used to paying hot I 1 have to for what I 1 want nut but ive been thinking lint alint when two tivo people arl on tins tile same ime pad md theres no way I 1 out bout of it unless you want tho the uld old man to swing why it nitch tnt be accia I 1 sary for you and we me to get at ill alt lie ile slid did ills arm ami about her and bent his red face toward hers for an ins instant tant the girl misunderstood then them she leaped to her feet her eyes blai ing ine get out of my way torn tom bowyers it if you try to stop me ill murder you I 1 site she screamed site she ran round behind the divan snatched up tile the empty rifle and as bowyer followed tier her brought brou glit down the stock with all her strength had it struck his skull it would have knocked him unconscious dut but in the nick of time lie he leaped nolde and it fell across tho the muscles of his neck and shoulders with a howl how of pain lie he wrenched trenched the weapon from her hands lie ile beat tier her across the face again and again with tits his fists ho seized her by the imir twining it in ills land hand and forcing her hend head back put tits ills hands over tier her mouth she tried with till nil the strength she possessed to pry tits hands away the red and swollen face flint leered into her own seemed to till fill all space like ilka a huge evil sun with all tile the strength that remained in her she tore at the red hand over tier her mouth and bit into he seized her by the hair it until her assailant yel celled ledwith alth pain ills grasp on tier her throat loosened for an instant she drew la in a deep gasp of air then she saw that the door was open II ackett was la in the ro room om ile he waa shouting to bowser who released the half conscious girl stood up and yelled in answer the dutlaw outlaw was waa tugging frantically nt at its ills arm ariu there came tho the plunge of a heavy body against the door of the camp II ackett sprang forward and tell fell sprawling back under a terrific blow wilton stood on the threshold CHAPTER XVI under arrest molly sow saw it nil all as it if in a dream the hideous 1 s presence of her assailant was vas still 1 ith tier her then she saw II ackett and bowyer bowser pull pistols from their pockets and each act extended in lier her mind and vision |