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Show la " i ! TtiE BIG ViU8KEG i - . . .-' i By vv aaA;; ' j I VICTOR ROUSSEAU CHAPTER X V 1 1 1 Continued. 1G "Make yourself easy," lie said sullenly. sul-lenly. "I hadn't liny liumi In It. I don't hmnv whut happened, lint I guess she didn't go to t lie Camp against ' -" "ill. Mrs. Hosloek," lie leered. "Maybe khe'd taken u fancy to Lee Chambers. I Haiv something of tliat Kort In 1 1: e Hind, and so I hadn't started to carry out our plan." "Our ulan!" uped Kilty. "The one mat . .greed on, to keep lier a.vny from Will Carruthers," said ISowyer venomously. lie expected an outburst, but Kitty una beyond thai now. "Von know that I've come about Will," she said In a , clinking voice. "I don't know what to do. Nobody but you can help me. What shall I do?" r.d'v.vcr pretended to reflect, 'i don't Oulte see what I can do, Mrs. linstock," lins-tock," lie answered. "I don't believe he's utility " "Of course, lie Isn't guilty!" "I've always said be Isn't. Hut he'll have to take bis verdict from the Jury. What is there we can do?" Kilty looked nt him In consternation. consterna-tion. "The safe!" she gasped. "That's v hat" "ltnt that has nothing to do with Joe's ileal h, Mrs. Bostock." She sprung lo her feet, confronting Mm Willi dramatic indignation. "You know that It litis everything!" she cried. "You're playing with me and torturing me. Do you suppose I don't know ihat they're saying about him that he forged Joe's name to those checks and murdered him to prevent discovery? Io you suppose I don't know that, when I gave you I lie com-tdniition, com-tdniition, just to help Will, that you lull those checks there? Let ine tell the truth on the witness stand!" she pleaded, slamllng before him with clasped hands, and the tears raining clown her cheeks. f "Tell ibe truth? You must lie mad!" lie .shouted. "If the Jury knew that, they'd acquit Idm. It could be arranged. I'd say I Rave the combination to Lee Chambers Cham-bers " Again Howyer began to be afraid of Kitty; but Ibis time it was her stupidity stupid-ity he feared. And lie saw that this was the occasion to let loose one of Ids habituated rages. He seized her liana's in bis, one in each, and twisted them until she screamed with the pain. "Let's understand each other, Kitty linstock!" lie hissed In a furious voice. "I'll take up your proposition and show you what it means. Listen! First, you'll break your solemn covenant cove-nant with nie. Dishonest, you think? The sort that's made between people every day. I've played fair with you. And you'll play fair with me, or you'll lose your fortune every penny of It. That's first. "Second, so surely as you go into (he witness-box with such a story I'll say you lie. I'll say he was your lover. I'll say that he killed Joe at your instigation in-stigation because you wanted to be rid of him. I'll say that you went to r.ig Muskeg and lived there, almost next door t" him. I'll bring forward a workman who saw you two together, kissing on the swamp one evening. I'll swear it's a concocted story made up by you to free your paramour. What sort of lin'iire do you think you'll cut In the witness-box then, Kitty Bos-lock?" Bos-lock?" Howyer had calculated rightly. Upon Up-on a woman like Kitty, pelted mid spoiled from birth, the astounding fact of physical violence conies as a Kunming shock that breaks down the soul's resistance. It is only on repetition repeti-tion that the reaction conies. And Howyer calculated rightly again. "Kitty linstock," he said gently, "I promise you that he shall be freed. I have the means, the Influence, the power. 1 know he didn't murder Joe. Keep your head, and all shall be well. 1 swear it. Do you believe me?" She looked at him as if lie had hypnotized her. "Yes, I believe you," she answered. "So surely as you speak one word, he'll, hang. Keep quiet, and he shall be saved. Promise me you'll sav mulling!" mull-ing!" "lh. I'll say nothing," wailed Kitty, wringing her hands. "I promise yen. I see. Yes. 1 understand now." And she went out of the bouse with her head low, dubious, and yet with the sure conviction that Howyer could save Wilton. Howyer could save him, but nobody else could do so. She would trust him, because there was nobody else to trust. l'.etween the house an 1 the station, Kitty grew conscious of an old man valuing beside her, trying to speak to her. Absorbed in her thoughts, she ' did not know how long he had been tiic-e. Suddenly she realized that this wan Jiai l'etls. She shrank back aghast, looking at him with eyes wide wi.A fear. Jim nodded and smiled. "It's all right; don't le afeared of me. Mrs. I',. .stock." he said. "You're migaty worried about Will, ain't you r. iw. I g.iess we a'l are. Won't you go to Mr. Payne and tell him what you k now Th.-r had reached me station. The ti i for Clayton was waiting. Jim f,.i! i-'ed Kitty i'io the compartment un.i took li ip seal beside her. "Tom Howyer swore he'd su". e hirn it if " "If " qtiestiom-I Jim. "If I kept silent. Hut I'll speak. I will. I never misted him. .'Ir. Howyer How-yer told me I couldn't hold the line, and I wanted to save the money to help Will. lie promised that when the smash came he'd take the shares off my bands at par if I'd give him the combination of the safe, so tltat lie could find out about the plans. I gave it to him. The safe was mine and I was trying to help Will. And I told Tom Howyer the secret of the wheat lands, so that he'd know he wasn't losing anything by buying my shares." She let her head fall against Jim's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. Jim laid his rough hand on her hair. "There, child, I guess you feel better, bet-ter, now, don't you!" he said. "You didn't understand the wrong that you were doing. Thai's the way wrong's generally done. And now we'll go to Mr. Payne and (ix things up fur Will." CHAPTER XIX The Closing of the Trap. Tayne was struggling Willi bis perplexities per-plexities about a month before the date set for the trial when Jim Hetts and Kitty came to his office. Kitty sobbed out her story, while Payne listened lis-tened In utter amazement "Why did you do this, Mrs. Hostock?" Hos-tock?" he asked, when he had heard her to the end. "Because I love Will and wanted to help him," she answered. "You are willing to tell this story in the witness-box just as you've told it to me?" "I will!" cried Kitty. "If it will save Will if it's needed to save him." As the day of the trial drew nearer Payne knew Will's case was desperate. Public opinion was inflamed against him, and Bowyer's skillful campaign had borne rich fruits. Without animus, but in the resolve to clear his own reputation for laxity, Quinn had worked up the case until each link appeared complete. Ander- loipitfiii She Let Her Head Fall Against Jim's Shoulder, Sobbing Uncontrollably. sen, who followed the Indian witnesses, testified reluctantly that lie had overheard over-heard Wilton request the pseudo policemen po-licemen to delay their journey to' Clayton, Clay-ton, as he did not wish Joe Host nek's death to be known, for business reasons, rea-sons, until some time later. There followed Papillon and Jean Passepartout, who stated thai they had been told by the outlaw, llackett, that Wilton had murdered Joe Hostock. Having already come to the same opinion, opin-ion, and being afraid of having the guilt laid to them, they had decided to run away. Suddenly there came a buzz of ex-' citement in the court room. All eyes were turned toward the crown attorney, attor-ney, at whose side stood Howyer himself; him-self; and it was evidently the intention inten-tion of the prosecution to call him to the stand. Payne's eyes, attracted upward suddenly, sud-denly, saw Kitty in her wid.-i.'s black, seated in the front row o' the gallery, her eyes fixed in tern" upon the newcomer. new-comer. And, as if drawn by "he force of her will. Howyer looked up. and Payne saw the Hick-.- of a smile cross his red. vi'le'" roauienance. Howyer, called, deposed that he had known Joe Bosiock intimately for several sev-eral years. They had always been friendly, though often business rivals. "When did you first learn of his death?" asked the crown attorney. "Not for several days after." "But you met the accuse.! at the Hudson's Hay company's store at Big Muskeg a few days after the event?" "Two days after." "What did he say to you about the i.-agedy?" "He told me Joe Bustork was not with him." "Aud he said nothing about bis death?" "'o. I knew nothing about it for two or three days after that." "Was his demeanor thai of a guilty man?" Payne leaped to his feet. "I object to that question!" he shouted. But Hower was already answering: "lie looked like a man mad with fear." As he spoke he glanced upward. There came,a scream from the gallery, and Kitty fell buck, fainting in her chair. The court adjourned until the morrow. mor-row. Payne went 10 his client almost Immediately. "What do you make of it all?" asked Wilton gravely. "It looks bad," answered Payne. "1 was a fool to hide Joe's death. Inquire for Kitty when you go back and try to let me know how she is. won't you? And tell her not to worry. Tell her I'm going to pull out triumphantly, triumph-antly, for the sake of the line," said Wilton. Payne left him with the resolve to put Kitty upon the stand. He did not tell Wilton this. He would have avoided ibis had It been possible. Hut It was the only chance remaining. The jury might believe her. Suddenly there leaped Into Payne's mind the overwhelming conviction that Howyer was at the back of the murder. mur-der. Nothing else could explain bis vindictiveness. He learned that Kitty-was Kitty-was recovering, and, before returning to inform Wilton, he had the impulse to go to Jim Belts' quarters. He wanted want-ed to see the only man who still believed be-lieved in Wilton's innocence. At Hells' home he was told that the old man had left Clayton two weeks before, and had not yet returned. Payne made his way slowly back to the jail. He had to uphold his faith alont his faith in an acquittal. It was the hardest job lie hud ever had in his life. CHAPTER XX The Guilty Manl The inquest on the bodies of Hacked Hack-ed and Lee Chambers had established the fact, ascertained by u search-party on the day after the fire, that there were no human remains under the charred timbers of the camp. Notwithstanding Notwith-standing this, when the attempts made to trace McDonald and his daughter failed, it was generally believed that they bad been lured there by the outlaws, out-laws, and had either died in the flames or bad been murdered and their bodies disposed of. Jim Hetts iiad nothing more substantial substan-tial than anyone else on which to base his search, lie was resolved to free Wilton, and. having failed with Kitty, he determined to discover the other ran who, he felt sure, had been m.-v.-d up in Wilton's life if she still lived. .Tim Hetts built up the theory that Wilton had arrived at the camp too late to save the girl from Howyer, and that, half-crazed, he had fled with her father into the wilderness. lb; went to the fishing camp and spent a day prowling among the ruins, but he learned nothing there. Then he went to the store. It was still empty, for a new trading post was being established estab-lished northward, and the company had not replaced the factor, perhaps would not do so. Betts broke in. Everything was as it had been on the night of the tire. Hut Hetts quickly quick-ly discovered that someone had been there since. For in the dust that covered. cov-ered. Ibe floor of Molly's bedroom were the faint imprint of feet. A woman's foot ! That was all the clue Belts got. but ii satistied him. He cast about him. northward and eastward, going into every Indian encampment and talking with the inhabitants. Hut it was a week before ue got his second clue. a Molly and aer father left. Wilton beside be-side the road and crept stealthily into the undergrowth. When they were a siitiicient distance from the camp the; made a wide detour, crossed the roaj. and took the tsviil back toward '.he portage, encountering nobody on the way. There the factor got SofiO. and made up a rack of food siitiicient for two weeks' journey. They put on (heir sno'.vshoes and started easr-w easr-w anl. Moily had noticed that t'ae factor's paralysis had completely left hitn. She sa.id nothing to him about if, however, fearing to bring it to his attention. They traveb'd for eight days. (n tic eighth McDonald showed signs of weakness; he had overtaxed his strength. Ti.ey were following an !ml!:n track that led to a little Moravian mission. ! twelve miles- farther on. When :he. I reached it at night fail. McDeiia! 1 va in a raging fever and half-delirious. The brother in chaise wop-onied them: lie put the factor to lied and nursed him assiduously ;'iro:;g , a sharp attack of pleurisy. M-P-nal.i. in his delirium raved incpss-n'lv. .Vi the ghosts of the past toiaured ki:u. j Night after n;giit he raved, wlale Molly tended him in bis anga'sh Hunt Hu-nt last th delirium left him. and -on ! science. s-Teaming into the sick aain I soul, could no mare pass tire seal ;;.n j his Hps ii He was in a fever to be gone. Ha wanted his ride; he cleaned aud oiled if. lie asked for his snowshoes, and began examining the strings. As Moily gave them to him she suddenly perceived per-ceived that one of the strings was broken. And there flashed into her mind the memory of her discovery beside be-side the portage on that day when sue saved Wilton. Siie would not let the dark thought in her heart come into consciousness. But she kneeled at the factor's side, her arms around him. "What is troubling trou-bling you?" she pleaded. "Tell me." McDonald was shaking like an aspen. "It's naething, lass!" be babbled. bab-bled. "If I've repaid, It's for wrong that was done me and mine." "What have you done? Whom have you repaid? You must tell me." He clutched at her. "I warned him what would he if lie came between me and mine. And when he sent Will Carruthers to steal you from me for he was at the back of that 1 shot him." "Whom?" Molly's gray eyes searched into his soul. "Joe Eostock !" After a long time Molly took the factor's fac-tor's hands in hers. "Weil go on," she said In a hard voice. "Thank God, no Innocent man has been suspected, I'll stay with you. I'll never speak of this again. Hut if ever the guilt is unjustly un-justly placed on anyone, you will go back to Clayton and confess the truth, or I'll denounce you." "Aye, I'll go back, Molly," he cried. "No man shall hang for me. I swear it if yeil stay by me till then, Molly." She left him, and. with a singular clarity of mind, as if there were nothing noth-ing more to fear or hope, and no room for further feeling, she went to the door and looked out across the snowbound snow-bound wilderness. She saw a figure tramping through the snow toward, the mission. And thus Jim Betts found her. CHAPTER XXI A Dramatic Moment. The second day of Wilton's trial was occupied by the handwriting experts gentlemen brought to Clayton at fat fees, who unanimously testified that the signature on the transfer was genuine, gen-uine, and those on the checks forgeries. forger-ies. On the third day the defense opened, and Payne called Kitty, resolutely reso-lutely ignoring alike Wilton's signals, and the crown lawyer's satisfaction, and Bowyer's vulpine smile. "The defendant was a friend of your husband?" he asked. "My husband's greatest friend," sbe answered. "He brought his body back to Clayton Clay-ton under great difficult"3-;, although his arm was broken?" "Yes." "What was his attitude toward you and the Missutibi company?" "He wanted me to help him fight to hold it for me. on Joe's account." "And he asked you to come to Big Muskeg to live?" "He tried to stop me. It was my suggestion, because t wanted to follow the work." Payne shot a fleeting glance at the jury. They were watching Kitty with unchanged faces ; but there was no disbelief on them. "At the portage you met Mr. Eowyer one evening, I believe?" "Yes." "Tell us the conversation that ensued." en-sued." "I caught him trying lo embrace Miss McDonald. He told me that he loved her, and would win her from Will Carruthers. Car-ruthers. He vaunted me with being in love with Will. I was. I am !" ' She drew herself up proudly and flung out the words with indescribable energy. The whole court was elect filled fi-lled by her words and manner. It staggered stag-gered Payne. It was one of the worst '.lungs she could have said. He did not dare glance at the jury. "What was the nature of the bargain that Mr. Howyer offered?" continued the lawyer. "He said lie would win Miss McDonald McDon-ald and gel her out of my way if I would help him gain control of the Missatibi. And he asked me to give him the combination of the safe, so that he could examine some papers there. He said it was my safe, and I controlled tiie line, so that I would be doing no wrong. ' "What answer did you make?" "I gave him the combination," answered an-swered Kitty in a low voice. iT'J r:n COXTINUEU) |