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Show VICTOR ROUSSEAU Copyright by STEWART KIDD COMPANY fa. I I CHAPTER IX Continued. 11 Now Wilton bud succeeded. Big Muskeg was conquered, and on the east shore the vanguard of the line was driving the cleared way forward and pegging out the way for the metals. Soon grading would begin. Wilton's amp would shrink, and the engines would be moved ahead, and he would 3iave time to think. He dreaded that. He had not seen Molly or the factor since that night of the subsidence. He knew that Bowyer had paid more than one visit to the store, but he shrugged his shoulders and put It out of his mind. The workmen, after their months )f arduous labor, had begun to grow ilack. There was restiveness In the lamp. Once or twice Wilton bad seen jigns of liquor. He detected it tn the slowing up of work ; he had smelled It In the bunkhouses the penetrating odor of cheap alcohol, with Its suggestion sugges-tion of gasoline. Andersen, forestalling him, came to him about the time of this discovery. "They're getting that rot-gut again, Mr. Carruthers," he said. "I don't Vnow where. I'm keeping my eyes peeled, but I ain't said nothing." "The best policy," said Wilton. "The men have worked hard. When this job's finished we'll let them slack up for a day or two. Then we'll get down to business on this proposition. But If you find out anything let me know at once." A few days later came the spanning of the swamp. On the same afternoon a summons came from the court, together to-gether with a letter from Qualn. The police had at last picked up Paplllon and Passepartout, and had recovered the rifle and transit compass. Wilton -was wanted in Clayton to give evidence evi-dence against the men. The call was opportune. Wilton had .already determined to put Into execution execu-tion a plan that he had formed. It was now October, and little more than two months remained before the loan would be called. That would give Bowyer the control of the Missatlbl. Driven by the ironical realization that he was working for Bowyer, Wilton had resolved to go to Clayton as soon as the trestling was completed, and try to raise the money to pay Phayre, who, he knew, would not renew the note. Big Muskeg was spanned. And, on the strength of that, Wilton believed the time had come to give Joe's secret to the world. He would publish far and wide the secret of the wheat lands. He would establish sufficient confidence In the line to make the raising of a loan a possibility. Before leaving he placed a night guard on duty over the office, and arranged ar-ranged with Andersen to have three or four reliable men on watch In the event of the. laborers attempting to cross the portage. He went to Clayton and laid his statement before a directors' di-rectors' meeting. They heard him In frigid silence. "That's an old story," said Curtis, the vice-president, when he had -finished. An angry wrangle followed, which led nowhere. They flatly refused to pend any money on advertising. All the while, Phayre, leaning back In his chair, looked on and took no part In the proceedings. "It comes to tills," said Curtis finally, final-ly, thumping the table energetically. "That's an Old Story," Said Curtis, the Vice-President, When He Had Finished. "We'll have to increase our capital. The delay has eaten into our reserves, fc'e'll have to push straight toward Air objective, the .Transcontinental, then we'll have the monopoly of a steady freighting business." He could not get them to listen to the story of the wheat lands. Wilton wanted to advertise It widely, to open It up to homesteaders. He had plans for elevators. But the directors, who resented Klttf' control, were dead against him, and he got no thanks for what he had done. The following morning the Sentinel Phayre's paper came out with a cartoon showing a widow dropping her mite into a bottomless pall marked "Missatlbl," which boiled over a slow fire of wheat stalks. Somebody had betrayed the secret, thus forewarning Bowyer and enabling him to open his campaign to deride it. But Wilton would not open his mind to suspicion. He took counsel with Jim Betts. The old man was frankly pessimistic. "It looks to me," he ruminated, "as If them two snakes'll get the line, coe must have been mad, or mighty hard put, when he hypothecated them shares." He turned to Wilton. "What d'ye want to worry about it for, anyway?" any-way?" he asked. "If Joe took a chance like that, he couldn't have felt too strong about it." He laid his hand on Wilton's shoulder. "Whisky's good," he said in his odd way. "So's ginger pop. But the mixture's h 11. So's women and business, boy. I'd help ye with that loan if I could see my way. But I can't. I've been stung too bad already, al-ready, and I've got a grandson to look after. Te'd better make terms with Phayre." This was one of the worst blows that had fallen. If Betts had lost faith, who would have kept it? He understood the allusion to Kitty. Betts thought he was in love with her. Then so must other people. He was due at the court that day, and gave his evidence. The half-breeds half-breeds received each six months in the penitentiary a light sentence, on the jury's recommendation. Afterward Wilton had a talk with Quain. The two men had sullenly refused to give any reason for their flight. If the outlaw Hackett had advised them, they did not put in that plea. The jury had believed that one of them had accidentally shot Joe, and that this had been the cause of their disappearance. So did Quain, apparently. ap-parently. "I'm afraid, Will, that we can't hope for anything fresh upon that subject," he said. This business done, Wilton went to see Kitty, swallowing his pride. After all, it was for Joe that he was pleading. plead-ing. Kitty received him in the old friendly manner, with a touch of reserve re-serve that should have put him on his guard. But he began eagerly. "Kitty," he said, "you know we've crossed the Muskeg." Then Kitty showed her claws. "I was so glad when I heard of It, Will," she said. "You've been trying to do that all the summer, haven't you?" "Why yes, of course," said Wilton, looking at her in astonishment. She put her hand on his arm with a caressing gesture. "Do tell me what a muskeg is, Will," she said. "I've heard you speak of It so often, and I can never remember the meaning of those words." And with that the last of Wilton's Illusions fell from him, leaving him face to face with stark reality. He faced Kitty very gently. "Kitty, listen to me now," he said. "I've been In this game for Joe and for you. When Joe died I saw that we'd have to fight hard to keep the line. I saw a lot of money in It, later, and meanwhile you'd have enough to live on, so that we could use your capital and your control to carry out Joe's plans." "Yes, Will," said Kitty, with the air of one who listens wearily to a lesson. "Joe's borrowing on those shares has changed everything. The loan has to be repaid before the year is out. If It Isn't, you lose the line. They'll wreck It, and they'll wreck your fortune, for-tune, and that of the other investors. Then they'll reconstruct. When the line has ceased to have any value at all, Bowyer and Phayre will have a new line of their own. Do you understand?" under-stand?" "I'm trying to, Will," said Kitty. "But what do you want me to do?" "I'm proposing this for your sake, Kitty. If you sell your property In Winnipeg you can raise three or four hundred thousand. I believe I could borrow the rest. That will meet Phayre's loan, and you'll hold the line. It's the only way, because no bank would lend you money on the rest of your shares now, after Bowyer's campaign against us. And he's made the most of the subsidence. It's speculative what I'm suggesting. But Joe would have done it. And In a few years it'll mean millions." "Are you sure, Will?" asked Kitty, eagerly. "Not sure, Kitty, but nearly sure." "Will, you are Joe's executor. Do you advise me to take that risk?" "No!" said Wilton sharply. "But you just said " "As Joe's executor, I can't. It's not sound business. An executor dares not advise throwing away a certainty for a speculation. As Joe's executor no 1" "Then why did you advise me to?" asked Kitty Innocently. "Because I thought you cared for the line, Kitty. Because I thought you shared Joe's dream for the future of the Missatlbl. 1 thought that, even if you lost, you'd have your house here, and your forty thousand, and you'd feel that you'd done what Joe would have wanted. As your executor I say, sell out to Phayre before It's too late. At least at least " He could get no further. Kitty looked up Into his face. "Will, I know how you feel," she said softly. "I'm so sorry. I've done what you wanted, Will. But I haven't done it for Joe. I've done It for you. Will, you've made your own obstacles. You've never understood me. It's you I want to help ; it's you I want my money for, Will." Afterward Wilton could not Imagine how he had found strength to resist her. With Molly lost, Jim Betts himself him-self counseling surrender, and Kitty caring nothing for the line, why did he not let it go? In that black hour the temptation of her presence, the human love that was his for the taking, tak-ing, screamed their weak counsel in his ears. It may have been the fiber of Puritan ancestors, or simply the Inborn instinct to fight to the end, that gave him his strength. But he did not know how he left her till he found himself in the street. He went to the bank, the last place, and the last, hopeless effort, foredoomed fore-doomed to failure. He went Into Phayre's office. "Good morning, Mr. Carruthers," said the president.' "What can I do for you?" , "Big Muskeg's bridged," said Wilton. Wil-ton. "That should send up the value of the shares. I suggest that you renew Mr. Bostock's loan when it falls due." "My dear Mr. Carruthers, that's a queer proposition to make to me I" said Phayre. "You're not a simpleton. simple-ton. Need I say anything more?" "You know the collateral is good." "Good? It's splendid! I only wish all our paper was as reliable." "Well? Other banks may think the same " "But they won't," said Phayre, smiling. smil-ing. "In ten years, when those wheat lands are in bearing, this will be the newest granary of Canada. Only, they don't know it." "How do you know It, then?" Phayre chuckled and began to drum his fingers on the desk. "You pledged your word to the directors," di-rectors," he answered. "Of course, there were rumors of It before. But ' your word Is good enough for me, Mr. Carruthers. I'm a booster for Clayton. I believe In those wheat fields and I'm going to have them. Better throw up your job, Carruthers, and take one with us. What do you say? " "I'm going back to work for you and Mr. .Bowyer right away," said Wilton. "At least I guess it looks like coming to that. But I've got my job to finish and I'm going to do it." CHAPTER X The Abysmal Depths. Molly did not see Bowyer for two months after Kitty's departure. His next visit was as unexpected as all of his. It was in the afternoon, and the girl came back from a walk along the shore to see him seated in the store, sleek, red, and self-satisfied, and her father standing beside him, with that look of awful fear on his face. She had a momentary impression as if the factor stood up like a well man ; but, as she entered, the right leg went dragging under him, and the arm reu limp at his side. "How d'ye do, Miss McDonald!" called Bowyer. "I just dropped In to have a chat with the factor in passing. Big things happening here, eh? The Missatibi's mighty slow in crossing Big Muskeg." Molly flamed at the insult to Wilton. She looked at her father, and the expression ex-pression on his face went to her heart. She turned swiftly to Bowyer. "I don't want you to come here again," she said. He started up, spluttering. "We don't want you," she continued. "And we won't be persecuted by you. There's law In this country." He burst Into mocking laughter. "You never spoke a truer word, Miss McDonald !" he cried. "I came here as a friend." "You can go as an enemy!" she retorted. re-torted. "And you can go now. And remember there are men about here who can use a whip !" He glared at her, but went without a word, and Molly ran to the factor. "He's torturing you !" she sobbed. "I don't know what his power over you is, but he mustn't come here again !" A few days later Bowyer went in to Clayton and, by chance, his visit coincided coin-cided with Wilton's. When Wiltnn left her house. Kitty sank down into a chair, clasping and unclasping her fingers nervously. The first time when Wiltnn had repulsed her, she had been too humiliated and conscience-stricken to bear him resentment. resent-ment. Her visit to Molly had been a sudden evil Impulse, which, when done, she had attempted to Justify. She had, of course, succeeded. Gradually she bad begun to look upon herself as a deeply wronged woman. When a woman loves, Iov is Its own Justification for acts done In Its name. On the second occasion of her ad vances to Wilton she saw by Instinct that she had almost conquered. She saw, too, that, having lost, she had lost fnreier. She might win Wilton yet. hut never In that way. Nnw she would go to any lengths to oust Molly. Molly had never written writ-ten in her since her departure, anil she did pot even know If her scheme had succeeded In estranging her fnun Wilton. Wil-ton. But she Inferred success from Wilton's bearing. He had not looked like a successful lover. Bitterly she reflected on her marriage mar-riage with Joe. She had never loved Joe. hut neither had she hated him. She had loved Wilton, and, bound by tradition and social circumstances, she had concealed It. Then Joe had died. Everything had seemed possible. And Wilton had engaged himself to another an-other to her best friend. Kitty was not a bad woman, but she meant to fight for her own. She would win Wilton, Wil-ton, cost what it might. When, therefore, late on the day after af-ter he had called on her, the maid announced an-nounced Tom Bowyer, who had never been in her house before, she sent down word that she would receive him. Neither Wilton nor Bowyer was aware that the other was in Clayton when Bowyer called, nor did they meet. Kitty came downstairs, to find Bowyer standing in the parlor, twirling twirl-ing his hat in his hands. There was a singularly vulpine look on the red Kitty Came Downstairs, to Find Bowyer Bow-yer In the Parlor. face. For an instant Kitty shuddered lnwui-dly. Her passion for Wilton was taking her Into unrelished companionships. companion-ships. She asked him to sit down. "I'm pleased to see you, Mr. Bowyer,"" she said. "It was very good of you to call." Bowyer uttered a short laugh. "I'm not n calling main, Mrs. Bostock," he said, "and the ladles don't like me. They know too much about me." "That's very poor taste on their part." said Kitty. "That's as may be. I came here on business." "I'm glad to see you on business, then," said Kitty. Bowyer looked at her In admiration. admira-tion. "I see we understand each other," he said. "That's what I like. You ought to have been a man. Not but what you'd have been spoiled if you had been," he added, with a clumsy effon at a compliment. Kitty laughed outright. "Now I know you have come to get something," she snid. "Nut exactly. We've fixed things so that you'll be able to pull out about Christmas with your full Investment. But suppose Carruthers makes trouble? Remember, you've done what you did for his sake as well as your own. You want to help him go Into a more remunerative re-munerative investment. You know that little affair of his is off?" She started violently, and Bowyer did not need to await her answer. "That's what I came to tell you," he went on. "So I know we can count on you to smooth things over If Carruthers begins to wonder. You're stanch, then?" "Yi'ii can count on me, Mr. Bowyer," answered Kitty, loathing herself and him. "But how about yourself? I understand un-derstand from you that you were going slow. I hope you're not going too slow ?" "I'm going to speed things up soon," he answered, frowning. "What's happened helps things along. I don't know what the trouble was. I thought at first It was one of those lover's quarrels. But it's lasted." His face grew red. "I went there," he said thickly. "She wouldn't have anything to s:;y to me. Ordered me off the place." Bowyer loaned forward confidentially. confidential-ly. "See here, Mrs. Bostock," he said. "If I get her out of the way If I guarantee that Will Carruthers and she won't meet again, how'll that suit you?'' "y.Mi've changed your mind about mari ,nu'?" "Maybe yes. Maybe no. I'm not a marrying man. Nobody is. It's generally general-ly no accident or a trap. But I can promise you there'll be no trouble from that quarter. Also, that she'll be out of the district before winter." (TO BE CONTINUED.) |
