Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: History Colorado
Newspaper Page Text
The Big Muskeg by VICTOR REUSSEAU Illustrations tv lyiLivingstone SYNOPSIS CHAPTER k—Looking over Bis Mue kes. a seemingly Impassable swutnp In the path of the Miuaatibl railroad. Joe Boeto<.k, builder of tha line, and Wilton Carruthers, chief of engineers, are con sidering the dl. oultica A rifle ehot In stand/ kllla Bostock and breaks Car ruthers' arm. Handicapped as he la, Oar ruthera determlnea to carry the body to a station of tb<* Hudson's Bay company, where one McDonald is the factor CHAPTER ll.—McDonald* daughter. Molly, aees Carruttaers struggling in the muskeg and drags him from the swamp. With hie burden. Unaccountably, ber father objects to her saving Carruthers CHAPTER lU.—Weakened by hie wound and exertions, Carruthers is disturbed b> the appearance of Tom Bowyer, Bostock s business rival and personal enemy Bow ter insults Molly, and Carruthers strike* lm. After Bowyer leaves. Carruthers declares hla love for Molly She prom isee to be hln wife CHAPTER IV —Carruthers has to reach the town of Clayton to attend a meeting at whlob Boetock’e enemies plan to wrest control of the Mlssatlbl from him Molly determines to go with him CHAPTER V —Attacked by hie doge. Carruthers' life is saved by Molly, who Is forced to kill the animals. They set out on foot for Clayton, reaching it with Cferruthsrs in sn almost dying condition Hs is in time to foil Bostock’s enemies and keep control of the line for Mrs Boetoek CHAPTER VI. —Carruthers learns that Rostock has hypothecated five hundred shares of the Mlssatlbl. Jeopardising his control of the line. CHAPTER VII —L«e Chambers, expert engineer, hitherto associated with liow- K naki Carruthers for work, saying he broken with Bowyer. Carruthers takes Mm on. Kitty Bostock. Joe’s widow, deeply in love with Carruthers. though he does not realise It. comes to five at the Big Muskeg Circumstances force her to avow ber love. Carruthers tells her of Molly and gently repulses her me wcignt <T trie ballast wdtiia un doubtedly have broken them Thg break would not have been Immediate ly apparent, but the trestllug would In such case be practically Imposed upon the surface of the swamp, without sup port The ballast would Lave spread over the muskeg, causing the entire structure to subside. “Who did It7” asked Wilton, speak ing slowly and carefully. Jules, who was gtlll watching him, suddenly turned and, with lightning movements, drew a caricature of Lee Chambers on the woodwork of the wall. Wilton looked at It and drew In hla breath. Then he nodded. Jales nod ded In return, smiled, and left the room. Wilton reflected deeply. If Chambers was a spy of Bowyer’s. why bad he shown him the bedrock at all? On the other hand, assuming that Wilton must eventually discover It himself. Bowyer might have sent Chambers to make a virtue of a neces sity and to secure a position at the camp, where be could be of service to him. In any case. Wilton could afford to take no further chances with him. It would servo no purpose to accuse him of having tampered with the trestllug. He would give him a post somowhere where he could do no harm, and thus got rid of him. Fighting down the burning rage in hla heart, tie went down the road to ward the shack which the engineer oc cupied. This was a reconstructed bhed. There waa only one room In It, hut Chambers had asked to have this rather than share the quarters of the other engineers. The men were back In the bunk houses, but the door of the shed was padlocked. Thinking that Chambers might be In the cuiup. lie made his way toward the other quarters. But presently be heard some one calling him and, turning, -aw Andersen run nlng after him. "Were you looking for Mr Cham bers, sir?” asked the foreman. “Tea. Where is her "Why. he went buck to Clayton this noon, Mr. Carruthers! He said be was going in for you." Wilton's suspicions suddenly flamed op. "The key I" he shouted, polling at the padlock. *T guess he took It with him.” said Andersen. “Have the staples pulled out at once I" Wilton waited, fuming, until Ander sen reappeared with the tool. The fora man wrenched out the staples and Wil ton burst open the door As he had expected, the shack was completely empty of all Chambers' belongings. The two men looked at each other. Slow understanding came Into Ander sen s face. “He was a bad yon.” said the Swede “I guessed you knew your business, Mr. Carruthers. when you took on Tom ECOPraiW^B^TSWAI^UD^COMPAN^ How vers right-hand man It wasn't for me to say nothing." "Keep your mouth abut still, Ander sen," suld Wilton, slapping him on the shoulder. ''We’ll Jusl start working again. And keep your eyes open Some time we'll get him, and I'll telephone Inspector Qtialn to pick blm up If ever lie sees him In Clayton.” CHAPTER IX The Face at the Window. It was five daya since Wilton bad been to the portage. He had not meant to see Molly In bis despondency, but now the discovery of Chambers’ treachery came with sn Invigorating shock and aroused his fighting instinct against Bowyer He took the road serose the Muskeg. Wilton saw the girl upstairs, at the factor's side. A book was on her knees and a lighted lamp behind ber. She was not talking to blm. however, but staring out of the window, and yet she did not see Wilton as be came to the door. At his knock she came downstairs more slowly than usual. When she opened the door to him he saw that she waa trembling. Her cheek was icy cold beneath his klae. “Come in. Will—l have something to say to you,” she said. He put his arm about her. and they went Into the store together. He could feel that she was trembling all the while. "Whst la It. Molly V be asked, look ing Into her face and seeing tears In her eyes "What Is it. dear?" “I’m afraid that we’ve both made a mistake. Will." she answered. Wilton laughed once or twice Molly had questioned his love for ber, but be bad uever had any difficulty In con vincing her. In the usual lover's way. "Molly, dear, 1 know 1 have neglect ed you.” he said penlteutiy. "But you know that until the work’s finished I can’t ask you something. And I’ve been rushing it through, feeling that then 1 should have the tight t.. " “It's not the work. Will," she said, slowly *’l want you to release me." The laughter died on his Ups. He put hla bands upon her shoulders and turned her toward blm. She rul-e<l her face; her lips were quivering, and the tears had fallen, leaving her eve« hard and bright. "You mean that. Molly?" asked WU ton gravely. "Every word. Will." -WhyT' “I have ceased to care for you." She was keeping control of herself with a strong effort, and she shook more vlolenrlv She had nerved her self to offer iii. •lunation, but now. face to face with .dm. she could not tell him that she had been moved by pity for him, nud self deceived. It »a* Impossible for her to lie to Wilton "Molly”- 'She saw that his face was set hard as on that night of the riot—t "I don’t play with lovr. 1 love you and trust you. If you mean thut, tell tnu again, and that will be enough for me." “I—meant It! Oh. can't you under stand rhat 1 have changed7” she cried des|*»rately. "I can never cere for you. Wilton!" He released her and turned away, "flood-night, Molly," he said. Yet be went slowly out of the d«H>r. and. because the shock had come with stunning force, he was auia/.ed that she did not call him back. He could not make himself understood that all his dreams and hopes of five minuter before were broken. Not until he had reached the portage. Then he stopped and looked hack. The door of the store was closed. The light still burned in the factor's room and he saw Molly cross toward him and fling herself on her knees beside hlfu. He clenched bis fists; but somehow the violence that relieved his feelings usually seemed to have no place here. He couldn’t understand. He went borne slowly across the portage. The factor looked up when Molly en tered. and was astonished to see the tears upon her face. When she kneeled down he put his hand clumsily upon ber hair. “What has happened, lass?" he asked. "Was It Will Carruthers ye quarreled with?” "He will never come here again." said Molly A doll fire burned in the factor's eyes He seemed to be struggling be- "Good-Night, Molly" He Said. mwiif, nt jiiu. tween two Impulses: One wa> !o com fort his daughter; the other, his grati fication. "Ah weel, lass, ye'll find another." he said. But he abased his head before her indignant glance At that moment the girl felt that her father and she were farther apart than they had ever been. When Wilton reached bis shack he took off his coat and flung himself down on his bed. He would not specu late on Molly’s motives. He would not think of her at all. He would neither condemn her nor pity himself He forced his mind hack to bis task The trestle—he would lay down a corduroy—he would drive the men all the summer, if need be. for Joe’s sake. Poor Joe! The presence of the dead man seemed to fill the camp just sn of old. Joe was the guiding ► plrlt of this work. He had loved Joe mors truly than If aeetne<l possible to low any woman. He completed the few routine duties of the office and went to bed. He bad dozed off to sleep when somethin* made him start up In bed and listen In tently. He thought he bad heard a slight sound in the office. It was so alight that even his trained ears sent the message to his brain doubtfully. But It came again. Soun one had very softly clicked hack the catch of one of the windows He had the sense of a listener be neath It. and. all alert, Wilton crept noiselessly to his feet and ritnnd listen lug in the darkness. Now there was no doubt The window was being pushed very softly open. It was the window between the safe aud Ids bedroom door. In the moonlight Wilton could see that It was opening by inches. His own door was slightly ajar, and. Inch by Inch, be pushed It opeu, too. He saw a pair of hands, white, not work-roughened, placed against ths bottom of the window-frame. A face appeared and was thrust cautiously In side the room In recormntssance Wil ton recognized Lee Chambers. Satisfied, apparently, that Wilton was asleep In the next room. Chamber* began to climb over the sill. Wlltor waited till he waa balanced there, am* then, leaping forward, he drove Ids fist with all his force Into Ids face. H« felt the hone of the nose smash under his hand. With a muffled cry Lee Ohamlter* flung up his hands, slipped backwan and fell. As Wlltou ran to the window the ex-englneer leaped up and ruced toward the trees. The thought of hln treachery came Into Wilton’s mind and turned his sardonic humor Into re/ rage. He reached Into his desk drswei and pulled out the loaded revolver which he kepi there. But by the tlun be was at the wlodnw again Chamber* was gone • • • • • • • Three months later an euglne pushed two ballast trucks from the west t< A. N PARRISH. President J. H. THATCH KM. Vlee President NO. >74* FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF LAMAR ESTABLISHED JULY 9. IM7 LAMA* COLORADO Capital Stock - $50,000. Surplus - - - $50,000. DIRECTOR*: Lewis Barmirn G. F Trotter A. N. Parrish j J. H. Thatcher Lillian Thatcher Rutherford the east shore of Big Musi z. The swamp was spanned. The corduroy had been laid upon the sink-h-ib - and had borne the ballasting. The i r. tiling run from hank to bunk and curried the metals firml.v. but the foiindui•••n was only as .vet laid hair way. aud the filial proof hud yet to be made. However. Wlltou bud no doubts of the result lie had tried out the duu ser-spots.* The trestle would coiiiuiu the ballast. His work had been accom plished. After the subsidence he had paid a dying visit to Clayton, lie hud not seen Kitty, and Kilty had not returned to the cutup, hut he had had a stormy meeting with the directors and. as he had foreseen, had been given Ids chance to try once more. There was. indeed, nothing else to be done. Bow yer had made the most of the disaster; bill It WHS to Bowyer's interest that Wilton should try again and fall. That would put the Missatild promptly Into liquidation. Now Wilton had 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 mctuls. <oon grading would begin. Wilton's camp would shrinl . and the engines Would he moved uhead. and- he would have time to think. lie dreaded thut lie Imd not seen Molly or the factor since that night oT the subsidence. lie knew that Bowyer had paid more Ilian one visit to the Store, blit lie shrugged his shoulders and put it out of his mind. . The workmen, after their months of arduous labor, had begun to grow slack. There was re- 1 1veness In the camp. Once or twice Wilton had -ecu signs of liquor. He detected it in the' slowing up of work ; lie had smelled It in the hunkhouses the penetrating odor of cheap alcohol, with Its sugges tlou of gasoline. Andersen, forestalling him. came to him about the time of this discovery “They're geiilngMhut rot gut ugain. Mr. <’amuhers," lie said. "I don't know 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 fot a day or two. Then we’ll get down to business uu this proposition. But if you find out anything let me know at once." A few day* later came the spauniug of the swamp. On the same afternoon 1 a summons came from the court, to- | gether with a letter from Quain. The j police had at last picked up Papllluu | aud Passepartout, and had recovered the rifle and trausit compass. Wilton was wanted In Clayton to give evi dence aguiust the men. The call was opportune. Wilton had already determined to put Into execu tlon a plan that he had formed. It was uow October, and little more lhau two months remained before the loan would be called. Thut would give Bowyer the control of the Mlssatlbl. Driven by the ironical realization that be was work lug for Bowyer, Wilton ■ bad resolved to go to Clayton as soon ! as the trestllng was completed, and try to raise the money to pay Pliayre. who. be knew, would not renew the j note. Big Muskeg was spauned. And. on ■he strength of that. Wilton believed ihe time hud 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 iu the line to make the raising of a loan a possibility. (Continued next wed) ROY T. HAGAN AUCTIONEER Your Business Solicited. FARM SALES A SPECIALTY Phone at My Expense. Phone Lamar 185-W 701 South Third St. Lamar, .... Colorado iiiilililiilllliliiiiiilillliniiiiiiiilliliiiiilili iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ii ii n fj iiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimimiimimiiiiiiimm DR. C. S. WILSON DENTIST X-RAY # < Over Umar National Bank Phone, Lamar 14-W j * DR. JNO. D. PAXTON VETERINARIAN Phone Lamar 9IJ GOODALE & HORN Attorneys and ('ounaelura at Law Office in Coodale Block LAJ.JAR. COLORADO •j Alfred Todd J. S. Underwood Todd & Underwood Attorneys at Law- Prartice in all Courts, and before U. S. Land Department. * Lamar, C olorado. j J. K. DOUGHTY Attorney and C ounselor at Law LAMAR. COLORADO Office in Bern Blk. East Main gtrcvi GORDON & GORDON Attorneys at Law LAMAR. COLORADO Office in First National Bank Blurb WELLINGTON E. FEE Attorney at Law i r LAMAR. COLORADO GRANBY HILLYER AND D. B. KINK AID Attoraays al Lav « Offices. Markham Building LAMAR. COLORADO Practices in Stats and FadaraJ Courts, and before United States Land Departmant J- T. KIRKPATRICK Fir-, Life. Accident, Liability. Hail . Steam Bailer. Surety Bond, Roam 3. Huddleston Bid*. LAMAR. COLORADO Money Uo Loan Plenty of Cheap .Money lor good Farm and City Loano. Call and aee me. L. WIRT MARKHAM