Morris tribune., 1895-12-04

And if they were taken empty hand
ed then the police had no hold upon
them But if she had not met her ia
Their and had sunk down exhausted on
that shelterless prairie, might not she
have given way to that insidious death
sleep and be even now beyond the reach
Of earthly succor? The thought struck
through him like knife. They must
hurry on at any hazards-it was getting
on for midday now. His mind was
made up, he must speak to the officer.
81 beg your pardon, sir, he said +;
show would it do to make for that bend
of the creek we see about three miles
off and cut the tracks? You see, she
must have followed down this creek.
It's little use losing time and playing
out our horses following it round. Be
sides, am not quite sure if we can do
that anyhow It's an awkward place
Deadman's gully we call it, where some
Indians are buried. am sure it will be
all but impossible just now.'
"Why the dickens didn't you suggest
that before?" was the officers some
what unreasonable reply, seeing that
the proposed short cut had only just pre-
sented itself. Then he added querulous-
ly: elbow me, but it seems I've got to
do the thinking for the whole party. I
don't know what on earth would be-
come of you fellows if you hadn' t a
man with a head on him to do the
thinking part Of the business for you y
It was just on the tip of Dick Town
ley's tongue to utter pious Amen"
in spirit of mild sarcasm, but he luck
lily recollected himself just in time, and
preserved discreet and proper silence.
AS for the sergeant, he bore the attempt
ed snub as he bore many others, with
spirit Of patient submission, albeit he
could safely have told the of6cer.that he
the inspector-being in charge of the
party, was supposed to do the thinking
If Jamie and his worthy compeer,
McTurk (the enlightened Individual
who said ga horses life was of more
Importance than man So and that "a
policeman was machine and not sup
posed to think''), had been couple of
mules hitched up together in a team, one
Of them would have backed over preci
pice for the sheer satisfaction of pulling
the other with it and having its own
way.
1t was noon now, and they had again
cut the tracks of the girl as they ap-
preached the creek. They were making
for little ridge about half mile ahead
of them, which would command COM
prehensiye view of the prairie and the
gateway of the DEVILS Playground,
when the scout, who had been riding in
advance, suddenly checked his horse
and gave a low whistle. The others
"loped'' up. In the snow and travelling
from the southeast to northwest was
wagon track.
"Done!" gasped Jamie, growing pur-
pie in the face. ''She's met them and
has given us the slip, and they've made
for Medicine Hat. Oh, by the beard of
Julius Caesar, some of you fellows'll
languish in Joey Trigot's hotel yet for
this p
He spoke frantically, and it must be
confessed somewhat confusedlv. His re-
marks regarding the hotel had reference
to those historic quarters under the ten
der charge Of the provost sergeant, dig
nifed by the name of the guardroom,
where members of the rank and file too
frequently enjoyed terms of enforced
hospitality for slight breaches of disci-
pine. Honored rank and file, Louis Riel,
Gaudier, Racette and other murderers
in these Same cells have partaken OF a
like hospitality and cheered you with
their playful remarks as, separated by
a half inch board, you rose in the morn
ing to the exhilarating strains of re-
veille.
The sergeant, as if he had not heard
the officers remarks, spoke.
"But where is the girl? You see her
tracks go right on to the ridge. She