The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-07-03
THE GROUND DRIFT

successful. With two troopers and Ser
gcant Warren he had rounded up six Of the
worst lawbreakers on the Canadian side Of
the linc but nevertheless, from his stand.
point, at any rate, no had failed.
"Give me Harvey and Fields and War
zen" he said, "r1d I'll arrest every half
breed between here and Battleford."
And SO he rode away from the post on .
crisp January morning, with his little
squadron jogging through the snow be-
hind. 1t was long ride, 80 good miles
over the not too well broken trail along
the river bottom, and it was dusk before
tho troopers halted within carbine shot Of
q long, low, rambling building, which
stood in the middle of the prairies, sur
rounded by several other structures that
served as barns and wagon Sheds Lights
shown in the lower windows of the house,
and as Henderson paused to reconnoiter .
door opened, and q man, with a muff1eP
round his throat and his coat buttoned up
TO his ears, stepped out, with lantern In
his hand. AS he did so he raised his head,
and his eyes rested on the little knot Of
mounted men halted over on the crest OF
the hill not more than 300 yards away.
Then, bounding back to the door, he lifted
the latch and disappeared within the patch
of light beyond.
Two minutes later Henderson's fur
gauntlet came down with O crash upon the
rude panels of the door. Sergeant Warren
was right behind him, and Troopers Har-
vey and Fields stood on either side, with
their wicked looking cnrbines full cooked.
Wat ees it?' came in cracked half breed
accents from behind the still quivering
wood.
"Open the door, or I'll kick 1t in |" said
Henderson decisively. "You know who
am, and you know what WANT
Slowly the door swung back on its
hinges, and the inspector and his men en-
tered together. There was no trouble.
The men they wanted, smugglers and cat
tie stealers gave themselves up without
so much as an effort at defense.
"Michel Rene, John Fidele Joe Snake,
Dominick Levine, Angus Mclean and
Philip Leseur," said Henderson half to
himself as he ran over the names, keeping
tally by short mods in the direction of each
man mentioned.
six in ALL" he repeated slowly, and
then wheeling sharply on his heel SO that
his spurs jingled as he turned he faced
tho owner of the house.
"And Big Martini he queried. "Where
is heP"
| Old Simon Michaud, whom his half
breed friends had nicknamed Simon the
Crane because of his long thin legs and
great bony nose, wriggled under the ques-
ton and shifted uneasily from one foot to
the other.
"He ees not in re house, sair. He hat
not pass zis way since Christmas. We haf''-
| "That will do, interrupted Henderson.
81 know you're the biggest liar In the
northwest. and I believe you're lying to
me now. Sergeant. Warren, take Harvey
and search the place, barns and all. Fields,
you stay with me and mount guard over
the prisoners.
The sergeant and trooper did as they
were bid, and Henderson settled himself in
| chair by the table to await their return.
| He was determined man, and when any
hard or difficult work was TO be done Com
missioner Lawrence always sent for In
spector Henderson, and the trust was never
misplaced. Henderson invariably fulfilled
his mission to the utmost. and that was
why in the present instance he CHOSE to
consider his raid failure, because the
prime outlaw Of the lot had eluded bis
clutches.
Half an hour later Sergeant Warren re-
| ported to the inspector that q search Of the
premises had failed to disclose any trace Of
| Big Martin. A watch was set on the pris-
oners and Inspector Henderson threw him
self on long, hard settee with the inten-
| ton of taking nap. 1t must have bean
midnight when he awoke with the startled
| feeling of man who has seen q horrible
| vision in his sleep. The wind was whis-
| thing around tho house in the maddest fash
| ion, and as Henderson raised himself on
| his elbow some fine particles of snow
drifted in through the orevices Of a nearby
window and fell upon his face. The floor
creaked in the next room, and through the
half open door Henderson saw, or thought
he saw, a huge shadow glide past. He was
on his feet in an instant and gave the
alarm. A moment later there was olick-
| ing of carbine looks as Warren and Harvey
answered the inspectors signal. Then a
crash of glass from the next room and a
gust blew cloud of snow in the faces Of
the three men, who sprang to the shattered
window. A man was foundering along
through the drift a good hundred yards
from the house. A sharp tongue of fire shot
| out into the darkness, and a remington
bullet sung past the fugtives head. But
! he never paused for an instant.
| A minute later the entire establishment
was gathered around Inspector Henderson,
who stood with his hand on the door latch.
sit amt safe, sir, to go after him such
night as this" demonstrated Sergeant
Warren in his usual respectful fashion.
"It's a-blowin hard from tho nor west,
| and man 'ud freeze to death on the
prairie"
"Zat is So, promptly interposed Simon
| tho Crane, IAN beside re groun dreeft-
he is drefful bad"
"You rascal' snapped Henderson, turn
ing upon the last speaker. You had him
hidden here all the time waiting to let
him loose when we left. No, Warren, I'll
do this thing myself. There's no need to
risk any one else, and I'll catch Big Mar
tin, ground drift Or no ground drift, and
with last glance at the cylinder OF his
pistol he passed out into the night.
He was as good as his word. He caught
Big Martin half mile along tho edge of
the trail that led from Simon Miohaud's
house, and here, two days later, Captain
Jackson, with O squad Of six troopers,
found little hillock of drifted snow, from
which gaunt white hand protruded.
When they dug Inspector Henderson out.
his other hand was fastened on Big Mar
tins throat, and the halfbreed' g face looked
up at the winter skies with an expression
of unutterable agony frozen upon its dis.
torted features.
81 thought Henderson had more sense
than to try to face ground drift at mid
night" was Captain Jackson's comment
as he escorted the bodies back to the post