The herald., 1896-05-17
ne DEF|ED THE GROUND DRIFT
In His Eagerness to Catch the
Indian
OFFICER HFNDERSON'S RUN
During Which He Gained Some Valuable
Information
An Exciting story OF the Capture OF Out.
lawed fiaifbreeds by the Northwest
Mounted Police

Inspector Henderson's raid had been
unsuccessful. With two troopers and Ser
geaut Warren he had rounded up six of the
worst lawbreakers Oh the Canadian side of
the line but nevertheless, from his stand
point, at any rate, ho had failed. The
commissioner had suggested that he take
at least dozen men when be set out on
his expedition, but Henderson only
laughed.
"Give Inc Harvey and Folds and War
rem, he said land I'll arrest every half
breed between here and Battleford
And 50 he rode away from tho post on q
crisp January morning, with his little
squadron jogging through the snow be-
hind 1t was long ride, 90 good miles
over tho not too vol broken trail along
the river bottom, and 1t was dusk before
the troopers halted within carbine shot of q
long, low, rambling building, which stood
in the middle of the pralries, surrounded
by several other structures that served al
barns and wagon sheds. Lights shone in
the lower windows Of the house, and 40
Henderson paused to recopnolter door
opened, and n man, with muffler round
his throat and his coat buttonod up to his
ears, stepped out with a lantern in his
hand. AS he did so he raised his head,
and his eyes rested on tho littlo knot Of
mounted men halted over on the crest Of
tho hill, not more than 800 yards away.
Then, bounding back to the door, he lifted
tho latch and disappeared within the patch
of light beyond.
Two minutes later Henderson's fur
gauntlet came down with crash upon
the rude panels Of the door. Sergeant
Warren was right behind him and Troop
ers Harvey and Fields stood on either side
with their wicked looking carbines full
cooked.
"Vat ees it?" camc in cracked half breed
accents from behind the still quivcring
wood
"Open the door Or I'll kick 1t In, said
Henderson decisively. "You know who
am and you know what I want"
Slowly the door swung back on it,
hinges and the Inspector and his men en-
tered together There was no trouble. The
men they wanted, smugglcrs and cattle
stealers, gavo themselves up without 60
much as an effort at defense.
"Slichel Rene john Fidele, Joe Snake,
Dominick Levine, Angus Mclean nnd
Philip Leseur,' said Henderson half to
himself rs 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 80 that
his spurs jingled as he turned he faced the
owner of tho house.
And Big MARTINI" he queried. Where
is ho?''
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 uIensily from one foot to
the other.
He ees not in 20 house, sair He hat
not pass zis way since Christmas. W
haf''-
THAT will do, interrupted Henderson.
Il know you're tho biggest liar In the
northwest, and 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"
Tho sergeant and trooper did as they
were bid and Henderson settled himself In
achair by the table to await their return.
First, however, lie unbuckled his belt and,
after removing u big revolver frsm tho
holster, threw ii on the table beside Kim.
Inspector Henderson was not much be.
yond So, tall, gaunt and square snoul-
dered, with arms of phenomenal length
and hands that could grip like wise.
Half an hour later Sergeant Warren ro-
ported to tho inspector that a thorough
search of the premises had failed to dis
close any trace Of Big Martin. A watch
was set on tho prisoners, and Inspector
Henderson threw himself on q long, hard
setree, with tho intention Of taking n nap.
1t must have been midnight when he
With ba e+o LODI oP
who has seen horrible vision in his sleep.
Tho wind was whistling around the house
In tho maddest fashion, and as Henderson
raised himself On his elbow some fine par
ticles of SNOW sifted in through the crevices
Of u nearby window and fell upon his face.
Tho floor creaked in tho next room, and
through the half open door Henderson
saw, or thought no saw, huge shadow
glido past. He was on his feet in an In
slant and gave the alarm. A moment later
there was u clicking of carbine locks a.
Warron and Harvey answered tho inspect
or's signal. Then came crash of glasa
from the next room, and gust blew .
cloud of snow in the faces of the three mon
who sprang to the shattered window A
man was laundering along through the
drift good 100 yards from the house. A
sharp tongue Of fire shot out into the dark.
ness, and II remington bullet sung past the
fugitive's head. But he never paused foo
an instant.
A minute later tho entire establishment
was gathered around Inspector Henderson,
who stood with his hand ON tho door latch.
1T amt safe, sir, to go after him such
. night as this" demonstrated Sergeant
Warren in bis usual respectful fashion.
cts a-blowin hard from the nor'west,
and a man nd freeze to death on the pral.
rie.'
"znt is so,' promptly interposed Simon
the Crane, "an beside 20 groun dreeft-ho
is dretful bad.
"You rascal, snapped Henderson, turn.
ing upon the last speaker. g You had him
hidden hero all the time waiting to let
him loose when we left. No, Warren, IN
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 a last glance at the cylinder Of hia
pistol, he passed out into the night.
He was as good as his word. He caught
Big Martin half mile along tho edge OF
tho rail that led from Simon Michaud's
house, and here, two days later, Captain
jackson, with 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 Martins
throat, and tho half breeds face looked up
at the winter skies, with I'm expression At