Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-03-01

Very briefly 1 explained to Brad
shaw the reason Of my presence there
| with Dirk, and of the tragic scene he
had arrived in time to witness. With
equal brevity he informed me that,
having long Shadowed Spratt, with no
| particular result, he had that evening
| followed the man, who was himself
upon Blogg's track.
when Blogg turned into the path
way leading to this house," he went
| on. 'Spratt seemed to hesitate about
following him. I'd made up my mind
that if he entered the house l would,
too. and I gave the constable on duty
the o. zee to follow me, seeing that
Blogg is an awkward customer to
tackle. Well. after a bit, Spratt
passed through the gate. and me after
him. to the hall door. There I just
quietly grabbed his arm. and. getting
no reply to our knocks. the constable
Just sent the door in With his Shout
der. | kept hold of my man. and 1
mean to handcutf him before we leave
him. | don't want you to gire away
your case. sir for it's yours right
enough now. 1 SUPPOSE. but daresay
I'm not far out in supposing that
SDratt had a hand in the Greek Street
business?"
Yes" l assented. chats certain;
but to what extent l don't know my
self vet. eNceDt that he stood in with
Plogg to profit by the crime. 1t will
come out clearly enough. l think. that
it was Rlogg who actually strangled
Luke Arnewood' Tor. rather. the man
supposed to be Luke Arnewood)' and
that Philip bake brihed him to COM
nit the murder. In fact my friend
and I overheard Plogg say as much,
before he was knocked on the head"
"I'm afraid Insnectcr Trail won't
be overpleased at the way things have
turned out" reioined Bradshaw.
gloomily. "Rut it amt my fault. I've
obeyed orders and done my best as l
hone You'll bear out. sir
s'I'll say all I can for YOU I assured
him. "You arrived at a most oppor-
tune moment. and so forth. You'll get
your full share of the credit never
fear. and Trail is very we'll able to
take his own part
Billy was not the boy to bungle over
an GRAND. and when he returned. a
sul>-iDsDector. surgeon. and four con-
stables provided With stretcher. came
with him. The surgeon looked very
grave when he had ascertained the ma
ture of Rlogg's injuries.
SIT is an even chance whether the
man ever speaks again." was the YER
dict. San operation must be per-
formed without delay. as I am salts
fled that a portion of the fractured
bone is pressing upon the brain. The
workhouse infirmary is nearest. He
must he carried with the utmost care.
I'll accompany your men. inspector.
Raise him very gently. please"
The four constables went with the in
jured man. and we formed a process
sion to the nolice station. But Blake.
with senseless ohstinancy, rare in an
educated man. absolutely refused to
walk: and a second stretcher would
have been necessary had not Dirk,
with scant ceremony. thrown him
across one of his herculean shoulders.
to the intense delight of Billy. 1t was
full half-mile to the station. but
Dirk made no more of his burden than
Il nurse-eirl does of baby. Forum
ately. Rodney avenue is an out-of-the-
way road but little used. and we
reached Gus destination without at
tracing much public attention.
At the police station the proceed
ings were, first, of formal character,
and easily enough settled. The in
spector on duty deemed it best to take
Philip Blake into custody upon the
charge OF murderously assaulting
James Blogg, in the sight Of two wit
nesses, Dirk and myself. In reply to
the usual question, Blake maintained a
logged silence, but offered fierce re-
sistance to being confiden in a cell.
The events of the past hour appeared
to have suddenly transformed him
from a cool. calculating man Of the
world into sullen desperate.
Spratt, Billy's especial aversion,
proved to be what the boy contemptu-
ously described as a "sniveller."
Bradshaw was rather hard-set to
frame a specific charge against him,
and had he faced the situation boldly
he might, perforce, been allowed to
depart. But he was not content to
leave we'll enough alone, and proceed
ed to justify himself at Blogg's ex-
pense.
Keep all that for the magistrate"
remarked the inspector, drily. Il shall
detain you as suspected person and
an associate. by your own admission,
WIFI tit litlu blOSS. w ICEeuDOIl, MI.
Spratt was removed to cell, weeping
loudly.
AS for Blogg, he would, in the or
binary routine, be watched night and
day by constable in the intirmary.
The money was, of course, impounded
by the inspector.
1t was. perhaps. lucky for Dirk and
myself that Bradshaw was with us,
and was known to the inspector, who
readily accepted his assurance as to
my profession and connection with
the case. 1t almost certainly saved us
the annoyance of detention, even if
a brief one, pending inquiries.
The charges having chen duly en-
tered, but not till then, 0. .cial routine
demanded that notice Of the arrest
should be sent to headquarters.
"And now" remarked the inspector.
with a grim smole, you'll find we
shan't be long""
We certainly were not kept long in
suspense. Within five minutes Of the
dispatch of the message, back came a
lengthy reply. This we were not priv
ileged to see in it's entirety, but we
were favored with such portions as
more particularly concerned ourselves.
bradshaw was to bring the prisoners