The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1903-06-04
where did this happen :"

ing and that he was waylaid in the
woods. I know that he intended 60
ing. He liked it in this kind of
weather. He was a great hunter;
indeed, it was the thing which seemed
to afford him the most pleasure. He
vas killed while hunting, and the
wounds on his head indicate that he
was killed with a bludgeon. Possibly
he may have been shot as we'll; I did
not look for that"
"Who discovered the body?" asked
the chief incidentally.
II did," said Wright.
"Under what circumstances"
"Well, you see," said the young
man, who was slightly embarrassed
by the question, 81 live just beyond
the Bayou Woods, and I usually pass
through them on my way to the city"
"You have employment in Nilus, I
p~resune?" said the chief.
"No; I am sorry to say hat at
present I am entirely without employ
ment."
"We]l, as you were saying, you
were coming in town for the purpose
Oh"
mo, you are mistaken; I didn't
say what my purpose was, IL that I
had a purpose at all, and as that has
no possible bearing OF the case I do
not are to go into it,"
"Just as you please" answered the
chief; ''but sometimes a frank state
ment V a man a great deal of
trouble. Resume your story, if you
please"
"This morning as I was passing
through the woods my attention
was attracted to a heap of snow
in the pathway through the forest.
[ at first thought a dead animal lay
beneath the drift, but an examination
at once removed this idea, and I
recognized there before me the body
of my father. I saw at once that he
had been murdered, and I fastened
to the city to notify the police. T
ought to say right here hat while
the relations between my father and
myself recently have not been of a
friendly nature, 1 have every desire to
see his murderer punished. I there
fore came to you at once, thinking
that the body ought not to be dis
turbed until the detectives have made
their examination"
"Allow me to commend your discre-
tion," said the officer.
81 think that is all the information
I can give YOU" said Wright, speak
ing as though a weight were off his
mind.
81 would like to ask you a few more
questions, which you can answer or
not, as you see fit,'' said the chief,
kindly.
Every WE'LL" said Wright, resuming
his seat.
Before we get at that, however,
you had better give me a clearer idea
as to how we can find the body"
care you familiar with the paths
leading through the woods?"
eyes. there are two. One goes
straight through them and termi-
mates in a thoroughfare which leads
into the heart of the city, while the
other makes a detour and runs to-
ward the river. A person coming to-
ward Nilus and having the choice of
paths would naturally take the
straight cut, as the other would cause
him considerable delay. I suppose, of
course, that the body will be found
along the direct path"
"That would be the path taken by
an ordinary traveller" replied Wright;
"but my father, you must remember,
was out hunting, and he would have
no object in taking the short and fire.
quented way. His body was found
on the other path"
"True," said the chief, refectively,
"a hunter rambles around consider
ably. We're you out hunting, too,
Mr.. Wright?"
The question caused Wright to
change countenance. Evidently he
began to see that a suspicion was
creeping into the mind of the officer,
for there could be- nc doubt that he
was quick of apprehension. He raj
lied and answered with a sort OF
honest defiance: sit was merely a
whim, and 1 don't suppose hat / am
accountable to the police for my
whims."
mo one has intimated that YOU
were accountable to the police for
anything" said the chief, coolly.
"You come to me with certain infor-
nation, and I am trying to get out
of you all of the facts that I can.
l. find that you are Withholding
something from me. I don't say
that you haven't a good reason for
doing SO. You come to Nilus for q
purpose you will not reveal, and you
take an out-of-the-way route for a
reason you will not give. You are,
moreover, the only man so far as is
known, who has seen the body of
John T. Wright. Now, it is just pos
sible that you may know who the
murderer is; Or" He paused and
then said bluntly: "You may your
self have killed your father"
"Stop!" cried Wright starting up,
his eyes flashing. "You have no right
to make any such inference. 1 am
here at the dictates OF duty to give
you information that may lead to the
punishment of the man who commit
ted this murder. The man who was