The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-12-06

meath 1t brook that carried tn,
overflow from the lake gurgled mo
notonously by. A thin, long-legget
man, who was digging in a patch O
garden, stopped his work at sight o.
us and waited, leaning on his spade
Jake Warner, isn't it?" Peace in
Quired over the low fence of split
pine.
"Yes, SIR"
Il am Inspector Addington Peace Of
the Criminal Investigation Depart
ment."
Warner said nothing. but I saw his
fingers clench upon his spade. as he
gave the detective stare for stare.
"A fairly good breeding season fol-
the ducks. I should imagine" con
tinued the little man; with a benevo
lent interest.
There was still no reply.
Il understand the foxes are vsry
tronhleSome." va +~,1 4; IN
Warner threw down his spade and
stre4e up, to where we stood. His
eyes had In them the dumb agony OF
avid thing in . trap, df5Gl onll
II am q married man. SIR" he said.
"Fpr my wtfe's sake take me away
quietly"
cf have not come to arrest you.
Jake Warner" said, Peace. III you
are Irresponsible for your masters
death, 1t was by sheer accident. But
the question Is, are you responsibleY"
mo, sir. I am not. But can never
prove It." .. Hl'V -'t
Perhaps It would be best If you ex-
planned" A
We remained where we were, with
the fence between us, while he told
his story.
ut was on Monday afternoon, sir"
said Jake Warner, addressing Ad-
dington Peace of the Criminal Investi-
cation Department of Scotland Yard.
Il was crossing the public path that
runs near the other end of the lake,
when / fell In with a middle-aged,
specialized gentleman, who was stroll
ing along with tin collecting-case
on his back, such as botanists use.
We fell to talking, and. one thing led
TO another, until, when I turned Off
down to the lake to see after my
ducks, he came with me. He never
meant no harm as know of, but I
Would give all I have never to have
seen him."
what was he like?" asked the in
spector.
"A short fellow, with brown full
beard and slight stutter. Very
pleasant he was to talk to; but this is
outside the point, sir. as you will see.
We walked down the causeway, and
just before the pavilion what should
we come across but three dead birds,
all with their heads bitten clean off.
1t made me wild, for the foxes have
been plaguing me cruel this spring.
Sir William never would have one
shot, though he had given up hunting
many years. AS for the young mas
ter, couldn't say as to his views,
for had never set eyes upon him.
"The stranger, he sympathized very
kindly with me, and / told him my
troubles. How they can expect
keeper to rear decent lot of wild
duck with a plague Of foxes In his
midst, I'm dashed If know l said.
He allowed that fox who would kill
ducks like that was as. bad as q man.
eating tiger. She's a cunning old
vixen as won't let me get within shot
of her. told him. but I've half a
mind to set a spring gun for her on
the causeway here -
BLESS my soul, how that fellow
laughed. He threw back his head and
crowed with Joy at my idea. "A spring
gun for a fox he says; why, keeper,
it's the very thing! Think OF the sim
plicity of it and the certainty of it
and the security OF it. Those were
his words. After that he sobered
down and began talking more serious.
Did / really understand how to set
spring gun? l told him no; and then
he explained how he had a friend
from India who had often used them
to kill jackals. Whether did right
or wrong, the fact is that l agreed
to set the gun when he sent me the
instructions.
"Well, sir, his letter arrived yes
teYday morning with careful little
plans and all. loaded my gun with
buckshot and carried 1t down to the
causeway shortly after dusk. had
lost several more ducks each day, and
my mind was made up to have that
old vixen. fixed the gun, with a
thread of strong cotton across the
path and round the trigger. You may
think I took a wicked risk, but had
hardly ever known any one to pass
along the causeway in the daytime.
far less at night. Yet, for safety's
sake, I meant to take It up again at
dawn.
Il walked home and sat smoking
my pipe for a while. But I was wor-
ried and disturbed. couldn't get 1t
from my mind that there was danger
dn that spring gun left to itself as 1t
were. Even II bagged the old vixen
some one might hear the shot and
f3ud fho hodv dead fox would