Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-07-11
CHAPTER XIII.
The Dead Body.

The Dead Body.
that both Mcdonald and his daugh-
Ger were involved in this strange puz-
zle was already clear. The disappear
ance of the one was as mysterious as
that Of the other. Whether the orig
inaI conspiracy had conferred about the
Major, and Miss Molly had merely
been drawn into the net through acct
dent, or whether both were destined
as victims from the first. could not be
determined by theory. Indeed the
Sergeant could evolve no theory, could
discover no purpose In the outrage.
Convinced that Dupont and his wife
we're the moving spirits. he yet pos
sessed no satisfactory reason for
charging them with the crime, for
which there was no apparent object.
Nothing remained to be done but
search the town, blind search in the
hope of uncovering some trail That
crime had been committed-either
murder or abduction-was evident;
the two had not dropped thus sudden
1y out of sight without cause Nor did
1t seem possible they could have been
whisked away without leaving some
trace behind. The town was accus-
toned to murder and sudden death;
the echo ofrevolver shots would create
no panic, awaken no alarm, and yet
the place was small, and there was
little likelihood that any deed of vio-
1enoe would pass long unnoticed. With
few words of instruction, and hasty
descriptions of both Dupont and Con-
nors. Hamlin sent his men down the
struggling street to drag out the oc-
cupants of shack and tent, riding him.
self to the blazing front Of the Poodle
Dog"
Late as the hour was, the saloon
and the gambling rooms above were
all crowded. Hamlin plunged into the
mass Of men, pressing passage back
and forth, his eyes searching the faces,
while he eagerly questioned those with
whom he had any acquaintance. Few
among these could recall to mind
either "Reb" or his boon companion,
and even those who did retained no
recollection of having seen the two
lately. The bartenders asserted that
neither man had been there that night,
and the dealers above we're equally
positive. The city marshal, encoun-
tered outside, remembered Dupont,
and had seen him at the hotel three
hours before, but was positive the fell
low had not been on the streets since.
Cohnors he did not know. but If the
man was Major McDonald's driver,
then he was missing all right, for Cap
tain Barrett had to employ a livery
man to drive Mrs. Dupont back to the
fort No, there was no lady with her;
he was sure, for he had watched them
get into the carriage.
The troopers were no more fortu-
nate In their results, but had succeed
ed in stirring up greater excitement
during their exploration, several irate
individuals, roughly aroused from
sleep. exhibiting fighting propensities,
which had cost one a blackened eye,
and the other the loss of a tooth. Both,
however. had enjoyed the occasion,
and appeared anxious for more. Hav-
ing exhausted the possibilities of the
town, the soldiers procured lanterns,
and. leaving the horses behind, began
exploring the prairie. In this labor
chey were assisted by the marshal,
and few aroused citizens hastily i'm
pressed into posse. The search was
a thorough one. but the ground near.