Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-05-26


food became scarce he could always
burrow In the snow. No bear goes
into Information from choice. Wise
old bachelor. he much prefers 10 keen
just as late hours us lie can--as long
as the eating places IN the berry thick
cts remain open. The cougars had
all gone down with the deer. the NH
gratory birds had departed, and even
the squirrels wero In hiding.
The scene didn't offer much IN the
way OF clues. OF the body itself only
a white heap Of bones remained. for
many and terrible had been the agents
at work upon them. The clothes, how
ever, particularly the coat. were prac-
tically intact. Gripping himself. Dan
thrust his fingers into its pockets. then
into the pockets of the shirt and trous-
ers. All paper that would IN any
way serve to identity the murdered
man. or tell what his purpose had been
IN journeying down the trail the night
Of the murder had been removed. Only
one explanation presented itself.
Cranston had come before him and
searched the body himself.
Dan looked about for tracks. and he
was considerably surprised 60 find the
blurred. indistinct imprint Of shoe
other than his own. He hadn't the
least hope that the tracks themselves
would offer clue to a detective.
They were too dim for that. The sur
prislug fact was that since the mur-
Ger hrd been committed Immediately
before the fall rains. the water had
not completely washed them out. Tho
only possibility remaining was that
Cranston had returned 10 the body
after tho weeks rainfall. Tho truck
had been dimmed BY The lighter rains
That had fallen since.
But get II was entirely 70 be en-
pected that the examination of The
body would DO on afterthought on
Cranston's part Possibly az flrst his
only thought was 10 XII and. follow
ing the prompting that hns sent 10
many murderers 70 the gnliowa. be
bnd hfterward returned to the scene
Of the crime TO destroy any clues be
might have left aud 70 search the
body for any evidence agninst the
arson ring.
Dams next thought was 20 follow
along this trnii and find Cranston's
ambush. OF course II would bo in the
direction Of the settlement from the
body. as the bullet had entered tron
the front. flo found Il hard 10 believe
that HIldrcsh had fallen In the exact
spot where the body lay. Men jour
neying az night keep TO the trail. ana
the white heap itself was fully forty
feet back from tho trail In the thick
eta Perhaps cranston had dragged n
there to hide Il from tho sight Of any
ono who might pass along the lonely
tran again; and Il waa a remote poe
sibility that whisperfoot, coming IN
the night. had tuegcd II into the thick.
cts for dreadful purposes Of his own.
Likely the shot was fired when Hil.
dreth was IN an open place on the
tran; and Dan searched for the am
bush with this conclusion IA mind. lie
walked back. looking for q thickei
from which such spot would be Wis
Die. Something over flfty yards down
be found isi md be knew II By the
empty brass rife cartridge that toy
half buried In the wet lcaves
The shell was OF the same callbcr
as Crnns,on's ride Dams hand shook
ns be put Il IN HIS pocket.
Encouraged by this amazing flnd.
he turned up the trail toward HiI.
Greihs cabin. II might be possible,
be thought. that Hildretb had left
some OF his testimony perhaps such
rudely scrawled letters % Cransion
had written HMM some forgotten
drawer In HIS hut n was but short
walk for Dams hardened legs. and he
made Il before midafiern0on.
The search itself was wholly with
out result. Bur because he had time
70 shInk us he climbed the ridge. be-.
cause rs ae strobe along beneath thnt
wintry sky no had a chance 10 con.
slider every ,fctnil II the case, be was
able 70 start out on q new tack when.
just before sunset he returned 10 tho
body. This Eew trim Of thought had
as IFS basis that Crnnston's shot had
not been deadly NJ once: that, wound.
Cd, Hildreih Ind himself ernwicd into
The Tickets where wbisperfoot had
found him. And that mennt that he
bad 10 enlarge his search for such
documents as IIiidreth had carried "a
Include MI the territory between the
tran and the location OF the body.
II WIS possibly a distance Of forty
feet, and getting down on his hands
and knees. Dan looked for any break
In the shrubbery that would Indicate
the path that the wounded IIIIdreth
had taken. And Il wns ten minutes
wen rewarded, as far as clearing up
certain details OF the crime. His
senses had been trained and sharp
encd By his months in tho wilderness.
and he was able TO back-track the
wounded man from the skeleton clear
to the clearing on the trail where ne
had first fallen. But as no clues pre-
sented Themselves. he started 10 turn
home.
Tie walked twelve feet, then turned
back. Out OF the corner OF his eye II
seemed 10 him that be had caught d
fash Of white, near the end Of great.
dead log beside the path NAT the
wounded HiIdreth had taken. For
moment be searched 10 vain. Evident.
" yellow leaf had deceived him.
Once more be retrnced his steps, try.
Ing to find the position from which his
eye had caught the glimpse Of white.
Then he dIved straight for the rotten
end OF the log.
Into little hollow IN the bnrk. Oh