, 1923-01-31
= BARNEY GOOGLE-Sparky Has to Have a Body Guad. Of Course!

ply. Three days later the reply
reached her in London.
Corporal BracknelI reported as
missing. Supposed lost"
When she received II. she was
greatly distressed, and made up her
mini TO return at once to North Star.
Why sho should do so, she did not
make clear even to herself; and when
Adrian Rayner pressed her for her
reason. she was covered with confu-
sion.
Coy" he protested, you must not
you here: I want you more than any
ono else on earth. I love you, Joy.
VIII you marry me?"
Il can't" she said. Don't press
me, Adrian"
at least you W mo a reason for
refusal. I wonder II that reason has
anything to do with this foolishness
OF returning TO North Star"
She did not reply. lie smiled a
trif,e grimly, and then continued. "If
It has, you can dismiss hat reason
from you mind for good. Dick Brack.
nell Is dend!'
Dick Brackuell! WHAT
Her voice ALTERED as she met his
gaze. Yes" he answered. "Dick
Bracknoll. alias Koona Dick. He was
your husband. wasn't he?"
How do you know" she asked
q~uiveringly.
THAT is a private matter" he re.
piled. Just as the of your
husbands death must be kept prl.
vate."
"What do you mean. Adrian"
Il mean that I know who shot
Koona D.ck!'
"Oh!' she ga5ped, her hand over
her heart in a wild ~endeavour to stay
its fierce beating. "Oh! what
what"
There is no need for you to be
other than frank with me. 1 saw the
whole thing. I saw the flame of your
shot, and that same second Dick
Bracknell fell in the snow"
But oh!' sobbed Joy with horror
In her face. You are mistaken. II
is not true. I never"
"Joy. dear. I do not blame you: I
even went out of my way to help you
that night"
You you went
Exactly. I saw Roger Bracknell
find Dicks body. and afterwards
leave it. so I disposed OF the body
"You disposed OF tho body" She
looked ut him Incredulously.
Yes" he answered airily. TT is
difficult to prove a crime II there is
no evidence of It, SO l removed tho
material evidence. to tho utter con.
fusion Of any theory that Corporal
BraCkno!l might have formed"
But how? What"
q carried 1t away. and dropped It
through an ice-hole in the river"
You shy you dropped Dick Brack-
nell's body through the ice? 1t wa
Sid you get it there"
For ono second Rayner hesItated.
81 carried it. OF course
Joy had marked the hesitation, and
to her came the swift realization that
he was lying.
"Wcl. JOY" he asked, "ycu VIII
marry me?''
She rose abruptly from her chair.
No" she said on a sudden impulse.
I am not saying that I will never
marry you. I am on'y saying that
the evidence OF Dicks eat is not
sufficiently convincing"
Nine days later Joy Gnrgrave walk
cd cross the snow u the h~eadquar-
tcrs OF the Mounted Police at Regina.
and asked to SEQ the Commissioner.
He was absent, and an inspector ad.
dressed her question.
q am sorry. Miss Gargrave," he
answered. "Wo should be glad OF
news Of Bracknell ourselves. The
timber.wAolves may have got him.
They have been very savage this
winter
joys face went white.
Still there is n possibility that he
may have escaped?''
"A bare poss' billty," answered the
inspector in n voice that betrayed he
had little hope,
You are the second person to
make inquiry about Corporal Brack,
nell his week.
"Indeed?" said Joy, growing sud,
denly alert.
"Nes. n gentleman came here with
hA' same 'tttHllpIl AbuI hugS HEu.
Hero is his card. Adrian Rayner,
Albany Chambers. London"
Adrian Rnyner!'
Mr. ltnyncr was anxious to learn
where Corporal BrackneIl was, but
on learning the Bracknell was miss
Ing. he did not seem greatly perturb
cd said the inspector. Il gathered
that It was on legal business tina he
wished 70 SEQ Bracknell."
As 1t happened, the first person
JOY n Miss LaFarEo encountered
when they swung into the clearing
which led to the Lodge. was Adrian
ltoyncr. He stood n little non-plussed
and It was Joy who spoke first.
You have not wasted time. Cousin
Adrian she said, and there WAS an
Hnmiutakahlc edge to Nor tones.