The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-01-10

be of help to us. | ask that any
one who can give us any informa
ton at all meet me in thirty min
utes at the hotel. 1t will expedite
this investigation, and it will 81
volved if we fix responsibility fol
the murder at nce If any of yor
withhold any information, you are
merely delaying the inevitable
for the Mounted will find the
man who shot the constable. This
blot on the history of the force
will be wiped clean by the ex.
IRENE penalty. Now you men GO
to your homes. Don't congregate.
My men will take steps to prevent
gatherings as we say upon our
arrival a short time ago"
1t was plainly evident that
while the arrest of Vernde came
as a shock to this little commun-
ity where sensations were infre-
Autul. anu lIidl QCtp lAlCl COT 90
being manifested in the circum-
stances upon which the arrest was
based, the murder of the Mountie
had overshadowed any immediate
concern in Vernde's p~redicament.
The presence of the four scarlet
coated officers, not n of whom
was in a frame of mind permit
ing of the slightest opposition,
had a decidedly ~discouraging ef-
feet upon any of those who might
have been inclined to question
the policies authority. Kerr gave
the possibility of an attempted
delivery of Vernde by his cohorts
only passing thought. He had
faith in the guard he had placed
over the man. His mind turned
at once to the unexpected aspect
given the case by the surrender
of Vernde.
During the train ride to Gatin-
eau, the inspector had read the
superintendent files which con-
tanned the evidence against Vern-
de. The man was a h%ypocrite,
plying his trade among the In
dams under the guise of a mis-
sionary. He had a smattering
knowledge of medicine, and that
fact, coupled with his wierd In
derstanding of the native mind,
had ingratiated him into the in
ner circles of the scattered tribes.
Such a man would be a coward
at heart, the inspector reasoned,
and as such would not himself,
unless driven to desperation, re-
sort to force. OF course, the Ofic-
er admitted to himself, it was
possible that one of Vernde's
henchmen had fired the shot.
Vernde was just clever enough to
attempt to throw off suspicion by
giving himself up to the police,
hoping to thus hide his more
sinister activities by paying the
penalty melted out to liquor traf-
fickers.
When Corporal JeffeTies reached
the settlement just after noon,
the trooper, learning that the de-
tachment had arrived, went direct
ly to the room occupied by the
policemen. Jackson was pacing
the floor, obviously fighting with
every bit of energy the tempta-
ton to sit down, which would
mean that he would fall asleep
Immediately. The other two troop
ers were stretched out on the
floor, their heavy breathing indi-
eating their complete exhaustion.
The prisoner sat in a chair in the
center of the room, his face hidd-
en- in his hands. The inspector
from the table at which he
had been writing, returned the
corporal's salute, and Immediately
took the officers hand in a friend
ly grip. L
Here, sir" the corporal report
ed, lis a list of Boyden's posses
ssions."
Very good" the inspector re-
piled. "Relitve Jackson there of
the guard. At six o'clock awaken
him. He will start for Gatineau
this evening with the prisoner,
and with this report for the SUI