Prescott meant to discharge all his
debts after harvest and, as the crop promised well, to send the balance
to England as a proof that his friend had not been a failure in Canada.
This might be some comfort to Jernyngham's people.

He was considering the matter when he heard the stubble crackle behind
him and, looking around, saw Curtis riding up. Stopping his team, he
waited until the corporal drew bridle.

"Have you found him yet?" he asked.

"We have not," said Curtis. "It's a big muskeg and quite deep. You know
the place?"

"Oh, yes, I know it pretty well."

Curtis looked at him sharply, but Prescott seemed to be musing.

"It's a sad thing when you think of it," he said after a few moments.
"From the little he told me, the man had hard luck all through; and that
Mrs. Jernyngham should leave him just after he'd sacrificed his future
for her must have been a knock-out blow. Yet I've an idea that instead of
crushing it braced him. It pulled him up; he showed signs of turning into
a different man."

"You knew him better than I did," Curtis replied. "I heard at the hotel
he'd asked you to look after his place, given you a share in the crop."

"He did. I'd some words with Wandle about the matter this morning;
Jernyngham warned me he might pretend he had a claim. However, that's not
to the purpose; somehow I feel convinced he'll turn up again. What motive
could any one have for killing him? The only man we might have
suspected--the fellow who went off with Ellice--must have been on the
train bound for St. Paul."

"He was; we wired the conductor. But the thing's quite simple--the motive
was robbery. You remember that wad of bills?" The corporal paused before
he added: "Where did you last see Jernyngham?"

"At the trail-forks near my place. He rode right on; I took the turning."

"Did you see your man, Svendsen, or his wife when you got home?"

"I didn't; they live at the back of the house. I put up the horses,
slipped in quietly, and went to bed."

"Then you can't fix the time you got back?"

Prescott moved sharply, lifting his head, while an angry color suffused
his face.

"Curtis, you can't think--Jernyngham was my best friend!" Then he laughed
indignantly. "You always struck me as a sensible man."

The corporal regarded him with scrutinizing eyes, his manner stamped with
official austerity.

"I'm forming no opinions--yet. It's my duty to find out all I can about
the matter and report. If there's any