comes in. Come back on the next way-freight west, if there's wan
behfure th' passenger. We'll need yez."

Gully murmured some hospitable suggestion to Kilbride, and the two
gentlemen strolled into the wrecked bar. The train presently arrived and
departed eastwards, bearing on it the inspector, Redmond, and his
prisoner.

"Strange thing," the officer had remarked musingly to Slavin, just prior
to his departure, "I seem to know that man Gully's face, but somehow I
can't place him. He introduced himself to me on the train coming up. Of
course I'm familiar with his name, as the J.P. here, but I can't recall
ever meeting him before."

Sometime later, Slavin and Yorke, who had just returned from the gruesome
autopsy and were busily making arrangements for the afternoon's inquest,
heard a loud, cackling commotion out in the main street. They
immediately stepped outside the hotel to see what was the matter.

Advancing towards them, and puffing with exertion and importance, they
beheld Nick Lee, haling along at arm's length an unkempt individual whom
they judged to be the hobo who had disturbed his peace of mind. A small
retinue of dirty urchins, jeering loafers, and barking dogs brought up
the rear. The village "Dogberry" drew nigh with his victim and halted,
as empurpled as probably the elder Weller was, after ducking Mr. Stiggins
in the horse-trough.

"Sarjint!" he panted triumphantly "I did clim up that ther ladder! I did
git thru' th' trap-door! . . . an'--I did ketch that feller!" Suddenly
his jaw dropped, and he wilted like a pricked bladder. "Why! what's
up?" he queried with a crestfallen air, as he beheld Slavin's angry,
worried countenance.

"Damnation!" muttered the latter softly and savagely to Yorke. "This
means another thrip tu Calgary--wid this 'bo'--an' me not able tu shpare
ye just now. Fwhat wid all this other bizness I'd forgotten all 'bout
him. An' we'd vagged him sooner Ridmond might have taken th' tu av thim
down tugither. Da----." The oath died on his lips and he remained
staring at the hobo as a sudden thought struck him. His gaze flickered
to Yorke's face, and his subordinate nodded comprehensively.

Slavin beckoned to Lee. "Take um inside the hotel parlour, Nick," he
ordered, "fwhere we hild coort this mornin.' Yorkey, yu' go an' hunt up
Mr. Gully. I don't think he's pulled out yet, has he, Nick?" He spoke
now with a certain grim eagerness.

The livery-man made a gesture