it, so he took
the cigarettes an' left the pipe tobacco."

"They are very good cigarettes, I believe," commented Kiddie. "I've
never smoked one myself."

"Still, I wonder at Nick Undrell leavin' all that tobacco on the
shelf," put in Isa Blagg. "What d'you figure he did next, Rube? Went
around to the stables, helped himself t' the best hoss thar, an' rode
off, I should say."

"That's about it," concluded Rube.

"My theory exactly," declared the sheriff, "an' now I calculate the
first thing t' do is ter get on Nick's tracks an' arrest him."

"Wait," said Kiddie. "There's one thing that Rube has not explained.
What about the canoe? We found it tied up in Grizzly Notch. How did
it get back there?"

"Ar-rum!" ejaculated Rube. "I forgot the canoe; but I suppose Nick
took it back an' tied it up 'fore he went to the stable."

"Not at all," said Kiddie. "Your theory is wrong from beginnin' to
end. The canoe was never used. The paddles were in the boat-house as
dry as a bone. The tobacco pipe, the dead matches and the footprint
were planted there purposely as a blind to put us on a false trail. I
don't deny that the pipe was Nick Undrell's, or the boots, or that the
threads of yellow worsted came from Nick's vest. But in spite of these
clues, yes, even because of them, I believe that Nick Undrell had
nothing to do with this robbery."

"Git!" exclaimed Isa Blagg, with a derisive laugh.

"S-shoo!" whispered Rube in amazement.

"You say you didn't touch the dead dog," pursued Kiddie, "didn't look
into her eyes an' see how the pupils were dilated; didn't handle her
limbs an' feel how rigid they were. You've seen many an animal killed
with a bullet, Rube, but you never saw one lookin' as Sheila looks.
Why? Because she wasn't shot. It was poison that killed her--a quick
an' deadly poison, injected on the point of a dart, a spear, or,
perhaps even an arrow. And the bootprint was made purposely by the man
who went up to her to recover the weapon and to fix the thread of
yellow worsted to her claw, just as he afterwards fixed the thread on
the splinter of window glass, as an intentionally misleading clue. As
to the cigarettes and tobacco, there need have been no hesitation. The
cigarettes were taken in preference by a man who never smokes a pipe,
but is peculiarly fond of cigarettes."

"Gee!" cried Rube. "You are clever, Kiddie."

Kiddie had disappeared into his bedroom. When he came out again some
mi