The Hoisting
On the few rests the dogs were compelled to take on their way back to
Carcajou, Dr. Starr again questioned Stefan, carefully. The story
Madge had told him was interesting, it sounded a little like some of
those tales of detectives and plots marvelously unraveled, but the
trouble was that no sleuth was at work and the mystery was as deep as
ever. He inquired carefully in regard to the enemies Hugo might have
made, but struck an absolute blank. Yes, there was one fellow Hugo had
licked, but a couple of weeks later the young man had obliged him with
a small loan, which had been cheerfully repaid, and the individual in
question had moved a couple of hundred miles east. Oh, that was way
back last summer!
Having thus easily eliminated the masculine element of Carcajou, it
took no great effort on the doctor's part to turn to the women. Were
there any who had reason to dislike him; had he made love to any of
them?
"Hugo make lofe to any gals in Carcajou!" exclaimed Stefan, holding a
burning match in his fingers and letting it go out. "Hugo don't nefer
make lofe to nobotty. Dere's McGurn's gal over to the store as looked
like she vanted bad to make lofe to him; alvays runnin' after Hugo,
she vos. Vhen he go in de post-office she alvays smile awful sveet at
Hugo, and dere's dem as say she vere pretty mad because he don't never
pay no attention. Vhat he care for de red-headed t'ing?"
"She looks after all the mail, doesn't she?" asked the doctor.
"Yes, McGurn he too busy vid oder t'ings. De gal tends to all de
letters an' papers."
This seemed an indication worth following. When they reached the depot
at Carcajou, Joe Follansbee informed them that the freight would be
about an hour late. Madge had, during the course of her story, told
the doctor all about the visit of the Carcajou Vigilantes, and from
Stefan he had obtained the names of the people who had made up the
party. Most of them were known to him, since he was frequently called
to Carcajou, especially when the mill was running. From the girl he
had obtained the letters she received from Hugo, as she had formerly
believed. The matter could not be allowed to rest. He must investigate
things further. Meeting old man Prouty, whom he had once cured of
rheumatism, he drew him aside. The old man quite willingly told of his
share in the event.
"We only wanted to see that everything was straight and aboveboard,"
he told the doctor. "And there wouldn't have been no fuss there at all
if Sophy McGurn hadn't come out kinder crazy; the way them excitable
women-folks does, sometimes."
"What did she do?" asked Dr. Starr.
"Oh, she went an' accused that young 'ooman over there of havin' tried
to murder Hugo. Said somethin' about the gal wantin' to get square on
him for--for somethin' or other as ain't very clear. But soon as Pat
Kilrea he begins to pin her down to facts she takes it all back an'
says she don't really know nothin'."
"Thanks, Mr. Prouty, I'm very much obliged to you. I'll stroll over
there."
He walked over to the general store and post-office where he was
greeted by old McGurn, who at his request produced a box of cigars.
"Yes, Doc, I can recommend them," he said. "There was a drummer
stopped here last week who said they smelled just like real Havanas. I
bought two barrels of crockery off him."
The doctor nodded, admiring the drummer's diplomacy, and walked over
to the other counter behind which Miss Sophy was standing.
"How do you do, Miss McGurn?" he said, amiably.
"How d'ye do? How's Hugo--Hugo Ennis?" she asked, eagerly.
"He may perhaps pull through, though he's still hanging on to a pretty
thin chance. I suppose you know that you're soon going to be called as
a witness?"
"Me?" she exclaimed. "What for?"
"Well, that story about an accident looks rather fishy to me, you
know. I have an idea that it wouldn't be a bad thing to have the
sheriff come over here and investigate things a little. We're
beginning to get too civilized on this line to stand for gun-play.
I've talked over the matter with some of the people who went with you
to Roaring River, and I gather that you are the only one who can
enlighten us a little."
"I--I don't know anything!" she stammered.
"You're probably too modest, Miss McGurn, or you may perhaps be trying
to shield some one. That shows your kind heart, of course, but it
won't quite do for the law. At any rate you will tell us what aroused
your suspicions. It's very important, you know, for the slightest clue
may be of service. And then, of course, there is the matter of the
letters."
"What letters?" cried the girl, biting her lips.
"Oh, just some letters that passed through this office. Let me see,
where did I put them? Always indispensable to secure all documents.
Miss Nelson gave them to me."
Very slowly he pulled the letters out of his pocket, while his keen
eyes searched Sophy's face, gravely. She was distinctly ill at ease,
he observed.
"There has been a queer mix-up. These documents can hardly be called
forgery, since there is no attempt to imitate the real handwriting of
the person who is supposed to have written them. It's simply a clumsy
attempt to deceive, as far as I can see. But the strange thing is that
several letters came from New York, apparently, and have never been
received. It seems that they must have come through this office and
the post-office authorities will be asked to trace them. They are
always glad to hear of any irregularities, of course, and will send an
expert here, naturally, if mere inquiry does not suffice. Those chaps
are wonderfully clever, you know. They seem to be able to find out
anything they want to know. The letters I am showing you came through
Carcajou, there's your stamp on the envelopes. The detective will
compare this handwriting with that of every man, woman and child in
Carcajou and the neighborhood, and while it is certainly disguised,
there's so much of it that they will certainly find out who sent them.
It--it's going to prove devilish tough for somebody, you may be sure.
Of course I'm no lawyer and can't tell what the charge will be,
perhaps conspiracy of some sort, or making use of the mails for some
fraudulent or--or some prohibited purpose. But that's evidently no
concern of ours and I know you'll help the authorities to the best of
your ability. You will naturally do all you can because no postmaster
likes to have any irregularity in his office. That sort of thing
generally means taking it away from the holder and putting it in other
hands. Your father would be pretty angry if anything like that
happened, because while you attend to the mails, he's really the
responsible party."
Miss Sophy may not have realized how keenly the doctor was looking at
her. He was now feeling quite certain that his suspicions had fallen
on the guilty party. Here was a jealous woman who evidently knew a
good deal. Putting two and two together is the very essence of
scientific thought and Dr. Starr was no beginner. Sophy's foot was
beating a rapid tattoo on the floor. On her face the color kept going
and coming.
"Somebody has done a very foolish thing," continued the doctor.
"Perhaps it was not realized that it was also a very wicked one. At
any rate there is a lot of trouble coming. I will bid you good-day."
He turned on his heels, lighting the cigar he had bought and looking
quite unconcerned. Sophy hastened around the counter and intercepted
him at the door, following him out. She touched his arm.
"Do--do they suspect any one?" she asked.
"I think I may have spoken too much, Miss McGurn," answered the
doctor, with a face that had suddenly become exceedingly stern.
"It is not for me to answer your question. Of course, it's in my
power to tell the sheriff that there is no longer any suspicion that
the shooting was otherwise than accidental, and I could perhaps
also persuade Miss Nelson not to follow this matter of the letters
any further. I think that she would follow my advice in the
matter. But I have no intention of interfering until--until I know
everything--down--to--the--last--word!"
He accentuated this by striking with his fist into an open hand,
slowly, as if driving in a rebellious spike. They were alone on the
little veranda of the store. Within her breast the girl's heart was
throbbing with fear--with the terror of exposure and unknown
punishments. She felt that this man knew the exact truth and she had
the sensation of some animal cornered and seeing but a single avenue
of escape.
"But I have found out everything I wanted to know, Miss McGurn," Dr.
Starr told her, suddenly. "Unless I have a written confession in my hands
I shall let matters take their course. It--is--for--you--to--choose."
He looked at his watch.
"My train should be here in fifteen minutes," he told her. "After that
it will be too late!"
Then the girl broke down. Wild thoughts had come and gone. If a weapon
had been at hand she might, in obedience to the behest of a wild and
fiery nature, have stabbed the man who so calmly faced her. But she
felt utterly helpless and her fear and despair became supreme.
"I--I'll write whatever you want me to, if--if you promise not to
tell!" she cried.
"I'm not quite prepared to accept conditions," he answered. "I intend
to show the paper to Ennis and to Miss Nelson. They have a right to
know the truth. But I can promise that they will carry the matter no
farther, and that I shall see that neither the sheriff nor the
post-office authorities will interfere. There are but a few minutes
left now."
She rushed into the store again and went to the desk. Her father was
no longer in the room. With feverish speed she wrote while the doctor
bent over her, suggesting a word now and then. Finally she signed the
paper and handed it to him.
"I think you had better give me those answers now," he suggested.
"Those directed to A. B. C."
From Box 17 she took the letters and handed them over without a word,
and the doctor carefully placed them in his pocket with the others.
"I think you've been very wise in taking my advice, Miss McGurn," he
told her. "It was the only way out of trouble. Isn't that the
freight's whistle? I'll hurry off. Good-day to you."
He stepped quickly across the space that separated him from the
station. On the platform Joe Follansbee greeted him pleasantly.
"A fine clear day, doctor," said the station agent.
"Yes, everything is beautifully clear now," answered Dr. Starr
amiably. "Shouldn't wonder if this were about the last of the cold
weather."
Then he got on the caboose, where the crew welcomed him. As one of the
company doctors he had the right to ride on anything that came along,
and the men were always glad to see him. They made him comfortable in
a corner and offered him hot tea and large soggy buns. But he thanked
them, smilingly, and sat down in a corner. From his bag he took out a
medical journal and was soon immersed in an exceedingly interesting
article on hysteria.
Strangely enough, at that very moment Miss Sophy had run up to her
room and thrown herself on the bed, face downwards and buried in a
pillow. She was weeping and uttering incoherent cries. When her mother
came in, alarmed, the old lady was indignantly ordered out again while
the girl's feet beat against the mattress hurriedly, and she bit the
knuckles of her hands.