M. M. Oblinger

“ Why had MacGregor failed to go south if he had really robbed Dewberry of his gold. Men with money travelled south invariably. There was no other rule. It had seldom been broken. Why, Frischette himself, who had made a lot of money during his stay in the North, now contemplated going south to spend it.
With a sudden exclamation, Rand jumped to his feet. No! The rule had never been broken. MacGregor probably killed, but he never robbed Dewberry. He wondered if the man who had robbed Dewberry was inside.
“Frischette,” said the mounted policeman a moment later, “I wish to ask a favor of you.” ”

“ FRISCHETTE’S MONEY BOX
Toma led Sandy and Dick to the seclusion of a poplar grove, a few rods away from the house. His manner was mysterious. That he had come in possession of information of extreme importance, neither of his two friends could doubt. The young Indian’s eyes fairly snapped, as he motioned Dick and Sandy to be seated, he himself taking a position near them. Sprawling out on the soft turf, he began eagerly:
“I think better we come to this place, where no one hear us. I just find out something about Frischette. Fontaine tell me. Good news for the mounted police.” ”

“ MacGregor,” declared the corporal patiently, “we have been more than kind to you. We released you from jail and placed you on probation. All that we have asked is that you remain at home and be good, attend to your own affairs. If you will do that, we will not put you back in jail again.”
“Bah!” snorted MacGregor’s wife, sticking out her tongue and defying him.
“You must promise to go back,” said Rand. “You must be good. You must not try to anger the police. If you will go back this afternoon, I will not mention this matter to the inspector. ”

“ The boys scrambled back quickly, for Frischette was beginning his journey homeward. A moment later, from the deep shadow of a heavy thicket, they watched him pass. He was shaking his head and talking to himself in a complaining undertone. Not long afterward he had disappeared in the tangle of greenery, and over the woodland there settled a deep and impressive silence. Dick looked at Sandy and Toma and smiled.
“The farther we go into this thing, the stranger and more perplexing it becomes. I wonder who that man is? In what way is he associated with Frischette? Why is he guarding the box? ”

“ In recent years, it was more for the love and excitement he got out of the game than the necessity of making more money that induced him to take those long, lonely treks out there in the foothills.”
“After what you have told us about him,” puzzled Sandy, “there is one thing rather difficult to understand. Why did a person of his intelligence carry so much wealth about his person.”
“I don’t think he did,” declared Meade.
“If that is so,” persisted Sandy, “why did they follow him and plan the robbery and murder at Frischette’s?” ”

“ Creel had a few hours start of them, but he was walking. With light hearts, feeling confident of success, the boys cantered away. Soon the miles wound away behind them. They pressed their ponies forward, urging them to their greatest speed. Time passed quickly. They had now begun to scan the trail ahead, in the expectation of seeing the queer, shambling figure of the old recluse. They galloped past a party of Indians, then two prospectors, trudging along, weighted down by heavy shoulder-packs, and finally drew up at a wayside cabin, inhabited by a half-breed trapper. ”

“ MacGregor would never have taken the chance he did for the small amount involved. He was naturally a coward, a sneaking human rat, and only a big stake could have induced him to gather sufficient courage to make the effort. After reasoning it all out, I have come to the conclusion that MacGregor must have known what that poke contained: Something infinitely more valuable than gold.”
“More valuable!” exclaimed Dick.
“Yes. Why not? Precious stones—or a secret of some sort worth thousands of dollars.”
Sandy sat up, clutching the sides of his chair. ”

“ Thus put to it, Dick found himself in somewhat of a predicament. The question required an answer.
“Why—why—well—” he began. “You see, Sandy—”
“It’s a contest,” Sandy reminded him scornfully. “All you have to do is to outwit the other fellow. You like it. Now tell me, please, what is your guess?”
Dick flushed, but contrived to keep his temper.
“I haven’t quite decided yet. There are two courses open to us. We can stay here and keep an eye on Burnnel and Emery, or go back to meet Corporal Rand.” ”

“ In the room, the large airy room of one “Frenchie” Frischette, keeper of road-houses, were a number of other persons besides MacGregor and the drugged Dewberry.
These persons reclined in various attitudes and conditions of sleep. Not a few of them, including Corporal Rand, of the Royal North West Mounted police, possessed—even in slumber—a sense of hearing exceedingly acute. The creak of a board, a sudden rustling movement—almost any noise at all—would have aroused them at once. No one realized this any better than MacGregor. ”

“ Rand continued his questioning.
“Nothin’ else,” grunted the big man. “There wasn’t even a pocket knife or a comb or a watch, or anything like that. His pockets was absolutely empty.”
The sight of the moose-hide pouch had produced a strange effect upon Dick. His eyes kept returning again and again to the mysterious object Rand still held carelessly in one hand. Improbable as it seemed, Dick could not shake off the belief that the poke was the same one that had been taken forcibly from Creel the night before. He wondered what the old recluse thought about it all. ”

“ Sandy trembled. “You and Toma can stay here if you like, Dick—not I. If we stay here, we’ll be compelled to fight it out.”
“I willing fight,” Toma announced darkly.
“It wouldn’t be fair to Meade,” Dick objected. “There’s sure to be trouble. Anyway, there’s nothing to be gained by remaining here.”
“The thing to do,” said Sandy emphatically, “is to get out—go somewhere and make camp for the night. Either that, or start back at once for Frischette’s road-house, which we had planned to do tomorrow anyway. ”

“ Dick and Toma both laughed.
“Nonsense, Sandy! This is a game of wits. I like it.” Dick made a comical gesture with his hands. “All you have to do is to out-guess the other fellow. We’ll win in the end. We’re bound to.” ”

“ Sandy glanced at Dick sharply.
“But don’t you think we ought to wait for Toma and Corporal Rand?”
“If we do, we’ll be apt to lose trace of them, just as we lost trace of Creel. You must remember that we’ll have to follow them on foot. They have horses.”
Sandy said no more, lapsing into a moody silence. The mosquitos continued to buzz around their heads. But no longer was it cool. The sun, an hour high, shed its warm rays to every part of the land. ”

“ Dick was forced to admit that his chum was right. “I’ll grant you,” he smiled, “that no one, working on a case like this, ought to have trouble with his conscience.”
“No, he shouldn’t. As long as we are in the business, we might as well conduct ourselves like real detectives.”
“All right, you can have your way this time. We’ll follow Frischette. We’ll even pry open the box if you say so.”
A shadow flickered across Sandy’s forehead. ”

“ Dick answered, smiling. “Perhaps we’d better give up. This case is too deep and complicated for us. We haven’t the ability to solve it.”
“I quite agree with you. Not one of us is a Sherlock Holmes or an expert from Scotland Yard. We’re out of our natural element.”
“Just the same,” Dick’s enthusiasm was contagious, “we’ll have lots of fun in trying to figure it all out.”
“What we do about Creel?” Toma wanted to know.
In their interest in the new development, Dick and Sandy had completely forgotten about the old recluse until thus reminded. ”

“ Undoubtedly, while making their approach, Burnnel and Emery had seen them, but Dick recalled that in the position in which they sat out there on the front porch, they had been hid somewhat by the figures of Meade and his son.
The coming of the two malevolent prospectors had placed them in a rather awkward, if not dangerous position. It would be impossible for them to remain at the road-house while the partners were there. Burnnel and Emery had not forgotten the encounter of two days before in front of Creel’s cabin. No doubt, they would take a great deal of pleasure in evening the score. ”

“ Sandy whistled softly.
“So that’s their game. Creel is Frischette’s confederate. I can see it all now.”
“That’s the way I have it all figured out too. Frischette is the man who plans all the robberies and Creel is the one who executes them.”
Dick paused and leaned against the trunk of a huge jack-pine, contemplatively regarding his two chums.
“It means we have two persons instead of one to deal with. The treasure-box they keep between them. Each probably has an equal interest in it. I wish there was some way we could get hold of it.”
“Mebbe that not be so very hard,” Toma suddenly interjected. ”

“ Two minds are better than one, you know. Permit me to offer a suggestion. From what you have said, I gather that your inference is that Creel removed the contents of the poke. Well, perhaps he did.”
“Yes, yes,” said Sandy. “Go on.”
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“And made a substitution. Put something of no value, whatsoever, in the poke. That will bolster up your theory.”
Sandy’s eyes gleamed.
“You’re right. If we keep at it, Dick, we’ll soon be as proficient as the great Sherlock Holmes himself.” ”

“ The corporal advanced, pushed her gently aside, loosened the cinches and swung the saddle from the back of the pinto mare. As he did so, MacGregor’s wife withdrew a few paces. The policeman had his back to her, and, therefore, did not see the swift movement of her right hand toward her blouse. But he did see, when next he chanced to turn his head, the small revolver nestling in her hand—pointed straight at his head.
“I didn’t think you’d do a thing like that,” declared Rand, reproachfully. “You’ll only get yourself in more trouble. Put it down.” ”

“ Remember, Creel has already escaped.”
In exasperation, Sandy strode over to a fallen tree trunk and sat down, moping his perspiring forehead with short, angry jabs, a scowl on his face.
“O pshaw! What’s the use? Everything’s turning out all wrong. We’re getting deeper and deeper and deeper into trouble every minute. I’m through! I’ll never become a policeman or a good detective—I know I won’t. I’m growing tired of all this, Dick. ”

“ Corporal Rand crossed the room, knelt down, and opened his saddle-pack. A moment later he returned, carrying Dewberry’s diary, resumed his seat, and began thumbing the pages. It was several minutes before he found the right place. Then he read:
“May 13th, 1915. That chest is an obsession. Even out here in the wilderness away from it, it seems to haunt me night and day. Sometimes I call myself a doddering old fool. To buy it was a waste of money, an act of folly. ”

“ But Frischette very queer that way. Fontaine ’fraid to ask him any questions or make talk when Frischette like that, because he act like crazy an’ swear an’ beat Fontaine with a big stick if he say too much.”
“The mere fact that Frischette is a miser, Toma,” Sandy pointed out, “doesn’t necessarily imply that he’s also a thief. If he wants to hide his money and gloat over it, that’s his own privilege.” ”

“ Rand’s oversight is excusable. He’s been working on this case day and night for the last six months. He’s tired out, and sometimes so sleepy that he can hardly stick in the saddle.”
“Yes, that’s right.” The laugh died on the young Scotchman’s lips. “He’s had a lot to contend with. And perhaps he hasn’t made a mistake after all. Frischette may have committed suicide. The note might not have been forced from him. Who can say?”
“Yes,” said Dick, “who can say? Why don’t you put on your thinking cap, Sandy, and find a motive for Frischette’s act?”
“That’s a bargain. We’ll find the motive. ”

“ Toma suddenly broke forth. “One of us stay here look after Creel an’ other two go back to Fort Good Faith. If you like, I stay here myself while you, Sandy, you, Dick, go on see Corporal Rand. After while I get Fontaine an’ Le Sueur to help me. Soon they come back from Grassy Point Lake.”
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“Your plan is a good one,” approved Dick. “It’s the best thing to do. If Sandy and I start at once—go over to the road-house and get our horses—we can reach Fort Good Faith shortly before the corporal arrives. What do you think, Sandy?” ”

“ The young Scotchman, shrinking with terror, still sat on the fallen tree, while Dick, no less overcome with fear, stood motionless, as the two men drew closer, flourishing their guns. Emery’s face was malignant but triumphant.
“So you thought you’d bust into our little game, eh?” he snarled, as he relieved Dick and Sandy of their revolvers. “Yuh thought yuh was pretty smart back there at Creel’s a few days ago, didn’t yuh? Well, yuh can pay fer that now. Time we get through with yuh, yuh won’t be so willin’ to meddle in somebody else’s business.” ”

“ Burnnel and Emery met Frischette on the trail, discovered that he had the poke and murdered him. Then, having committed the crime, they became afraid. In order to save their own necks, they devised a scheme so that it will appear that the Frenchman had taken his own life. They probably arranged the body to bear out the story, placing a revolver in Frischette’s hand. They emptied the poke, hid its contents, and then came back here, intending, as they both openly admitted, to get in touch with the police.”
“Well, that is a lot more plausible than the suicide story. ”