The Return of Blue Pete

E-text prepared by Al Haines
Author of Blue Pete: Half-Breed, The Lone Trail, The Blue Wolf, Etc.
New York George H. Doran Company
Copyright, 1922, by George H. Doran Company
Sergeant Mahon emptied the barracks mail bag on the desk before Inspector Barker and stood awaiting instructions. The Inspector passed his hand over the small pile of letters and let his eye roam from one to another in the speculative way that added zest to the later revelation of their contents.
One from headquarters at Regina he set carefully aside. With an ah! of satisfied expectancy he selected one from the remainder and placed it before him. Mahon was mildly interested. The little foibles of his superior were always amusing to him. Eyes still fixed on the envelope, the Inspector commenced to fill his pipe.
Spoiling for a job, Mahon?
Depends.
Hm-m! Beautifully non-committal.
Mahon's interest was rising. The Inspector went on calmly cramming in the tobacco. When the job was completed to his liking, he thrust the pipe between his lips, flicked a loose flake from his tunic, and forgot to apply a match. Instead, he picked up the envelope and examined it on all sides. Mahon began to grow impatient.
Twice the Inspector turned the letter over. Mahon fretted. He could see on its face the Division headquarters stamp—Lethbridge—but why all this ceremony and pother about an official note that came almost every day? He recalled suddenly that his wife would be holding lunch for him—with fresh fish he had seen unloaded little more than an hour ago from the through train from Vancouver. He could almost smell it sizzling on the natural gas cooker.
Hm-m! The envelope was not yet broken. I imagine this will interest you, Mahon.