“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 281 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 282 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.