Fisty tugged into his coat. “You got me. Injun Pete slipped into the bresh lookin’ for a deer he seen,”—Harrigan glanced apprehensively at Barney,—“and it looks like as if he made a mistake and took—”
“From what Ross said afore he keflummixed, I guess he did make a mistake,” said Jim dryly, “but I’ll hitch up and go and have a look anyway. Then I’ll go fur the Doc. Comin’ along?”
Cameron drove and the two lumbermen walked silently behind. Just beyond the first turn in the trail they found the body and beside it many animal tracks in the snow. A new Winchester lay at the side of the trail.
“My God!” cried Harrigan, as he jumped back from the dead man, “his throat’s cut!”
Curious Jim was in his element. Here was something to solve. He threw the reins to Barney Axel and examined the tracks leading into the bushes. He followed them for a short distance while his companions waited. “Nothin’ up there,” he said, as he returned. Then he walked along the trail toward Lost Farm. Finally he turned and came back briskly.
He was unusually quiet as they drove toward his camp. At the Knoll he brought out a blanket from the stable and covered the thing in the wagon.
“I’m goin’ to Tramworth with this,” he said, jerking his head toward the body, “and git Doc Wilson. Missus says Ross is some easier—only tetched by the bullet—lifted a piece of scalp; but I guess you better keep the missus comp’ny, Barney, for sometimes they get crazy-like and bust things. I’ve knowed ’em to.”
“You was goin’ to Tramworth anyhow, warn’t you?” asked Cameron, as he faced Harrigan.
“Sure thing, Jim,” replied Harrigan, a trifle over-eagerly. “There’s some stuff at the station fur the camp, that we’re needin’ bad.”
“Denny,” said Cameron solemnly, as the wide-tired wagon shrilled over the frosted road, “’t warn’t no knife that cut Injun Pete’s throat. That big dog of Ross’s done the job, and then skinned back to Lost Farm to tell Hoss Avery that they was somethin’ wrong.” He paused, looking quickly sideways at his companion. Then, fixing his gaze on the horses’ ears, he continued, “And they was, for Injun Pete warn’t three feet from young Ross when the dog got him.”