The corporal did not hesitate.
“A while ago I could have given you my promise. But not now. It is too late, madam.”
The policeman was afraid that he had sounded his own death-knell. Well, he had told the truth, anyway. He had not lied to her. He had not stained his honor or violated the code. He wondered why he could feel so calm with those eyes blazing at him and the knowledge that he was about to die. Calm!—when he could see that the index finger of her right hand was beginning to press slowly but determinedly against the trigger.
“Time’s up!” thought Corporal Rand.
And then—like the sound that comes out of a dream—the opening of a door.
CHAPTER XIII
ON CREEL’S TRAIL
The search for Creel had taken the boys southward. They were not sure that he had gone that way; it merely seemed the most likely direction. He had taken the contents of his money-box and had decamped, leaving no trail. Just before starting, they had found the empty chest in the room which he had occupied.
Being a fugitive from justice, and with a considerable amount of money in his possession, the natural deduction was that he was making his way out to Edmonton. His chance of escaping was good. He had at least six hours’ start. He was not known to be a criminal. Almost anywhere he would have passed unchallenged. As yet, the police had had no opportunity to telegraph ahead in an effort to secure his apprehension.
The boys had discussed his probable route, deciding that he would go by way of Peace River Crossing. Boats of the Hudson’s Bay Company plied up and down the river during the spring and summer months, and it was only reasonable to suppose that he would secure passage on one of these, ascend the river to Peace River Crossing, where he could purchase a ticket to go by rail to Edmonton.
All this, of course, was mere conjecture. They had no real assurance that it was the route that the old recluse would take. For all they knew, he might still be in hiding somewhere in the vicinity of the road-house. The only way to determine whether or not he was on his way south, was to set out along the trail, making inquiries wherever possible.