“Murderer?” he said slowly. “I do not understand. What do you mean?”
“No?” snarled his cousin. “Well, look at me! Would you say that I was a good case for a Life Insurance Society?”
The corporal looked at him, and out of pity was silent.
“Oh, you needn’t be so particular,” continued the other sneeringly. “I’ve seen other fellows whose lungs have been chilled, and I know I am booked, unless I can get to a sanatorium in double quick time. And I know you have a soft heart, but you should have let it speak sooner—before you put this upon me.”
“Before I put—— I do not know what you mean?”
“No! But you know that you poisoned that dog food that we took from you, don’t you? And you can guess——”
“Good God!” ejaculated the corporal, and the astonishment in his face and voice did more than any protests could have done to convince his cousin that the charge was groundless.
“You didn’t know? No, I see you didn’t!” cried the sick man.
“Of course I didn’t!” replied the policeman quickly. “The dogs you left me died of poison at my first camp, after they had been fed. I blamed your man, because you had told me that he was reluctant to let me go. Now it seems that I was wrong, as you are wrong. Tell me what happened?”