Pideau shook his head. For a thoughtful moment he gazed at the dead man, whose glazed eyes and dropped jaw stared up at him. Then he eyed the big, seven-chambered gun lying on the ground in close proximity.
“It don’t do leavin’ your old gun around anyway,” he said. “That ain’t clever nor bright. Best take it an’ clean it good right away.”
The Wolf glanced down at the gun. Then he stooped mechanically in obedience to the other and picked it up. He opened the old-fashioned side of the breech and revolved the chambers. There were six loaded chambers. The seventh contained a spent shell. He returned it whence he had taken it.
“Jest one shot,” Pideau approved. “But I don’t guess you ever need more’n one.”
The half-breed spoke with an amiable chuckle. But the Wolf’s shoulders went up coldly. Then he laughed.
“It’s a fool trick leavin’ the gun around,” he agreed. “But that’s easy fixed. Maybe I’ll clean it later the way you say. Meanwhiles we’ll leave it with him. We need to move quick. We’ll tote him back into the cave wher’ he’ll freeze right. We ken deal with his broncho later. O’Hagan’s waitin’ on his liquor an’ that means dollars. We’ll get busy. Say, get a grip on his legs. I’ll pack his other end.”
CHAPTER VII
WHERE THE CRIMINAL FINDS NO MERCY
SERGEANT-MAJOR STURT, of the Mounted Police, pulled on his short buffalo coat. As he turned up its storm collar about his neck and ears, and set his yellow-badged fur cap on his stubble of dark hair, he was a worried man.
He stared round him at the pleasant quarters which represented his home in the Calford barracks. His quick eye came to rest on one of the two small-paned windows. It revealed nothing except wintry daylight It was thick with ice and snow. But it was sufficient.
He was not concerned just now with anything the winter-bound barrack square beyond could show him. He was thinking; thinking hard. He was pondering the interview he was about to seek. And, for the autocrat of the Calford barrack square, for a man of his stern discipline, it afforded him no pleasant anticipation.