Prescott of Saskatchewan Part 33

Colston knew the man and he asked him to sit down. Jernyngham glanced up from the Winnipeg paper he was reading. His face was worn and had set into a fixed, harsh expression, but his manner conveyed a hint of eagerness; of late it had suggested that he was continually expecting something.

"I drove over to give Leslie a message," the newcomer continued. "I guess you have heard that Prescott's back."

Jernyngham started and dropped the paper.

"Prescott back? You must be mistaken!"

"No, sir! Spoke to him on the trail last night. He was hauling in a load to the settlement, and I was driving home half an hour after Mr.

Colston."

"There's only one trail," said Jernyngham, looking hard at Colston. "You must have met the fellow. Why didn't you tell me?"

Colston showed confusion.

"To tell the truth, I was afraid the news might distress and excite you.

You couldn't do anything until Monday, and I thought it better to let you spend to-day in peace."

"In peace!" Jernyngham laughed in a jarring manner. "Tormented as I am by suspense that grows beyond endurance!" His eyes glittered and the lines on his face deepened. "And I'm to be kept in ignorance while the villain who robbed and killed my son goes about his work undisturbed!"

There was an awkward silence for a few moments. Mrs. Colston looked distressed, and Gertrude regarded Muriel with a long searching glance.

The girl felt that she was being suspected of abetting her brother-in-law for some ulterior purpose. She was of sanguine temperament and wayward temper, and her blood ran warm; but she held in check the anger that she burned to give expression to. Then their visitor, whom they had forgotten, broke in:

"Now, sir, you're getting ahead too fast. There's nothing proved against Prescott, and I and others know he never did the thing!" He paused and Muriel, regardless of her companions, flung him a grateful glance as he went on: "Even Curtis can't bring it home to him!"

"Curtis," said Jernyngham contemptuously, "is a cautious fool! I'll communicate with his chiefs at Regina." He got up with a decided air.

"I'll start for Sebastian at once. Where's Leslie? I must see him about a team."

"You stay where you are," said the farmer, with rude sympathy. "I heard that one of the police bosses will be at the settlement to-morrow and you can see him then; Curtis took a room for him at the hotel. I'm telling you because the sooner all this muss is cleared up the better, and it won't hurt Prescott."

He went out and Jernyngham, without speaking to the others, picked up his paper. Muriel took a book from a shelf, but although she determinedly tried to fix her attention on it, she could make no sense of what she read. It was a dreary morning; Colston was soon driven out, and the others were oppressed by a feeling of constraint and tension. They were glad when Jernyngham and Gertrude started for Sebastian in the afternoon.

After they had gone, Colston looked at his wife and sister-in-law dolefully.

"This kind of thing will tell upon your nerves; I'm beginning to feel it," he said. "We must have a long drive to-morrow to get rid of the depression. Those people on the ranch by the bluff pressed us to come back again."

"There are many excuses for our friends; you couldn't expect them to be cheerful," Mrs. Colston replied.

"That's very true; one must try to remember it. It seems our duty to remain and comfort them as much as possible; but I can't say that they're always very grateful. Indeed, I have felt hurt by Gertrude's reserve, though, considering how trying all this must be for her, one can't take exception to it."

"Gertrude knows her brother is alive!" said Muriel coldly.

Her sister cast a keen glance at her, while Colston, made a sign of expostulation.

"I scarcely think you have any right to say that; but I'll confess that I'm wavering in my opinions--Prescott's return has had its effect on me.

In fact, the mystery's getting deeper and more fascinating; I feel impelled to wait and see it unraveled."

"That is hardly the way to regard it," his wife rebuked him. "I would rather remember that the Jernynghams have a strong claim on our sympathy."

"It's the main consideration, of course. But we'll decide on the drive to-morrow. It has been a depressing day."

CHAPTER XX

MURIEL RELIEVES HER MIND

On the Monday morning, Jernyngham was shown into the parlor of the hotel where a commissioned officer of the police sat waiting for him. He had keen, observant eyes, but his manner was quiet, and Jernyngham endeavored to control his impatience.

"I suppose you know that Prescott has returned to his farm?" he said, taking the chair the other pointed to.

"I have been informed so," the officer replied.

"Then may I ask what you mean to do?"

"We have come to no decision."

"But your men have a warrant for him!"

The officer changed his position and his expression hinted at forbearance.

"That is so. On the whole, I think it should not have been issued."

"You must not let the fellow's return influence you unduly."

"Very true," said the other with a calm which Jernyngham found maddening.

"It would be unwise to infer too much from that."

"He is a bold man; he has, no doubt, counted on the effect his coming back would have," Jernyngham urged.

"It's possible," the officer agreed.

Jernyngham's nerves had given way beneath the strain he had borne, and he now stood up, trembling with anger.

"Am I to understand that you intend to leave the fellow alone? Now, when he is within your reach, you will not arrest him? The scoundrel killed my son!"

"Might I suggest your sitting down again?" said the officer calmly. "Let me try to put the matter before you as we look at it. To begin with, we can't very well press the charge you make against Prescott without some proof of the victim's death, which has not been discovered yet. The muskeg, I must remind you, was drained and nothing found. The handsome reward you offered led to no result, though every man in the district who had any time to spare spent it in searching the bluffs. Corporal Curtis has made systematic investigations, but they have been fruitless."

"Corporal Curtis is a man of whose intelligence I have a very poor opinion!" said Jernyngham hotly.

His companion smiled.

"That's a point upon which I don't altogether share your views."

"In short, you intend to let the matter drop! I must protest against such a scandalous failure of justice! But you shall not let it drop; I warn you that I shall apply to Ottawa, where there are people who can put upon you the pressure that seems to be needed!"

A look of weariness crept into the officer's face.