"
"Did you follow the trail immediately yourselves?"
"No, Jim Eberts."
"Jim Eberts?"
"Foreman," said Mr. Raimes, who seemed to regard conversation in the
light of an interference with the more important business in which he
was industriously engaged.
"But you saw the horses yourself on the Blood reserve?"
"Followed up and seen 'em."
"How long since you saw them there, Mr. Raimes?"
"Two days."
"You are quite sure about the horses?"
"Sure."
"Call Inspector Dickson!" ordered the Commissioner.
Inspector Dickson appeared and saluted.
"We have information that a party of Blood Indians have stolen a band of
horses from these gentlemen from Montana and that these horses are now
on the Blood reserve. Take a couple of men and investigate, and if you
find the horses bring them back."
"Couple of men!" ejaculated Mr. Cadwaller breathlessly. "A couple of
hundred, you mean, General!"
"What for?"
"Why, to sur--raound them--there--Indians." The regulations of the court
room considerably hampered Mr. Cadwaller's fluency of speech.
"It is not necessary at all, Mr. Cadwaller. Besides, we have only some
eighty men all told at this post. Our whole force in the territories is
less than five hundred men."
"Five hundred men! You mean for this State, General--Alberta?"
"No, Sir.
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