shoes had been making several trips to and fro. On a piece of vacant land on the far side of the lane was a large trash box, in which the rubbish of the neighbourhood was collected. This was a very large and well constructed affair with a lid. The footprints led directly to it. Here indeed might be the source of the inflammable ma- terial which the arsonist had used. Constable Krivenko lifted the lid and looked inside. The guess had been right, for inside the box were a number of jute bags which had con- tained binder twine, and these matched the bag found at the corner of the Women’s Institute Building. Besides this, other ma- terial was found which compared favourably with the contents of the kindling bag. Making arrangements to have the foot- prints guarded, Constable Krivenko fol- lowed the trail in the soft dust for about two blocks down a trail, then suddenly he stopped as he found in which direction the JOHN MILTON COMPANY Dealers in Wood, Hard and Soft Coal Light and Heavy Dray and Expressing Telephone 18 * Kamloops, B.C. 335 Lansdowne St. DEARBORN MOTORS LTD. Ford Dealers GASOLINE, OILS, TIRES ACCESSORIES, REPAIRS, WELDING Kamloops British Columbia “A Home Away from Home” Especially for Families When in Kamloops Make Your Headquarters The CENTRAL HOTEL Mr. and Mrs. T. Bral, Proprietors e (Opposite C. P.R. Depot) KAMLOOPS, B. C. Doug. A. B. McPherson Geo. E. McPherson Mefherson’s BHuneral Chapel 372 Seymour Street Kamloops, B.C. Established 1882 In our quiet and well ordered Funeral Chapel is found the same reverent attitude that shows itself at all times in our professional conduct. Page Sixty-four footprints were taking him. The full signi- ficance of a casual mental note he had made earlier in the evening struck him. While speaking to the two young ladies at the telephone office a little earlier, the Con- stable had noted a figure shuffling down the street, wearing what he had taken to be slippers. The figure had disappeared in the direction of Coldstream Street, to return about ten minutes later walking much faster, and finally being lost to sight in the Chinese section. The constable and girls had ex- changed a word about the man, who ap- peared to be a Chinese with “pudding basin” haircut clearly visible as he wore no hat. Could the unknown Chinese be the fire- bug? Well, the quickest way of answering the question, was to follow the footprints as far as possible. With eyes scanning the dust before him, Krivenko moved slowly, at times losing the faint trail, then finding a new tell-tale footprint to indicate the way. The powdery dust was an excellent medium for registering a footprint, but due to its fineness, the lightest breath of air disturbed the pattern and merged it with other prints. By dint of perseverance, Krivenko reached the door of a Chinese bunkhouse, the loca- tion of the last prints clearly indicating that the suspect had entered the building. Dark WAYS AND VAIN TRICKS Constable Krivenko then hurried about the bunkhouse till he saw that which he sought, a pair of rubbers under a bunk. A hurried glance at the rubbers indicated that they were of the same pattern to the foot- prints he had so painstakingly followed. To make sure the constable hurriedly took one of the rubbers and by the light of his flashlight, compared the rubber with the closest print. ‘Che comparison was perfect, as far as a glance could tell, and the con stable returned and surveyed the sleeping figure of an old and grizzled Chinese, lying in the bunk above the accusing rubbers. Quietly the constable awakened the Chinese, who seemed unusually hard to bring back to consciousness. Sleepily the Chinese asked the officer what he wanted. On be- ing asked what time he went to bed, he replied, “I go sleep ten o'clock,” then, “Washamalla?” Then, “When did you get up,” from the constable, to which the Chinese replied, “I no get up. All time stop bed. No get up.” Further questioning elicited the information that the Chinese had retired about 10 p.m. and that he had not left his bed, in fact he had not awakened till rudely aroused by the officer. Casu- ally the officer picked up a box of matches which obviously belonged to the Chinese, and taking out one of the little sticks com- pared it with one of the burned matches found at the scene of the fire. Further questioning proved fruitless, the Chinese remaining adamant in his claim that he had remained in bed since 10 p.m. the night be- fore. Questioning of other Chinese in the bunkhouse did not bring out any further in- formation other than the fact no one had seen the old man leave the place after retiring. Constable Krivenko was far from satis- fied, and decided to take the pair of rubbe, found under the bed. Leaving the Chip, man to his own thoughts, the constable x turned to the police station where he cay fully locked the rubbers and _ burne matches, as well as the box of matche found at the bunkhouse, in his locker fo future use. The following morning, Constable Kriy enko reported to his superior officer, Cor poral L. A. N. Potterton (now Sergeant i charge of Hazelton District), who at th time was in charge of Vernon City De tachment of the B.C. Police. When th Corporal had received full information q the night’s events from Constable Krivenkc he at once went into action. While th constable had taken every precaution to pre serve the footprints, it was obvious tha photographs would have to be taken to pre serve the evidence. Due to the importanc of this evidence, Corporal Potterton fel Compliments DWYER’S FUNERAL HOME e 825 Seymour St. Kamloops, B.C. Doing just one thing... Furnishing homes in Kamloops for over 39 years. N. S. DALGLEISH & SONS Hardware, Furniture, Etc. KAMLOOPS, B.C. White Way Laundry Ltd. 77 Victoria St. W. DRY CLEANERS AND DYERS Kamloops, B.C. The Kamloops Mercantile Co. L. McLEOD, Manager Men’s Furnishings. Boots and Shoes Luggage Kamloops, British Columbia WILCOX-HALL CO. LTD. “STORE OF FINE HARDWARE” Dealers in Marshall-Wells House Paints, Var- nishes and Oils; Crockery, Spencer Foundry Ranges, Electrical Supplies, DeForest Radios, Etc.; Fishing and Hunting Supplies. Kamloops, B.C. ———————————————_—_ THE SHOULDER STRA!