Deep in thought, the prosecutor
‘turned to court and completed the
earing, then stepping close to Sheriff
‘atum of Kimball County, he qui-
ly asked him to bring the two
oung people into his office, one at
time, the girl first.

Louise jauntily stepped into the
rosecutor’s office with an enquiring
ok. She had been in the limelight
nd was enjoying it immensely, so
‘ith a hopeful lift of the eyebrows,
ne asked what Mr. Fritzler wanted
) see her about. The situation was
nse. Unknown to Louise, Wieg-
er had been placed under detention
ending interview. Present in the
yom were the sheriff, Roscoe H.
‘atum, Mrs. Tatum as matron and
ye prosecutor.

The comely child in front of them
ad a story to tell. How bizarre
‘ould it be? Beginning the ques-
oning, Mr. Fritzler asked her where
rey came from. She replied: “From
ayton, Ohio. We left about two
r three months ago.”

“Oh, thought the astute lawyer.
she is lying right from the start,”
ut he let the falsehood slip by un-
nallenged. Enquiring who had been
ith them when they left Dayton,
re admitted her father had been a
ember of the party, but went on
) say that he had stayed in Alaska.

They, “Dusty” and Louise had left
him in Fairbanks, and then returned
to the United States.

Her answers were unsatisfactory.
She told the prosecutor, McComas
had just left the car in the street, with
all his baggage, and she did not know
where he would be staying. No fur-
ther questioning could shake her from
this story. Her juvenile mind did
not apparently appreciate how silly it
sounded. Then suddenly, the prose-
cutor said: ““What would you say if
you were told that your father was
dead?”

The only reply was a sheepish
giggle, and the child hung her head.
Several times during the short inter-
view, the girl had asked to ‘‘speak
to my brother first.’’ It seemed she
required coaching and did not want
to make any errors in her story. From
her entire attitude it was plain to see
she was concealing something of vital
importance. Dismissed, she was
taken aside by the matron for de-
tention.

Wiegner was then brought in by
the sheriff. Not quite so cock-sure
now, but still cool and collected. His
story matched that of the girl per-
fectly. McComas, baggage and all,
had just stepped out of the car in
Alaska, and Wiegner accompanied by
Louise had returned to the United
States. But Wiegner, under the steady

look of the sheriff and lawyer, falt
ered a little, then asked: ‘‘What did
Louise say, and did she tell you where
we left her father?”

There was no reply for a few mo-
ments to his query, then speaking
slowly, the prosecutor said: ‘‘Yes,
she told us.”

A Dirty MEss

Wiegner was taken aback. He ap-
parently chose to place his own in-
terpretation upon this reply, that the
gitl had made a clean breast of it.
After a few moments pause, the pros-
ecutor followed with: “Why don’t
you co-operate? It’s a dirty mess
and smells to high heaven.”’

Wiegner slowly looked up and re-
plied: “Yes it does. You better tear
up those notes you’ve been making,
they're almost all lies.”’

Then to the query ‘“What disposi-
tion did you make of John Mc-
Comas?’’ Wiegner told his version
of what had happened.

He admitted that McComas was
dead, and that he had killed him.
But it had been a hunting accident.
About a hundred miles north of
Dawson Creek, B.C. the party had
stopped to eat by the roadside. Their
supper, as usual came from tinned
goods. As a pastime after supper.
Louise and Wiegner had indulged in

BU @ PE tear

G. PRUDENTE, Proprietor

FULLY LICENSED
MODERN ROOMS @ Hot Water Heated
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Service with a Smile

PRINCE GEORGE British Columbia

Guerino Berdusco, Proprietor

EeEGOOD PLACE TO STAY
REASONABLE RATES

Six Mile Lake
Sawmills Lid.

MANUFACTURERS OF
ROUGH AND DRESSED
WESTERN SPRUCE LUMBER

With Hot and Cold Running Water

FULLY LICENSED

PRINCE GEORGE British Columbia PRINCE GEORGE British Columbia

LL
‘INETEENTH EDITION

Page Ninety-five