rn. In the end, unless
he got out, the river would be like a trap for Imbrie. It was quite
likely that he understood this, and was even now struggling to get away
as far as possible.

On the morning of the tenth day after leaving Imbrie's shack they
arrived at the Horse Track, and Ahchoogah's village. Their coming was
hailed with the same noisy excitement, in which there was no trace of a
welcome. Stonor instantly sought out the head man, and abruptly demanded
to know when Imbrie had returned, and where he had gone. Ahchoogah, with
the most perfect air of surprise, denied all knowledge of the White
Medicine Man, and in his turn sought to question Stonor as to what had
happened. It was possible, of course, that Ahchoogah's innocence was
real, but he had the air of an accomplished liar. He could not quite
conceal the satisfaction he took in his own fine acting.

Stonor posted Clare at the door of the shack, whence she could overlook
the entire village, with instructions to raise an alarm if she saw
anybody trying to escape. Meanwhile, with Mary, he made his usual search
among the tepees, questioning all the people. Nothing resulted from
this, but on his rounds he was greatly elated to discover among the
canoes lying in the little river the one with the peculiar notches cut
in the bow-thwart. So he was still on his man's track! He said nothing
to any one of his find.

He set himself to puzzle out in which direction Imbrie would likely next
have turned. Certainly not to Fort Enterprise; that would be sticking
his head in the lion's mouth. It was possible Ahchoogah might have
concealed him in the surrounding bush, but Stonor doubted that, for they
knew that the policeman must soon be back, and their instinct would be
to get the man safely out of his way. There remained the third Kakisa
village at Swan Lake, seventy miles up the river, but in that case, why
should he not have gone on in the canoe? However, Stonor learned from
Mary that it was customary for the Kakisas to ride to Swan Lake. While
it was three days' paddle up-stream it could be ridden in a day. In
fact, everything pointed to Swan Lake. If Imbrie was trying to get out
of the country altogether the upper Swan provided the only route in this
direction. Stonor decided to take the time to pay a little surprise
visit to the village there.

Stonor announced at large that he was returning to Fort Enterprise that
same day. Ahchoogah's anxiety to speed his departure