he ch Ty of 3,01 ).00 0.00 ).56 fr pe November Joe The Detective of the Woods By HESKETH PRICHARD Copyright, 1913, By Hesketh Prichard ~~ SYNOPSIS. James Quaritch engages November Joe as his guide. Joe and he go to Big Tree portage to investigate the murder of a trapper named Lyon. -——, - Joe decides that the murderer followed Lyon to his camp and shot nim from a canoe. By studying woodland evidence and making clever deductions Joe discovers the murderer, Highamson. Lumberman Close reports that Blackmask, a high- wayman, is robbing his men. Six lumberjacks are robbed by the same man. Joe makes a careful examination of the scene of the robbery. Close is accused by his men, but Joe arrests Chris, one of the lumberjacks, the real robber. wary mone, a widow, has been robbg of valuable pelts. Joe and Evans, a ga warden, search for the thief Sally’s lover, Val Black, is suspect but Joe catches the actual culprit, Ir Sylvester. Millionaire Planx’'s daug}l Virginia hus been abducted. The abductors ‘demand $160,000 rans for Virginia. Joe's investigations in cate that one Hank Harper has abductc the girl. Joe ascertains that Virginia had herselt abducted to get the ransom for her lover. Joe goes after Cecil Atterson, who has stolen $100,000. . Joe discovers that the robber has been robbed by his sweetheart, Phedre Poin- tarre, and compels her to give up the money. John Stafford has been robbed of val- uable black foxes. Aleut employed by Stafford was in league with the thieves. i And now 1 will leave out any ac- count of the events of the next six- teen hours which we spent in the skiff and pick up the thread of this history again with Stafford knocking at the doo? of the Jurgensens’' cabin on Upsala island. We had landed there after dark. Joe and I stood back while Stafford faced the door. It was thrown open and a big gingerbread Swede demand: ~ed hid business +7 “I’ve just called around to take back my foxes.” said Stafford. “Vot voxes:” “The blacks and silvers you stole.” “You are madt!” “Shut it!” cried Stafford. “Ten days ago you and your wife, having decoy: ‘ed me away to Valdez, went to Eel is land. You were there eight days, dur ing which time you cleaned out every animal I owned on it. 1 know you didn’t kill them, though you tried tc make me believe you had by leaving the skinned carcasses of a lot of red foxes, Three days ago you left Eel island.” . As he spoke I saw the wizened fig- are of a woman squeezing out under the big Swede’s elbow. She had a nar row face, with blinking malevolent eyes, that she fixed on Stafford. “Zo! Vot then?” jeered Jurgensen. “Then you rowed over to Edith isiand and marooned my man Aleut Sam, who was in the robbery with you.” The big Swede snatched up a rifle by the door and stepped out. “Get out of here,” he cried, “or’— He paused on Aching sight of Joe and myself. i “I'll go if you wish it,” said Stafford dangerously. “but if I do it'll be to re- turn with the police.” “And look here, Mr. Dutchman.” broke in Joe gently, “if it comes to that you'll get put away for a fifteen years’ rest cure, sure.” “Who are you?’ bellowed Jurgensen. “He’s the man that told me your wife was weakly and spilled the water from the kettle when she lifted it, for he found her tracks at my place by the stove. He's the man that discovered ax cut log ends in Aleut Sam’s fire on Edith island when we knew Sam had po ax with him, He's the man IT owe a lot to.” “Me also,” said Jurgensen venomous- ly as he bowed his head. *“Vot you vant—your terms?” he asked at last. . Stafford had his answer ready. ‘My own foxes—that’s restoration—and two of yours by way of interest—that’s ret- ribution.” “Ant if 1 say no?” . “You won’t. Where's my foxes?” Jurgensen hesitated, but clearly there <ould be only one decision in the cir- cumstances. “I haf them in my ken- nels,” he answered. “Wire inclosures?’ cried Stafford in disgust. “Yes.” “You can’t grow a decent pelt in a cage.” snapped Stafford, with the ea- gerness of a fanatic mounted upon his hobby. “You must let them live their natural life as near as possible or their color suffers. The pigmentary glands get affected” — “poof! 1 haf read of all that in x ‘Zienti election of Color d ] v ihe, book ‘Zientific Zelo } go it will come into the hands of riters. Forms.” ” Joe finds that an |’ Jurg raised startled eyes. “You see me?” “No.” “How you know then?” Joe laughed. “1 guess the spiders must ’a’ told me.” said he. CHAPTER XIII. ‘Linda Petersham. OVEMBER JOE had bidden me N farewell at the little siding known by the picturesque name of Silent Water. _*“’Spect you'll be back again. Mr. Quaritch, as soon as you've fixed them new mining contracts, and then. may- be, we'll try a wolf hunt. There's a tidy pack comes eut on the Lac Noir ice when it's moonlight.” But the shackles of business are not so easily shaken off, and the spring had already come before another va- cation in the woods had begun to merge .into possibility. About this time Linda Petersham rang me up on the telephone and demanded my pres- ence at lunch. “But I am engaged.” said I is it’ i “] will tell you when you coine. I want you.” I made another effort to explain my position. but Linda had said her last word and rung off. I smiled as U call- ed up the picture of a small Greek head crowned with golden hair. a pair of dark blue eyes and a mouth svear- ing a rather imperious expression. The end of it was that I went, for I have known Linda all her life. The Petersham family consists of Linda and her father. and. though in busi- ness relations Mr. Petersham is a pow- er to be reckoned with, at home he ex- {sts for the sole apparent purpose of carrying out his charming daughter's wishes. It is a delightful house to go to, for they are the happiest people I know. 1 found myself the only guest, which surprised me, for the Petersham man- sion has a reputation for hospitality. “James, 1 want you to do this for me. I-want you to persuade pop not to do something.” ’ “1? 1 persuade him? You don't need me for that—yeou. who can make him do or not do anything, just as you wish!” “I thought I could, but 1 find T can’t.” “How is that?” “Well, he is set on going back to Kalmacks.” “Kalmacks? 1 know it is the place Julius Fischer built up in the mnoun- “What tains. He used to go shooting and fishing there.” “That is it. It's a place you'd love— lots of good rooms and standing way back on a mountain slope, with niles of view and a stream tumbling past the very door. Father bought if last year and with it all the sporting rights Julius Fischer claimed. The woods are’ full of moose, and there are beaver and , otter. and that’s where the trouble | came in.” “But Fischer had trouble from the day he went up to shoot at Kalmacks He had to run for it. so 1 wus told, Didn’t your father know that? Why did Mr. Petersham have anything to do with the place?” “Qh, it was just one of pop’s no tions, I suppose,” said Linda, with the rather weary tolerance of the modern daughter. “They are & dangerous lot round there.” “He knew thet. They are squatters —trappers who have squatted among those woods and hills for generations Of course they think the country be- Jongs to them Pop knew that, and in bis opinion rhe compensation Julius Fischer offered and gave them was in adequate ” “It would be” I commented. I could withant effort imagine Julius Fischer's views on compensation, for 1 had met hin in business. “Well, father went into the matter. and he found that the squatters had a good deal to be said for their side of the case, so that he did what he thought was fair by them. He paid them good high prices for their rights. or what they considered to be their rights, for in law, of course:they pos sessed none. Every one seemed pleased and satisfied. and we were looking for- ward to going there this spring for the fishing when news came that one of fa ther’s game wardens had been shot at.” “Shot at?’ Linda nodded the Greek head I ad mired so much. “Yes. Last autumn father put on a couple of wardens to look after the game, and they have been there all winter. From their reports they have got on quite well with the squatters, and now suddenly, for no reason that they can guess, one of them, William Worke by name, has been fired upon in his camp.” “Killed?” 1 asked. “No, but badly wounded. He sald he was sure the bullet could have been put into his heart just as easily, but it was sent through his knee by way of a notice to quit, he thinks.” “Those folks up there must be half savages.” “They are, but that’s not all. Three days ago a letter came, meant for fa- ther, but addressed to me. Whoever wrote it must have seen father and knew that he was not the kind of man who could be readily frightened, so they thought they would get at him through me. It was a horrible letter.” The words were written upon a sheet torn from an old account book. They ran as follows: You, Petersham, you mean skunk! Don’t you come in our wods unles yor willing to pay five thousand dollars. Bring the goods and youl be told wher to put it, Dollars ain't nothin to you, but they can 1 that if father does not pay up that $5. 000 he will be shot ™ “Not necessarily He need not go up to RKalmacks this fall” “But of course he will go’ He's more set on going than ever You know fa ther when he’s dealing with men And he persists in his opinion that the let ter is probably only bluff.” 1 considered for a little before | spoke. “Linda, have you really sent for me to try to persuade your father that it would be wiser for him not to go to Kalmacks?" Linda’s lip curled scornfully. “I should not put it just like that! 1 can imagine father's answer if you did I'm afraid it will be no good letting you say anything you devn’t know how ” “You mea: that I have no tact?” She smiled at me, and I instantly forgave her “Well. perhaps I do. but ot subtle compliment to the eloyuence of the narrator When we stopped near a patch of pine trees to partake of an impromptu: lunch it was his quick hands that pre pared the campfire and bis skilled ax that fashioned the rude but comforta ble seats [It was he also who disap peared for a moment to return with three half pound trout that he had taken by some swift process of his own from the brook. of which we only heard the murmur And for all these doings he received an amount of open admiration from Linda's blue eyes which seemed to me almost exagger ated. yout know it is far better to be able to give help than just to talk about it. Father is determined on going to Kal macks, and 1 want you to come with DER “Us? 1 cried. “Naturally, I'm going.” “But it is absurd! Your father would never allow it!” “He can’t prevent it. dear James,” she said softly. "I don’t for a moment suppose that even the Kalmacks people would attack a woman. And father is all that | have in the world [I'm go tng.” “Then 1 suppose 1 shall have to go too. But tell me what purpose does yonr father think he will serve by un- dertaking this very risky expedition?” “He believes that the general feeling up at Kalmacks is in his favor. and tise shooting of the warden as well as the writing of this letter is the work of a small band of individuals who wish to blackmail him. We will be quite a strong party, and he hopes to discover who is threatening him. By the way. didn’t 1 hear from Sir An- drew McLerrick that you had been in the woods all these last falls with a_ wonderful guide who could read trails like Uncas, the last of the Delawares, or one of those old trappers one reads of in Fenimore Cooper's novels?” “That's true.” *Y¥what is his name?’ “November Joe.” “November Joe,” she repeated. “1 visualize him at once. A wintry look- ing old man, with gray goatee and piercing eyes.” 1 burst out laughing. *It's extraor- dinary you should hit him off so well.” “He must come too,” she com- manded. On Friday | got Joe, who arranged to meet us at Priamville. the nearest point on the railway to those moun- tains in the heart of which the estate of Kalmacks was situated. I myself arranged to accompany the Peter shams. Into the story of our joxmney to Prinmville 1 need not go. but will pick up the sequence of events at the mo- went of .our arrival at that enterpris fug town when Lindi, looking from the car window. suddenly exclaimed: “Look at that iaguificent young : man!” “Which on«?" 1 asked innocently as 1 caught sicht of November's tall fig are awaiting ns “How maby men in sight answer my description” she retorted Of course I mean the woodsiman \WWhy. he’s coming this way I must speak to him.” Before | could answer she had jump ed lightly to the platform and. turning to Joe with a childlike expression in her blue eyes. said: “Oh. can you tell me how many min utes this train stops here?” “It don’t generally stop here at all but they flagged her because they're expecting passengers. Can I help you any, miss?” “It’s very kind of you.” At this moment 1 appeared from the car. “Hello, Joe!” said I. “How are things?” “All right. Mr. Quaritch. There's two slick buckboards with a pair of horses to each waiting and a wagon ette fit for the king o’ Russia. The road between this and the mountains is flooded by beaver working in a back water ’bout ten miles out. They say we can drive through all right. Miss Petersham needn't fear getting too wet.” “How do you know my name?’ ex claimed Linda. “«] heard you described, miss,” re plied Joe gravely. Linda looked at me. “Good for the old mossback!” said 1 Her lips bent into a sudden smile “You must be Mr. November Joe. 1 have heard so much of you from Mr Quaritch.” We went out and loaded our bag: gage upon the waiting buckboards. One of these was driven by a small sallow faced man, who turned out to be the second game warden, Puttick. Mr. Petersham asked how Bill Worke, the wounded man, was {Pro gressing. “He's coming along pretty tidy, Mr Petersham, but he’ll carry a stiff leg with him all his life.” “I'm sorry for that. 1 suppose you have found out nothing further as to the identity of the man who fired the shot?” “Nothing,” said Puttick, “and not ‘likely to. They're all banded togeth- er up there.” - On which cheerful information our little caravan started. At Linda’s wish Joe took the place of the driver of Mr. Petersham’s light imported wag: onette, and as we went along she gave him a very clear story of the sequence of events, to all of which he listened with the characteristic series of “Well nows!” and “You don’t says!” with which he was in the habit of punctuat ing the remarks of a lady. He said them, ¢ sual. in a voice which not! red the facts at exactly nt i { ‘while “I think your November Joe is a per fect dear.” she confided to me. “If you really think that” said L “have mercy on him! You do not want to add his scalp to all the oth ers.” “Many of the others are bald.” said she. “His hair would furnish a dozen of them!” CHAPTER XIV. Men of the Mountains. O the afternoon passed away, and as it became late we entered great tracts of gloomy pine woods. A wind which had risen with the evening meams€ through their tops and flung the dark waters of innumerable little lakes against their moss bordered shores. I noticed that Puttick emmimmg bis rifle and laid it among the packs upon the buckboard beside him, and when ever the road dipped to a more than usually somber defile his eyes, quick and restless as those of some ‘forest animal. darted and peered into the shadows The light of the sun was fading when there occurred the one in cident of our journey. It was not of real importance, but 1 think it made an impression on all of us. The road along which we were driving came sudden!y out into an open space, and here in front of a shack ef the rough- est description a ‘man was engaged in cutting logs As we passed L2 glanced up at us. and his face was like that of some niedieval prisoner—a tangle of wild beard. a mass of grayish hair and among it all a pair of eyes which seemed to glare forth batred. There was something ominous about the wolfish. face. It was already dark when we arriv- ed at the house, a long. low building of surprising spaciousness. set literally among the pines. the fragrant brancl es of which tapped and rustled upon the windows. * We went in. and while dinner was preparing Mr. Petersham, Joe and | went to the room where the wounded game warden. Worke, lay upon a bed smoking a pipe with a candle sputter ing on a chair beside him. “Yes, Mr. Petersham,” said he in an- swer to a question. “When you went fall 1 did think shings was “down a bit, but a week ago Puttick was on the eastern boundary 1 thought I'd go up to Senlis lake. where last year Keoghun had the brook petted. I was making a fire to boil my kettle when a shot was fired from the rocks up above. and the next I knew was that I was hit pretty bad through this knee. “It was coming ou dark. and 1 rolled into a bush for cover, but whoever it were didn’t fire at me again. | dem’t think he wanted to kill me. If be had he could have put the bullet into my heart just as easy as in my leg. { tied "Bet up the wound the best way I esaid. —— > _— AAA, GANZ Scien On His Face Was Like That of Some Medieval Prisoner. Lucky the bullet hadn’t touched any big artery. Next morning I crawled up the hill and lit signal smokes till Puttick came. He brought me in here.” “I suppose Puttick had a look round for the tracks of the fella who gunned you?” asked November. “He did, but he didn’t find cut noth- ing. There was a light shower be- tween dark and dawn, and the ground on the hill above there is mostly rock.” Such, then, was the story of our coming to Kaln ts, and for the next { two or three ye spent our time “Children Cry ZT goric, Drops and Soothing substance. and allays Feverishness. Diarrhcea. It regulates o ANNU RANANRNRNNR A ANN for Fletcher's NRA 27/7 IN\\NNNNNNN 7, 7 The Kind You Have Always Bought, and which has been in use for over 30 years, has borne the signature of and has been made under his per= sonal supervision since its infancy. ly Allow no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and ¢¢ Just-as-good >’ are but Experiments that triile with and endanger the health of Infants and Children—Experience against Experiment What is CASTORIA Castoria is a harmless substitute for Castor C..,, Pare= Syrups. It is pleasant. If contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms For more than thirty years it has been in constant use for the relief of Constipation, Flatulency, Wind Colic, all Teething Troubles and the Stomach and Bowels, assimilates the Food, giving healthy and natural sleep. The Children’s Panacea—The Mother’s Friend. GENUINE CASTORIA ALwAYS Bears the Signature of In Use For Over 30 Years The Kind You Have Always Bought THE CENTAUR COMPANY, NEW YORK CITY, insisieu pup @ccompanying, walked over to Senlis take and had a look at the scene of Worke's accident. The old tracks, of course. were long since washed away, and | thought, with the others, that Joe’s visit had been fruit less until he showed me the shell of an exploded cartridge “The bulet which went through Bill Worke’s leg came out of that. | found it on the hill above. It's a 45.75 cen tral fire rifle. an old ‘76 model.” “This is a great discovery you and Miss Petersham have made.” Joe smiled ‘*“There's nothing much to it, anyway She lost her brooch somewhere by the lake and was lookin for it when I found this.” Joe indi- cated the exploded shell. *The moun- tains is full of 45.75 guns, 1876 pat tern. Some years back a big iron mongery store down here went bust and threw a fine stock of them caliber rifles on the market. “A few dollars would buy one, so there’s one in pret ty nigh every house and two and three in some. Howsoever, it may be ‘useful to know that him that shot Bill Worke carried that kind o' a rifle Still, we'd best keep it to ourselves, Mr. Quaritch.” “All right” said I. “By the way, Joe, there's a side to the situation I don’t understand. We've been here four days, and nothing has happened. I mean Mr. Petersham has .had no word of where to put the $5.000 black- madi these criminals are demanding of ” “Maybe there’s a reason for that.” “] can't think of any.” “What about the sand?” “The sand?” I repeated. “Pse. bavew’t you noticed? TI got Me. Petersham to have two loads of eand brought up from the lake and laid all round the bouse. It takes a track wonderful. I guess it’s pretty near fmpossible to come nigh the house without leaving a clear trail. But the first rainy night, | mean when there’s rain enough to wash out tracks.” “They'll come?” “Yes, they’ll likely come.” But as it happened Joe was wrong. I believe that his reasoning was cor rect enough. and that it was the fear of leaving such marks as would enable us to gather something of their iden: tity that kept the enemy from pinning upon our door the letter which finally arrived prosaically enough in a cheap store envelope that bore the Priam- ville postmark. The contents of this : letter were as follows: Petersham, you go alone to Butler's { cairn 11 o'clock Friday night. Take the | dollars along; youl be met their and can | hand it over. Below was a rude drawing of a cof- fin. Petersham read the note out to Joe and myself. : “Where's Butler's cairn?’ he asked. «J know it.” said November. “But- ler’s cairn is on a hill about two miles west of here.” “1 suppose you won’t go?’ said I. “With the money? Certainly not!” “You can hardly go #ithout it.” “Why not?” “You would be shot down.” *“1°d talk to the rufiians first and then if there was any shooting, I guess I'd be as much in it as they would.” *] suggest that we all three go,” 1 said. But Joe would have none of this plan. “There's nothing to be gained by that, Mr. Quaritch. You bet these fellas’ll keep a pretty bright lookout. If they saw three of us coming they'd shoot as like as not. “] was thinking I might slip right along to Butler's cairn and maybe get | a look at the fe “No!” sa won’t allo i | would be t’ | (To Be Contin am decidedly. “I say yourself you For RENT—Nine room house, 0 would rent part of same, on Main street. above B. & O. Also one-half of house for rent, of four rooms, rear of 413 Main street. For Sale—Good sized double heater and other articles. Apply to LUKE HAY, 413 Main Street. FIVE CENTS PROVES IT. . A generous offer. 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