The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-10-05
awhile. then slowly followed N, much
TO the girls apparent discontinue.

Barker said he thought he would leave
me, giving as reason that he hac
heard OF farm for sale In the locality
and he would look 1t up. Since 1t was
evening, concluded to go no further
that day, and, driving my team into
wood, | embarrassed my horses, fed
them. made some coffee and prepared
to spend the night there. Barker. who
by this time seemed to repose In me
confidence that didn't care to have.
told me that the girl was going to
sleep In a house In Tracy, and when
she awoke In the morning he would be
missing.
I made no reply to this. / was not
especially prejudiced in his favor. and
there was something about the girl
that drew nue. to her. ] confess / had
come to believe that some game was
being played between the two. and
had sufficient curiosity to be interested
In 1t. There are so many possible
complications In any affair In which a
woman is concerned that l had no
faith In any theory l formed with re-
gard to the couple 1t appeared. how
ever. that they were deceiving each
other.
About o o'clock Barker and l turned
in. The night being pleasant l didn't
sleep In the wagon. nor did he.
slept a few hours when something
awakened me. Barker was standing
IL n In n
something in his hands. and. although
l could not see what 1t was. / knew
by a series of clicks that 1t was re"
volver which he was examining, cock
ing 1t and lowering the hammer to re-
yolye the chambers. Then he put It
pistol from his other hip, he examined
that In the same way. He next looked
at his watch. trying to make out the
time of night. then. stepping stealthily.
moved away from the biyouac.
My curiosity In the little play that
was going on so near me impelled me
to get up and follow the man. He took
a road leading southwark down to-
ward a little town at the foot Of the
plateau called Jasper. / dared not
walk near him lest my steps be heard.
therefore kept about hundred yards
In his rear I was In danger of losing
him, but I would rather do 80 than
have him know that followed him. l
finally did lose him, but soon again
caught sight of him or what | sup
posed was he. What was my surprise.
keeping my eye on the figure before
me. upon its passing over rise In the
ground and showing its silhouette
against the sky to see the garments OF
a woman instead of man.
Had Barker taken on a disguise?
Had / lost him and fixed my gaze on
another? An explanation soon de-
veloped. Against the sky | saw two
figures. They looked to be side by
| could see the legs of one; the other
from the waist down was bell shaped
like woman's dress.
AS 1 looked the man turned to the
right and entered wood. Then saw
the woman do the same. entered the
wood at the point as near as l could
determine 1t that they had entered and
soon found myself In ravine. 1t was
dark as pitch In there. and could not
choose my steps. Occasionally l
would catch faint sound as one Of
the persons l followed dislodged q
stone or broke a stick under foot.
Guided by such indications l pushed
on till suddenly l was halted by
sound of another kind.
1t was the crack of a pistol or rife.
All was still for few minutes.
Then l heard some one hurry past me
up the declivity, but could not see
who it was. stood listening till 1
heard groan coming from below.
Then ] went down as rapidly as
could In the dark and after going
some distance stopped and listened.
Another groan nearer guided me, and,
moving toward 1t, l soon came to an
opening in the trees admitting enough
starlight to show me body lying on
the ground. bent over 1t. at the
same time asking:
"Who are your
''I'm Barker. Is that your
eyes, it's |. What's the troubleY'
1--WE been shot"
BADLY hurtY
81 think I'm done for I must give
you some information at once. I'm
John Archard. United States gov
eminent detective employed to hunt
up these Illicit mountain whisky stills
and bring those who run them to JUS
tice. I've come here after a man who
Is running a STILL Some one who has
got on to what l was after has fol-
lowed and shot me-
Whom do you suspectT
I'm at loss to know. It may be
that Nancy Parks, suspecting that I
was intending to shake her, watched
thing of my mission and thinking my
object to be simply to get rid Of her."
A very different theory occurred to
me. Judging from what had seen.
surmised that In Nancy Parks he had
happened on one who loved the man
he was after. l reckoned that man to
be Elijah Hanks. Likely the govern
ment man had led Nancy to size him
up for what he really was and to feel
assured that he proposed to arrest her
lover She had pretended to be infat-
uated with Archard and followed him
to keep him In view till she could
warn her lover. Having failed To