The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1913-04-24
IyD. FLETCHER RODINSON

when fell In with a middle-aged
specialized gentleman, who was stroll
ing along with a tin collecting-case
on bis back. such as botanists use
We fell to talking. and one thing led
to another. until, when | turned on
down to the lake to see after my
ducks. he came with me. He never
meant no harm as know of, but
would give all | have never to have
seen him"
What was he llke?" asked the I'm
spector.
"A short fellow. with brown full
beard and a slight stutter. Very
| pleasant he was to talk to; but this is
outside the point, sir. as you will see.
We walked down the causeway, and
just before the pavilion what should
we come across but three dead birds,
all with their heads bitten clean on.
1t made me wild, for the foxes have
been plaguing me cruel this spring.
Sir william never would have one
shot, though he had given up hunting
many years. AS for the young mas
ter, couldn't say as to his Views,
for had never set eyes upon bim.
THE stranger. he sympathize1 very
kindly with me, and l told tim my
troubles. How they can expect a
keeper to rear a decent lot Of Wild
duck with plague Of foes in his
midst. I'm dashed II I know, said.
He allowed that fox who would kjsh
ducks like that was as bad as a mas
eating tiger. She's a cunning old
vixen as won't let me get within shot
Of her. told him. but I've half
mind to set spring gun for her on
the causeway here
BLESS my soul, how that fellow
laughed. He threw back his head and
crowed with Joy at my idea. "A spring
gun for fox he says; why. keeper,
it's the very thing Think OF the sim
plicity Of 1t and the certainty OF 1t
and the security OF It, Those were
his words. After that he sobered
down and began talking more serious.
Did really understand how to set
spring gun? l told him no; and then
he explained how he had a friend
from India who had often used them
to kill jackals. Whether l did right
or wrong, the fact is that I agreed
to set the gun when he sent me the
instructions.
We'll. sir, his letter arrived yes
terday morning with careful little
plans and ALL loaded my gun with
buckshot and carried 1t down to the
causeway shortly after dusk had
lost several more ducks each day, and
my mind was made up to have that
old vixen. l fixed the gun, with
thread of strong cotton across the
path and round the trigger. You may
think l took wicked risk, but had
hardly ever known any one to pass
along the causeway In the daytime,
far less at night. Yet, for safety's
sake. meant to take 1t up again at
dawn
Il walked home and sat smoking
my pipe for a while But l was wor-
ried and disturbed I couldn't get 1t
from my mind that there was danger
in that spring gun left to itself as 1t
we're. Even II bagged the old vixen
some one might hear the shot and
find the body. A dead fox would
make me a marked man amongst all
the hunting people about. + didn't
like that thought neither. At last l
couldn't stand 1t no longer, and set
off back to the causeway. | was more
than halfway when l heard the shot,
and that set me running When l saw
the policeman | was nightly afraid
he would be finding the vixen dead.
That's why I lied to him."
Il know the rest. Warner" said
Peace; but want few details. Did
you see any sign of another man?v
No, sir"
Where was Sir Andrew hit?"
THE chest sir; he got it full in the
chest"
so | understood A curious ele-
walton of the muzzle. Ell? Did you
expect fox over five feet high?"