The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-12-05
CHAPTER XII.
The Looted island.


our campfire near one of the fiords
Of western Alaska. where we had
gone on a hunting expedition after the
great moose of the west
/ was talking when suddenly Joe
touched me-
"Shshr' be whispered. There's some
Teller moving down by the creek.
We waited. and | was soon aware of
a figure advancing through the night.
Then voice said. Fine night,
mates and sinewy. long armed fel-
low with a bushy red beard stepped
into the circle of light
THE cold makes you keep your
hands in your pockets. don't it?'' said
Joe gently. at does me-
| then noticed that both men We're
covering each other with revolvers
through their pockets The stranger
slowly drew out his hand.
I'm John Stafford .
This here is Mr. Quarhch Of Que
bee. I'm his guide. We're come after
big game"
81 guess you're speaking truth. It's
up to me to apologize Pm free to own
/ was doubtful about you. You'll un-
derstand that when l tell you what's
happened Perhaps you've noticed an
island about eight miles off the coast.
lying nor nor'west?'
''Sort OF loaf shaped island7 Yes"
That's where / come from-Eel is
land. have a fox farm there. re-
turned to 1t yesterday after a run
down to Valdez. When / went away a
,s~-I0A ~
of some Of the finest black foxes be-
tween this and Ungava. / got back TO
find the foxes all killed and my hired
man disappeared"
''Who was he?"
''An Aleut. called Sam. He's been in
my employ three years see what
you're thinking-that he killed the fox
es, and I'd have thought that myself.
only know he didn't
"How's that?"
Zone reason is that own only one
boat. and when l went to the main
land last Friday week l took 1t, leav
ing Sam on the island It's all of
seven miles from the coast, SO he
couldn't have got away If he wanted.
That. say, Is one reason why 1t
couldn't have been him. The other
reasons as good. was decoyed away
so cleverly Here's the letter that did
| IT."
Sir-Your wife wants you to come down
at once. She's due for an operation in
she's hard put to 1t to plan for the chill
dren till she gets about again. So you'd
| best come. Yours truly,
| g. MACFARLANE (Doctor)
l gave him back the letter Amy
man would have gone on such news" ]
said
"Well, did," said Stafford savagely.
at got that letter twelve days back.
and Off 1 went hot foot. leaving Aleut
Sam I'm charge. It took me a week
going down. When reached the house
where my wife is living, she was sur
prised to see me. and | showed her
the letter. You can guess. 1t was all
liant! There wasn't any DR.. Mac
ane. nor any operation. and back
came-recor0 breaking travel-to Eel
island l found the place clean Quilted.
All the blacks and silvers caught and
killed, and the skinned carcasses lying
around. And Aleut Sam vanished as
| IL he had never lived. 1t may have
been done for spite. but whoever he
| was he lived in my cabin several days.
and slept in my bunk. | wonder what
| he did with Sam. Knocked him ON
| the head and heaved him in the sea
like as not I'm nigh desperate. The
| work of three years gone. three win
| tiers spent with Sam alone. like some
kind Of a Crusoe and his man Friday,
and keeping my wife and two little
gals down at Valdez
'Look here. amt 1t bit early In the
year TO kill foxes?' said Joe. after a
pause.
They'd have been worth % per eeat
more in a month"
Then why?"-
Because couldn't have been de-
coyed away except while the steamer
was running before the winter closed
down. See? Even as early as this In
the year the pelts were worth $4,000. !"
"Myr said Joe. Suspect any one
in Particular
II believe it may have been Trapper
Simpson. He's had a down on me
this good while back. Well, If it was
him, he's paid me out good. the black
guard"
Hard words don't bring down nOr
1 man nor deer said Joe
There was silence; then l said:
What would you give the man that
discovered who it was robbed your"
IF he didn't get me back my pelts
could give him nothing. If he did
| he'd be welcome TO $780, replied the
fox farmer
Good enough. November" l asked
Joe nodded.