The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-11-16

Il.
this continent. verify believe. Ii Joe
is free and can go with you. you will
get your moose with the sixty inch
horns understand that be has en-
tered into some sort OF contract with
the provincial police"
with the policeT' | repeated.
''Yes. He is to help them In such
cases as may lie withtr the scope OF
his special experience. de Is, indeed.
the very last person | should like 70
have upon my trail had / committed
a murder He is most skilled and
minute observer. ind you must not for
get that the speciality Of Sherlock
Holmes is the everyday routine Of
woodsman Observation and deduc-
ton are part and parcel of his daily
existence. He literally reads as he
runs The floor of the forest Is his
page. And when a crime is committed
in the woods these facts are very for
tunate There nature is the criminals
best ally. She seems to league herself
with him in many ways. Often she
delays the discovery of his i'll doing:
she covers his deeds with her leaves
and her snow; his track she washes
away with her rain. and more than
all she provides him With vast area
of refuge. over which she sends the
appointed hours of darkness. during
which he can travel fast and far"
call things considered. it is surpris
ing that so many woods crimes are
brought home TO their perpetrators"
There you are forgetting one very
important point | have been present
at many trials and the most dangerous
witnesses that have ever seen have
that is. practically illiterate woodsmen.
Their evidence has quality of terrible
simplicity. They give minute but I'M
answerable details. All their expert
ences are first hand. They bring for
ward naked facts. with sledge hammer
results. Where a town bred man
would see nothing but a series Of blur
red footsteps in the morning dew, an
ordinary dweller in the woods could
learn something from them. but No
vember Joe can often reconstruct the
man who made them. sometimes In a
manner and with an exactitude that
has struck me as little short OF mar
velous."
81 see he has interested you" said
I, half smiling.
'T confess he has. Looked at from
a scientific standpoint I consider him
the perfect product of his environ
ment. There are few things would
enjoy more than to watch November
normal senses in the unraveling OF
some crime OF the woods"
l threw the stump of my cigar into
the fire.
"You have persuaded me-" / said. 81
will try TO make start by the end OF
the week. Where is Joe to be found ?''
''As to that. believe you might get
into touch with him at Harding's farm.
Silent Water. Beauce."
'T'll write to him."
"Not much use. He only calls for
letters when he feels inclined"
Then I'll go to Harding's and ar
range the trip by word OF mouth"
THAT would certainly be the best
plan, and. anyhow, the sooner you get
into the woods the better Besides,
you will be more likely to secure Joe
by doing that. as be is inclined to be
shy of strangers"
| rose and shook hands with my
host
Remember me TO Joe," said he. 81
like that young man. Goodby and
good luck"
Along the borders of Beauce and
Maine. between the United States and
Canada. lies a land of spruce forest
and of hardwood ridges. Here little
farms stand on the edge of the big
timber. and far beyond them. in the
depths of the woodlands. lie lumber
camps and the wide flung paths of
trappers and pelt hunters
| left the cars ut Silent Water and
rode of IT once TO Harding's. the house
| of the Brauce farmer where meant
to puI up for the night Mrs Hard
ing resell, I'd ME genially and placed
an excellent supper before me- While
! was eating it a SquaIl blew up with
| the fall OF darkness. and | was glad
enough tn find myself In safe shelter
Outside the wind was swishing
among rhe pines which Enclosed the
! farmhouse when inside the telephone
bell rang which connected us with
/ - George. forty miles distant, rang
suddenly and anonymously high
als.vt. the ciamor of the forest noises
Airs Harding took UP the receiver
aud this H. whit ] heard