The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-02-17

replied the big iumberman. "One
man done II. lie como up from tho
brook, did his business, and went
back to the water. lilo was n big.
heavy chap with large feet. and he
wore tanned cowhide boots. patched
on tho right foot. There were seven
teen nails in the heel Of tho right
boot, and fifteen In tho other. Hows
that for tracking?"
There was no doubt about the fact
that November was surprised. He
said nothing for a full minute. then
he looked up sharply.
How many bottles Of whiskey
had your" said no.
Mary onc," answered Thompson.
There isn't ono nearer than Laval
lotto, m You we'll know. We wasnt
drunk, We was dru9ged! We must n
been, though how II was done beats
me: for We had nothing but brad sSa
and bacon and tee, ana maze the
tea myself"
"Where's tho kcttle?"
I'VE left that and the frylngpan
back at the hut, for we're going TO
hunt tho country for the thief. You'll
come along. Nov7"
ION my own conditioner I'll have
nothing to do with?"
whats TIT"
"That nary n man Of you goes back
TO Tideson's Bridge hut TIL l give you
leave"
'But We want to catch tho robbsr."
VERY we'll. Go and try II you think
you can do IT,"
An outburst Of argument arose, but
soon one and another began to Say.
well leave II to you. Nov."--"Mind
you fetch my hundred and ninety dol
lars back for mo, Nov."-"Leave Nov
alone."-"Go on. Nov"
November laughed. II suppose you
all slept with your money on YOU"
II appeared they all had. and Lars
and Chris, who possessed pocket
booka had found them flung empty
in q corner of the hut
well, Mr.. Quaritch and me'li DO
getting along, boys. I'll let you know
X I've any luck" Then suddenly No
vember turned to the big spokesman
and said: by the way. Thompson.
did you MI that kettle at the brook
before you found you'd lost your
cash7"
"No, ! run right back"
I. '"That's lucky" said November. and
4 we walked away In . roar OF shouted
4 questions to the canoe placed at our
disposal by Close. BY water We could
= run down to Tideson's Bridge In an
hour or two. II was plain November
Il did not desire to talk. for a. he Piled
the canoe pole he sang. hfting hia
vutrained but pathetic tenor In some
d of the most mournful songs ! nave
ever heard. learned later that eenti.
= mental pathos In music was higniS
Approved by November. And man,
Il Woodsmen are like him In that.
We slid on past groves OF birch and
. thickets Of alder. and presently put
d :po YOU think this IL tho work 0,
I the same g. man that held up Da'
g c0uess 20: Gkh't be sure. m,
u grounds fine and soft, and We ouen
h TO get the answer TO- q gooo many
q !. Thanks to the canoe and . shor
) cut known to November. We arrives
o at our destination In admirable time
?. Tideson's Brook was . tributary Q
% the river, and the bridge rough AZ
=. fair Of logs thrown over its SHALLOW
= waters where It cut across the Ioe'
= !. sing road. The hut. which had peer
y about q hundred yards from the norti
u hank OF the brook. defined pau
,. ieading down from II to the water
p First Of all skirting the path. ".
went to the hut where the six had
i siept. A few articles dropped from
the hastily made packs lay about. IN.
,. frying pan beside the stove ana I'M
u kettle on its side by the door. NO
u vember moved round examining ev'
20 erything in his deft, light way: lastly
d : IL s''@'' W '"' ~
). "Whats in TT" said !.
y "Nothing," returned November.
y "Weli. THOMPSON told You N
g hadn't Glled IT," I reminded him.
'r He gave mo . queer little smile
= "Just 3d." said he. and strolled fo'
! nifty yards or 10 up the tote road:
J; 1--WE been along looking at tho root
y marks Of them elk m m; .,n n,
:, volunteered: now we'll look arouhs
here"
70 naturally q somewhat lengthy busi
: ness. November had studied the trail
n of the six men to some purpose. To-
though ne hardly paused a. he ranges
% the trodden ground. 20 swift were MI
70 eyes that he named each OF the mel
to me a. he pointed to their severe
tracks, AZ We approached the bank
"a ne indicated q distinct set OF foot
steps. which we followed to the hu
q and back again to the water.
E Hes the chap that did It," salt
X. November, That's pretty plain
= what do you say about h'mF" n
turned to me.
q "He IN q heavier man than am
- ana ne walks rather on his heels"
1t November nodded and began to FOL
ID low the trail. which went down Int
the stream. He stood at the water
ID edge examining some stones whiol
" had been recently displaced. thei
Waded down into Il.
ID "Where was his boatf' I asked.
IN But November had by now reache
i q large nat stone some feet In tn
~ water, and this he was lookinI
round and over with great care. The
70 he beckoned to me-. The stone wa
. q large nat one. al ! have said. an
10 he showed me some scratches upoI
,r its farther surface. Tho scratchs
l. were deep and irregular. l stared
In them. but TO mo they conveyed noth
Q. Ing.
70 They don't look like the marx o
n. o boat" I ventured.
sr They aren't. But that chap MAD
I them all right" he said.
r. But how or why?"
nj November laughed. II won't an
ID swer that yet. But I'll tell you thii
k.A- q -