Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-12-01

er any day. she retorted.
Its just possible" agreed Novem-
Der in an unconvinced voice.
1T can't be Vail" repeated Mrs.
Rome steadily When we were out Of
sight and of earshot 1 turned to
November.
THE evidence against Black is
pretty strong. What's your notion?"
Cant say yet. 1 think we'd best
join Evans: he'll be trailing the thief"
We made straight through the
woods toward the spot where the
dogs body lay. AS we walked 1
tried again to find out Joe's opinion.
But the motive? Haven't Mrs.
Rome and Black always been on good
terms?" I persisted.
Joe allowed that was so and added,
''Val wanted to marry her years ago."
But surely Black wouldn't rob her,
especially now that he has his
chance again"
Think not?" said Joe. II wonder!"
After a pause he went on: But 1t
amt hard to see what'll be Evans
views on that. He'll say Walls scared
of her growing too independent, for
she's made good so far with her traps,
and so he just naturally took hand
to frighten her into marriage. His
case agin Val won't break down for
want of motive"
"One question more, Joe. Do you
really think Val Black is the guilty
man?"
November Joe looked up with his
quick, sudden smile. It'll be a shock
to Evans If he amt" said he.
Very soon we struck the robbers
trail and saw from a second line Of
tracks that Evans was ahead Of us
following it.
Here the thief goes" said Joe.
"See! He's covered his moccasins
with deer skin, and here we have
Evans tracks. He's hurrying, Evans
is. He's feeling good and sure of the
man he's after"
Twice November pointed out faint
signs that meant nothing to me.
Here's where the robber stopped
to light his pipe. See! There's the
mark of the butt Of his gun between
these roots. The SHOWS thin there.
Must "a had a match, that chap" he
said after a minute, and, standing
with his back to the wind, he made
slight movement Of his hand"
What are you doing?" 1 asked.
Saving myself trouble" He turned
at right angles and began searching
through the trees. Here 1t is. Hung
up in a snag Seadog match he
used" Then, catching my eye, he
went on: UNLESS he was a fool he'd
light his match with his face to the
wind, wouldn't he? And most right
handed men 'ud throw the match
thereabouts where l hunted for it,"
Well on in the afternoon the trail
led out to the banks Of wide and
shallow stream, into the waters of
which they disappeared. Here we
overlook Evans. He was standing
by the ashes of a fire almost on the
bank
He looked up as we appeared. THAT
you, Joe? Chaps took to the water"
said the game warden, but he'll have
to do more than that to shake me
Off"
Chap made this, too?" inquired
November, with a glance at the dead
fire.
Evans nodded. Walked steady till
he came here. Dunno what he lit the
fire for. Carried grub. I s'pose."
"No: to cook that partridge" said
Joe.
1 glanced at Evans. His face dark
ened. Clearly this did not please him.
"Oh, he shot a PARTRIDGE"
NO" said Joe; "he noosed it
back in the spruces there. The track
of the wire moose is plain, and there
was some feathers. But look here,
Evans. he didn't wear no pink neck
err"
Evans annoyance passed off sud-
denly. That's funny" said he, "for
he left more than a feather and the
scrape of a wire" The game warden
pulled out a pocketbook and showed
us wedged between its pages another
strand of the pink and gray wool. II