The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-12-03

nor anything unusual.
To begin with, he took up and sifted
the layers of balshm boughs
which had composed the beds, but APP
parently made no find. Fro m them he
turned quickly to kneel down by the
ashy remaius of the fire land to ex-
anime the clarred logs dne by one.
After that he followed well marked
trail that led away from the lake to
small marsh in the farther part Of
which masts of dead timber were
standing in great profusioh. Nearer at
hand number OF stuImps showed
where the campers had chopped the
wood for their fire.
After looking closely at these stumps
November went swiftly back to the
camp and spent the next ten minutes
in following the tracks which led In
all directions Then once more he
came back to the fire and methodically
lifted off one charred stick after an.
other. At the time could not imagine
why he did this, but when under
stood it the reason was simple and OBJ
vious as was that Of his every action
when once it was explained.
Before men leave camp they seem
instinctively to throw such trifles as
they do not require or wish to carry on
with them in the fire. which is general
~ expiring. for first axiom of the
true camper in the woods is never to
leave his fire alight behind him in case
Of a chance ember starting forest
con6agration.
In this case November had taken off
nearly every bit of wood before L
heard him utter smothered exclama-
tion as he held up piece of stick.
l took it into my own hands and
looked it over 1t was charred. but
saw that one end had been split and
the other end sharpened.
"What in the world is it," I asked,
puzzled.
November smiled. "Just evidence"
he answered.
l was glad he had at last found
something to go upon, for. so far. the
camp had appeared to produce parsi-
moniousIy little that was suggestive.
Nevertheless, did not see how this
little bit of spruce. crudely fashioned
and split as it was, would lead us very
far.
November spent another few min.
utes in looking everything over a Sec
ond time, then he took up his ak and
split a couple of logs and lit the fire.
Over it he hung his inevitable kettle
and boiled up the leaves of our morn
ing brew with a liberal handful fresh
ly added.
"Well," | said, as he touched the end
of burning ember to his pipe. "has
this camp helped your
"Some," said November. "And you?'
He put the question quite seriously
though suspect not without some In
ward irony.
81 can see that two men slept under
one tent cover that they cut the wood
for their fire in that marsh we visited
and that they We're here for a day
perhaps two"
Zone was here for three days. the
other one night" corrected. November
"How can you tell that?"
November pointed to the ground a'
the far side Of the fire.
"To begin with. No. ! had his camF
pitched over there" said he: then, see
ing my look of perplexity, he added
pityingly: "We've westerly wine
these last two days, but before that thu
wind was east. and he camped the frs
night with his back to 1t. And in tn
new camp one bed O. boughs is freshe
than the other"
The thing seemed so absurdy ..ot
yious that | was nettled.
II suppose there are other indication
haven't noticed" said.
There might be some you haven
mentioned" he answered warily.
What are they:'
, THAT the man who killed Lyon
, thick set and very strong; that he 'ha
been "A good while in the woods will
ont having gone to a settlement; tn;
J he owns blunt Ratchet such as "
' wood chaps call 'tomaha wk No. I
y that he killed a moose last week; thu
< he can read; that he spent the nis'
1 before the murder in great trouble (
mind and that likely he was religion
8 kind O chap" !:
n AS November reeled off these detail
a in his quiet. low keyed voice stared
s him in amazement. !
4 but how can you have found out
n that?" l said at last. IF it's CORE
# it's wonderfully
J. ON tell you, If you want to hes
II when I've got my man-if | ever
is get him. One thing more is sure, he
r. chap who knew Lyon well. The re
n of the job lies in the settlement of
o Amiel, where Lyon lived"
r. We walked back to Big Tree porta
j. and from there ran down in the car
70 to st. Amiel, arriving the followi
" evening. About half mile short
"a the settlement November landed a
ID set up our camp. Afterward we WI
Al