The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-11-26
Copyright. 1918. by
Hesketh Friel,ard

this continent, l verify believe" Ii Joe
is free and can go with you. you will
get your moose with the sixty inch
horns. | understand that he has ell
tered into some sort of contract With
the provincial police ,r,4..f
with the poliee?" l repeated.
Eyes. He is to help them in such
cases as may lie within the scope of
his special experience. He is, indeed,
the very last person / should like to
have upon my trail had committed
a murder. He is a most skilled. and
minute observer, and you must not for.
get that the speciality of a Sherlock
Holmes is the everyday routine of a
woodsman Observation and deduc
ton are part and parcel of his daily
existence He literally reads as he
runs. The floor of the forest Isl his
page. And when 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 ill 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 a vast area
of refuge. over which she sends the
appointed hours of darkness. during
which lie can travel fast and far
"All 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 l have ever seen have
been men of the November Joe type
that is, practically illiterate woodsmen.
Their evidence has a quality Of terrible
simplicity. They give minute but un-
answerablc details. All their expert
ences are first hand. Yhey bring for
ward naked facts with sledge hammer
results. Where a town bred man
would see nothing but series Of blur
red footsteps in the morning dew, an
ordinary dweier in the woods could
learn something from them. but No
yember 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
yelous."
81 see he has interested YOU" said
l, half smiling.
scientific standpoint l consider him
the perfect product of his environ
ment. There are few things would
enjoy more than to watch November
using his experience and his super
normal senses in the unraveling OF
some crime of the woods"
threw the stump Of my cigar into
| the fire.
You have persuaded me-" l said. Il
will try to make start by the end OF
the week. Where is Joe to be fonnd?''
| GAS to that, | believe you might get
into touch with him at Harding's farm,
! Silent Water, Beauce."
ON write to him"
| mot much use. He only calls for
letters when he feels inclined"
"Then Ill 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 he is inclined to be
shy Of strangers.
rose and shook hands with m!
host
Remember me to joe" said he. 81
like that young man. Goodby anG
good luck"
Along the borders of Beauce ant
Maine, between the United States ant
Canada, lies a land of spruce fores
and of hardwood ridges. Here Iittl'
farms stand on the edge Of the biz
timber, and far beyond them. in thu
depths Of the woodlands, lie lumber
camps and the wide flung paths o.
trappers and pelt hunters.
left the cars ut Silent Water ant
rode Off at once to Harding's. the nous,
Of the Beauce farmer where ! mean
to put up for the night. Mrs. Hard
ing received me genially and places
Ian excellent supper before ME. Whil
l WAS eating 1t a squall blew Up witt
the fall Of darkness. and was gla'
enough to fnd myself in safe shelter.
Outside the wind was swishtnl
among the pines which inclosed tn
farmhouse. when inside the telephon
bell rang, which connected US wit
st. George. forty miles distant, ran
suddenly and incongruously {: big
above the clamor Of the forest noises
Mrs. Harding took up the receive,
and this is what J heard.
! Gll f'";'1,n}4t - 21