The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-11-21
Continued

robber lived in here while he was ON
the island If things is the way he
left them Id like TO look round"
Have your way" said Stafford 81
haven't disturbed them. | put off di-
rectly l saw your smoke. and | hadn't
been long ashore"
Joe went in and examined every.
thing with his usual swift care. He
lit match after match and peered
about the stove. for the in n-erior of the
cabin was pretty dark even inIthe day
time
After this he bent over the table
and, drawing his knife. scratched at a
stain on the near side. and then at a
similar stain upon the other.
Tn through" he said at length.
Stafford, who had been watching
Joe's proceedings with an air of in.
credulity that bordered on dcrision,
turned sharply to question him:
Found out anything?"
mot much.' answered Joe.
We'll. all can see is that the vii.
lain has eaten good share of my
grub
Il dare say" said joe There was
two of them. YOU know"
NO, | don't. And what else can
you tell me about them
II think they was man and wife.
She's a smallish woman: Id guess she's
maybe weakly too. And he's fond
of reading; anyway, he can read"
Stafford stared at November half sus-
piciously
What" he shouted. Are You kid
ding NE: Or how did you get all that?"
That's easy" replied November
There are two or three traces of lit,
tie tlat foot IN front of the stove and
woman couldn't run this job on hel
own, so it's likely there was MAJ
too"
Stafford grunted. You said she W.
weakly,
II thought maybe she was. for If shi
hadn't split the water cut of the kettle
most times she took 1t of the stove
there wouldn't he any track. and here
is one near on top of the other. so II
happened more'n once on the SAINT
spot She found her kettle heavy. Mt
Stafford" Joe said seriously.
Pm free To own that seems sense
acknowledged Stafford. But the read
ing-that's different
Tables been pulled up alongside
the bunk-See that scrape of the leg?--
and he's had the lamp close up along.
side near the edge where the stain is.
There's plenty old oil stains in the mid
die of the table. but these close 10 the
edges amt been long on. You can see
that for yourself"
"By jingo."' said the fox farmer.
Anything else:'
THE chap what robbed you was Il
trapper all right and had killed Il red
fox recent. so recent he carried ii
ACROSS and skinned it here
"Where?'
BY your stove Joe bent down and
picked up some short red hairs "Clum.
sy silinning.r said be. Lets go out
and take a look round the island.
Stafford led the way At Il short dis
lance some of the skinned carcasses
lay. Joe turned them over. suddenly
he bent down with that quick intent.
ness that had learned to connect
with his more important discoveries.
From one he passed to another till he
had handled every carcass Stafford
pointed out another island lying some
Gre miles north. where. he told us. he
kept his less valuable stock
There's lot of red and cross foxes
over there on Edith island. It's named
for my eldest GAL" he said. When
ever there happens a black one in the
litters l try to catch it and bring it
over here to Eel Hullo. What's
that?"
Stafford stood with his hands shad-
ing his eyes staring at Edith island.
Look. That's smoke or I'm dream
lag" he cried.
a very faint line Of blush hf re rose
from the distant rock.
Smoke it is" said Joe.
But the island is uninhabited. Come
On, come on" cried Stafford excitedly.
ut may be those ruff1ans clearing out
Edith island too. Well get after them
"All right. Mr. Stafford agreed Joe.
But ! guess its liable to be your
Aleut Sam marooned over there"
Why"
That's signal fire. Whoever's
made that fire is putting on moss And
I've noticed things here that make me
think it amt likely they killed Sam
The wind served us fairly well. and
as we ran under the lee of the land we
were aware of figure standing ON the
beach waiting for US.
Its Aleut Sam. sure enough" said
Stafford.
The Aleut proved to be squat fel-
low of most Monaghan cast of coun-
tenance. We rowed ashore in the can
vas boat. and on the beach Stafford
held a rapid conversation with his
man in Indian. Neither Joe nor /
could follow what was said, but pres
emily Stafford enlightened us.
Sam says that one night, four days