Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-11-10
CHAPTER I.

1t happened Gnat IN lne early oo
tumn Of 1908, I. James Quartich OF
Quebec. went down to Montreal l
was at the time much engaged in
an important business transaction,
which after long and complicated
negotiations, appeared to be nearing
a successful issue. A few days atter
my arrival, dined with Sir Andrew
McLerrick. the celebrated nerve
specialist and lecturer at McGill uni
yersity, who had been for many years
my friend.
On similar occasions 1 had usually
remained for half an hour after the
other guests had departed. so that
when he turned from saying his last
goodby, Sir Andrew found me choos-
ing a fresh cigar.
at cannot call to mind, James, that
1 invited you to help yourself 10
another smoke" he said.
1 laughed.
Don't mention it, Andrew; 1 am
accustomed to your manners. All
the same
He watched me light it. Make the
most of it, for it will be some time
before you enjoy another"
"I have felt your searching eye
upon me more than once tonight
What is it?"
my dear James, the new mining
amalgamation the papers are so full
of, and of which 1 understand that
YOU are the leading spirit, will no
doubt be a great success, yet is it
really worth the sacrifice of your
excellent health?"
But 1 feel quite as usual"
sleep as much as usual?"
Perhaps not" l admitted unwil-
lingly.
Appetite as good as usual?"
"Oh, I don't know"
"Tush, man, James! Stand up"
Thereupon he began an examination
which merged into a lecture, and the
lecture in due course ended in my de-
cision to take a vacation Immediately
"a long vacation, to be spent beyond
reach of letter or telegram in the
woods.
That's right That's right" COM
mented Sir Andrew. What do the
horns of that fellow with the big
bell, which you have hanging in your
office, measure?"
"Fifty-nine inches"
Then go and shoot one with
spread of sixty
II believe you are right" said 1,
"but the worst of it is that my guide,
Noel Tribonet is laid up with rheu-
matism and will certainly not be fit
to go with me just now. Indeed, 1
doubt if he will ever be much good
in the woods again"
a new man."
Thanks, but 1 have had the
trouble of training Noel already"
"I can guarantee that you will not
find it necessary to train November
joe"
November Joe?"
"Yes, do you know him."
"Curiously enough, 1 do. He was
with me as dishwasher when l was
up with Tom Todd some years ago
in Maine. He was boy then. Once
when we were on the march and were
overtaken by a very bad snowstorm'
Todd and the boy had difference OF
opinion as to the direction we should
take"
And Joe was right?"
He was" said 1. Todd didn't
like it at all"
tom Todd had quite reputation,
hadn't he? Naturally he would not
like being put right by boy. Well
that must be ten years ago, and Joe's
twenty-four now"
And a good man in the woods
you say?"
None better. The most capable on
this continent, 1 verify believe. If Joe
is free and can go with you, you
will get your moose with the sixty
inch horns. l understand that he has
entered into some sort of contract
Will lIlt PlONAIlSicA HS''~'
with the police?" 1 repeated.
Yes. 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 l should like to
have upon my trail had l committed
a murder. He is a most skilled and
minute observer. and you must not
forget that the specially of Sher-
lock Holmes is the everyday routine
of a woodsman. Observation and
deduction are part and parcel or ms
daily existence. He literally reads as
he runs. The floor of the forest Is
his page. And when crime is COM
mitted in the woods these facts are
very fortunate. There is the criml-
nails 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 vast
area of refuge, over which she sends
the appointed hours Of darkness,
during which he 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 danger
Gus witnesses that l have ever seen
have been men of the November Joe
type-that is. practically illiterate
woodsmen. Their evidence has a