Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-12-31

If he had never lived. 1t may have
been done for spite. but whoever he
was he lived in my cabin several days.
and slept in my bunk. / wonder what
he did with Sam. Knocked him on
the head and heayed him in the sea
like as not. I'm nigh desperate. The
work of three years gone. three win
tiers spent with Sam alone, like some
kind of Crusoe and his man Friday,
and keeping my wife and two little
gals down at Valdez"
Look here. amt it bit early in the
year to kill foxes?" said Joe, after a
pause.
They'd have been worth % per cent
more in month
'Then why?"-
Because ! couldn't have been de-
! coyed away except while the steamer
was running before the winter closed
down. See? Even as early as this in
the year the pelts were worth $4,000"
My said Joe. Suspect any one
in PARTICULAR"
II believe it may have been Trapper
Simpson. He's had down on me
this good while back. Well, if it was
him. he's paid me out good. the black
guard
Hard words don't bring down nor
man nor deer" said Joe.
There was a silence; then l said:
what would you give the man that
discovered who it was robbed you?"
eff he didn't get me back my pelts
| could give him nothing. If he did
he'd be welcome to $780," replied the
fox farmer.
Good enough. November?" 1 asked
Joe nodded.
What do you mean?" asked Stat
ford, turning to Joe. You a trail
reader?''
"Learnin' to be-" said Joe.
Thus it was agreed that we should
go across to Eel island at dawn to let
November have a look round We
went ashore, and Joe at once took
cast, looking for tracks, though he
knew he was little likely to find any,
for the ground was as hard as iron
and had been impervious for days.
We next climbed to Stafford's cabin.
Come right in," said he
"Waitv' said joe "You told us the
robber lived in here while he was on
the island. If things is the way he
left them I'd like to look round"
"Have your way" said Stafford. II
haven't disturbed them. l put off di-
rectly | saw your smoke, and I 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 interior of the
cabin was pretty dark even in the day
| time
After this he bent over the table
and, drawing his knife, scratched at
stain on the near side, and then at
similar stain upon the other.
I'm through" he said at length.
Stafford, who had been watching
,Joe's proceedings with an air of in
credulity that bordered on derision.
turned sharply to question him:
Found out anything"
mot much" answered joe
''Well, all 1 can see is that the vii
lain has eaten good share Of my
grub
II dare say said Joe. '"There was
two of them, you know"
mo, | don't! And what else can
you tell me about them?"
81 think they was man and wife.
She's smallish woman; I'd 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 kiu,
ding me? Or how did you get all that?"
That's easy" replied November.
There are two or three traces Of lit
tie fiat foot in front Of the stove and
woman couldn't run this job on her
own, so it's likely there was man
too"
Stafford grunted. You said she was
weaklyw
81 thought maybe she was, for if she
hadn't split the water out of the kettle
most times she took it off the stove
there wouldn't be any track, and here
is one near on top of the other. so it
happened more'n once on the same
spot. She found her kettle heavy. Mr.
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 to the
edges amt been long on You can see
that for yourself"
"By jingov' said the fox farmer.
Anything else?''
1.-The chap what robbed you was a
trapper all right and had killed a red
fox recent. so recent he carried it
across and skinned If horoo