The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-11-18
tcontinued.1.


 'I'd be inclined to agree with you if it wasn't for the fact that the men won't leave singly now. They're scared to A party of six started this after noon. They were hoping they'd have the luck to meet the scoundrels and bucking how they'd let daylight into them if they did. But of course they won't turn up-they'd be shy of such a big party"
 'sMaybe,'' said November 'sWitfi your permission, Mir. Close, me and Quaritch'H sleep here tonight" ! .'An right But can't attend to you. I'm behind with my accounts. and must even them up if # takes all night.r
 And there's one question I'd like to have an answer to- It's just this: How did the robber know that Dan Michaels was worth holding up2 Or that he was going off on the spree? He must have been told by some one. Blackmask has got friend in Camp c all right That is, unless''-
 faye, u1sess2' repeated the manager.
 But November would say no more An idea had come into his mind. hut Close could not draw 1t from him: yet could see he had entire trust in the taciturn young WOodsman-
 Next morning November seemed an no hurry to go and shortly before the midday meal . party of half a dozen men rushed into the camp They were all shouting at once, and ff was tmpos- sfble for time to discover what the turmoil was about Leaning against the wall Of the bunkhouse. the silent November surveyed the cIamoring knot of men with grim fumor
 sI tell you again. we've been held up, robbed, cleaned out, the whole six Of . usi' yelled a short man with a sandy beard.
 ..Thot Is truerv cried fair haired Swede
 On this they all began shouting again. waving their arms and explain ing. November advanced Look. boys that's an easy. comfortable log over thereI''
 The Swede answered him with snarL but. meeting November's eyes. thought better of it. Joe was the last person upon whom any one would would choose to fix a quarrel
 was suggesting. boys continued November, .sthat there's the log handy. and if you'd each choose a soft spot and leave one to speak and the others listen till he's through with 1t we'd get at the facts. Every minute wasted gives them as robbed yon the chance to get off clear'
 ..NoYember's right said huge fumberman called Thompson Here's what happened. We six got our time yesterday morning, and after dinner we started off together It were com ing along dark when we camped in the old log hut of Tideson's bridge. Seein what had happened to Dan. we agreed to keep watch till dawn First watch was Harry's. In an hour and a half he were to wake me He never did The sun were up before I woke. and there was all the others sleeping round me. was wonderful surprised. but I took the kettle and was going down to i'll her at the brook. It was then that I noticed my roll Of bills was gone from my belt l came run ming back. Harry woke, and when l. told him he clutches at his belt and finds his money gone too Then Chris. Bill Mayer. Wedding Charlie and last of all Long Lars they wakes up. and danged if the lot of them hadn't been robbed same as us."
 A unanimous groan verified the state ment
 ssWe was tearing mad" went on the spokesman. Then out ye goes to search for the tracks of the Thieves
 4 look of despair crossed Novem berss face. knew he was thinking ot the invaluable information the feet of the six victims must have plotted out forever.
 .sYou found them?'' inquired Neyem- ber.
 'eWe did They was plain enough replied the big lumberman. .One man done it. He come up from the brook did his business and went back to the watef- He was a big. heavy chap with large feet, and he wore tanned cowhide boots patched on the right foot There were seventeen nails in the heel of the right boot and fifteen in the other. How's that for track ing?'