The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-11-17
CHAPTER II.
The Crime at Bic Tree Portage.

The Crime AZ Big rec Portage
r HAVE sometimes wondered wheth-
or he was not irked at the pros
pect OF my proffered companion
ship and whether he did not at
first intend to shake me OF by obvious
and primitive methods. ! had my work.
and more than my work. cut out for me
In keeping up with November. who. al
though be was carrying pack while |
was unloaded travelled through the
woods at an astonishing pace.
He moved from the thighs. bending
little forward However thick the IN
derbrush and the trees. he never once
halted or even wayered. but passed on
ward with neither check nor pause.
Meanwhile. bIundered in his tracks
until DIT last. when we came out on the
bank OF strong and swiftly flowing
river. was fairly done and felt that
had the journey continued much
longer must have been forced to
give IN.
November threw down his pack and
signed to me to remain beside it. while
be walked off downstream. only TO re
appear with canoe
The rustic of the water as it Missed
against our stem and the wind in the
birches and jumpers on the banks soon
lulled me. | was only awakened by the
canoe touching the bank ~ Big Tree.
Big Tree portage is recognized
camping place situated between the
great main lumber camp of Briston
and Harpur and the settlement of st.
Amiel. and it lies about equidistant
from both. a small shelter Of boughs
stood beneath the spreading branches
of a large fir: the ground all about was
strewn With tins and debris. On bare
space in front OF the shelter. beside the
charred logs Of a campfire. patch of
blue caught my eye. This. as my sight
grew accustomed to the light. resolved
itself into the shape of huge man.. He
lay upon his face. and the wind fut-
tered the blue blouse which he was
wearing. It came upon me with a
shock that | was looking at the body
OF Henry Lyon. the murdered man.
November. standing up in the canoe,
wood picture In his buckskin shirt
and jeans. surveyed the scene In ST.
lence. then pushed OF again and pad
died up and down. staring at the bank
After bit he put in and waded ashore.
In obedience to sign stayed in the
canoe. from which | watched the
movements of my companion. First
he went TO the body and examined 1t
with minute care: next be disappeared
within the shelter. came out and stood
for minute staring toward the riv-
er: finally he called to me to come
ashore.
had seen November turn the body
over. and as | came up ! was aware
Of great ginger bearded face. horri-
bly, pale. confronting the sky. 1t was
easy TO see how the man had died, for
the bullet bad torn a hole at the base
of the neck The ground beside him
was torn up as If by some small sharp
Instruments
The idea occurred to me that would
try my hand at detection. / went into
the shelter. There ] found a blanket,
two freshly 6ayed bearskins and a
| lack. which lay open came out
| again g nj carefully examined the
| ground In all directions, Suddenly
looking up. | saw November Joe
watching ne with kind of grim and
covert amusement
What are you looking forT' said he
THE tricks of the murderer"
"He Didn't make none"
! pointed out the spot where the
ground was torn.
THE lumberman that found him
spiked boots" said November.
How do you know he was not the
murderer
He didn't get here till Lyon had
been dead for hours. Compare his
| tracks with Lyon'S-much fresher No
Mr. Sport that cock won't fight Lyon
| re;tched mere in the afternoon of the
day before yesterday He'd been visit.
ing his traps upstream He hadn't been
here more few minutes and was
sighting his piI,e in the shelter there
when he hears voice hail him. He
ronlt.s out and secs a man in a canoe
showed info the bank That man shot
lin dead ard cleared of without
s,ty.ng trace
.IIaw can .son tr sure of all this?"
\ E,ranse ! found pipe of tobaccu
l1t ri-Ltly lit btt iuSt charred on top,
s.Sifs Lions body. md Il newly used
.*f.l IN this shack The man that
.illed hi:n come downsIream and sur
'-i>,.d niln :
he@ an vpn tel, ne came down
reaint
i ee.-.aSe. IT ned co.n~ uustrean n