Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-10-29

is free and can so with you, you will
get your moose with the sixty inch
horns understand that he has en-
tered into some sort of contract with
the provincial police"
with the police?" | 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 should like to
have upon my trail had | committed
a murder. He is most skilled and
minute observer. and you must not for
get that the speciality of Sherlock
Holmes Is the everyday routine of
woodsman. Observation and deduc-
ton are part and parcel OF his daily
existence. He literally reads as he
runs. The floor Of the forest Is his
page. And when n crime Is committed
in the woods these facts are very for
tunate. There nature is the criminals
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. l have been present
ut many trials and the most dangerous
witnesses that l have ever seen have
been men of the November Joe type
that is, practically illiterate woodsmen.
Their evidence has quality of terrible
simplicity. They give minute but I'M
answerable details. All their expert
ences are first hand. They bring for
ward naked facts with sledge hammer
results. Where town bred man
would see nothing but a series of blur
red footsteps in the morning dew, an
ordinary dweller in the woods could
learn something from them, but No
vember Joe can often reconstruct the
man who made them, sometimes in
has struck me as little short OF mar
velOus."
81 see he has interested you" said
I, half smiling.
IL confess he has. Looked at from
a scientific standpoint | consider him
the perfect product of his environ
ment There are few things ! would
enjoy more than to watch November
using his experience and his super
normal senses in the unraveling of
some crime Of the woods"
| threw the stump of my cigar into
the fire
You have persuaded me-" | said. Il
will try to make n start by the end of
the week. Where is Joe to be found"
"As to that, | believe you might get
into touch with him AZ Harding's farm.
! Silent Water, Beauce."
"I'll write to him.
Not much use. He only calls for
letters when he feels inclined"
Then I'll go to Harding's and ar
range the trip by word Of mouth"
THAT would certainly be the best
plan. and, anyhow. the sooner you get
into the woods the better Besides.
you will be more likely TO secure Joe
by doing that. as he is inclined TO be
shy of strangers
rose and shook hands with my
host
Remember me 10 Joe" said he Il
like that young man. Goodby and
good luck"
Along the borders Of Beauce and
Canada. lies a land Of spruce forest
and OF hardwood ridges We're little
farms stand on the edge Of the hig
timber. and far beyond them. in The
depths of the woodlands. lie iumler
ca mps and the wide flung paths ~
trappers and pelt hunters.
left the cars nj Silent Water and
rode Off at once 70 Harding's, the house
of the Beauce farmer where | meant
TO put up for the night. Mrs Hard
ing received me geniaiy and placed
an excellent supper before me. While
was eating it a squall blew up with
the fall Of darkness. and / was glad
enough 10 find myself in safe shelter.
Outside the wind was swish!ng
among the pines which inclosed the
farmhouse. when inside the telephone
bell rang. which connected us with
St George forty miles distant, rang
suddenly and anonymously high
above the clamor Of the forest noises
Mrs Harding took up the receiver.
snd this is what ! heard