The evening world., 1914-02-18
NOVEMBER JOE M y 4

ieatle. case I had given him, and
extracted from Y a long hair Of a
there"
PLANK took II gently In his great
fingers. He was visibly much moved.
For few seconds he held II without
speaking. then, That grew on vir-
Ginia's head sure enough, 200. In It
possible my girl II alive?"
she IL. sure! Don't be afeared.
you'll soon have news Of her. can
promise YOU that. Mr.. PLANK. This
AN abduction. They'd never DO such
fools M TO kill her! They're cutter
than that. Isn't she your daughter
They'll hold her TO big ransom. That's
their game"
An ugly look came into Pianx's
Dyes. ''That's their game. d Il? Tn
not n man that It 10 ea1y to milk
dollars FROM" said he.
BY this time Il was growing too
dirk for Joe to work any longer. We
crossed the lake with PLANK, and that
or Mooesshank Lake. whore . stream
flowed from II.
Were not far fHom the little water
fall md the string Of water that drops
from II down the hill near the land.
clip" said Joe. II want to get back
there early in the morning. and this
10 tho nearest way"
But after events altered his intsn-
lions.
At dawn. while We were having
breakfast, Joe stood up and stared
into the trees that grow thick behind
us. A. he called out I looked bacl,
nnd saw the indistinct figure of q
Inan In their shadow watching us.
lie beckoned and We approached him.
I saw no was young. with pale face
and rather shabby town made clothes.
Don't you remember Walter Cal.
vey. November" he said, holding out
his hand. II was with you and Mr..
Plank. and-and-her last year in tho
Huh, yes. ana what are you doing
here. Mr.. Calvsy" asked Joe. shak-
II heard about virsinia-how could
keep away after thatr' exclaimed
Calvey.
You've no cause to fret yet" said
Joe.
"what7 When they've killed her.
III SO with you. and II we can md
"Huh. She's no. dead. Take my
me q rosuish look. why. Eve Eve r stV q
thing here in my pocketbook you'd
give mo a hundred dollars fort" He
hnld the red-gold hair VI to the light
OF the rising sun.
Calvey shook from head to foot,
"Virginia's! You couldn't nnd it,
mitch in Canada! Tell me-
g! can't wait to tell you and you
can't walt to hear. Light out now.
healthy for you"
You're right! He hates me because
virginia won't marry Schelperg Of the
Combine. He hasn't let US meet for
months. And more than that he's
ruined me ana my partner In bust.
ness. 1t was easy for a rich man to
do that" added Calvey bitterly.
You 60 out and start into business
again." advised Joe. TN send you
word first thing know for certain"
could induce Caivcy to leave us
After he had gone wondered
whether Joe suspected him OF hav-
Ing hand in spiriting away Wiz
ginia. Presently ! asked him.
Joe shook his head. "He couldn't
have done II n he wanted to! He's
q good young chap. but look at his
h"ots and his c!othes-hs was bred
OH a pavement. but he's Misc Vir-
Sinny's choice for all that. Well
start now. Mr.. Quaritch. just where
I found that bit of gold caught In n
branch that hangs over tho little
stroam UP above there. You see. shs
lost her hat. and she has a splendid
lot Of hair. and so when I could find
no trachs-for they como down tho
bed of the strcam-I searched bout
as high as her head. I guessed she'd
10 liable to catch her hair in .
branch"
But we had hardly started when
wo heard the voice OF PLANK roaring
In the wood below us. He was COM
ing along at an extraordinary pace In
spite of his ungainly. rolling stride.
you were right. Joe, Virginia II
Elive! n Is q case OF abduction. See
what 7 have here"
lie held q long stick or wand In his
hand. The ton Of the wand was
roughly split. and a scrap Of paper
stuck In the cleft.
eds just found this in the canoe
on the lake." he went on. these
blackguards must have come back In
THO night and put 1t there"
what hnvo they said in the pa
per-" asked November.
"'You must pay to get your
GuEuttT yOu W9ut OuT
terms. come TO the old log camp
on Black Lake Tomorrow night.
No tricks. We have you rounded
up. sure. Don't try 70 track us,
or VIC will make II bad for her."
Toe took the stick and examined II
with care.
"Thcy meant 70 leave II struck In
the ground Indian fashion" said 7,
for had seen letters OF Indians made
conspicuous In this way by lonely
hanks Of rivers and other places
where wandering hunters pass.
"They meant TO do that. but found
the canoe handy" Joe touched the
ends of the wand Green spruce wood,
cut near their camp" he said.
There's plenty OF spruce like that
right here" objected PLANK; why do
you say II was cut near their camp"
IT'S cut and split with heavy axe.
such as no man ever carries about
with him. Well, we'd best do no more
tracking till we nee the chaps that
has Miss Virginny. It's Black Lake
tonight. them"
YES. meet me by the alder swamp
that's west OF Wilshere's place" said
Plank.
He stayed talking for a while. and
- l.