The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-11-17
(Continued.9.

sight of November's home, we were aware of a big man sitting on a log smoking his pipe beside the door. He was middle Aged. with a hard face. and there was more gray in his russet beard than his age warranted. As soon as we appeared he leaped up and came across the open to meet us.
 "Blacknask is at it againP' hs cried
 I saw .gleam of anticipation, if not Of pleasure. cross Novembers face. He turned to me.
 .sThis ia MT. Close, manaser of the River Star Pulp company's Camp e. he said. .I'd like to make you known to MT. Quaritch, Mr. Close" This courtesy concluded, he added fn his deliberate tones. Whats Blacknask done now7"
 ''He's at .his. old tricksi But this year wen lay him by the heels. or my names not Joshua Close.p The speak CT looked up. and. seeing my puzzled expression. addressed himself to me
 ssLast year there were i've separate ronberaes committed on the road be tween Camp c and the settlement" ]" he explained sEach time it was just a single lumber3ack wi1o got held up, and each time man in black mask was the robber. November here was away,
 ] .Up in Wyoming with 6 Philadel pfaia lawyer after elk" supplemented the tall young woodsman.
 '@The police failed to make any ar rest. though once they were on the ground within four hours Of the hold upso went on C1ese. 'sBut all that is ancient history. It is what happened to Dan dtchaeis last night that brought me here at seven miles an hour Dan has been working for pret U nigh a three months stretch. and the day before yesterday he came into the of1ce and told me his mother was dead and he must have leave for the funeral. He had good big roll Of bills due, and could see he meant to blow them, so I paid him and told him I'd try to keep job warm for him till he came back from the funeral I gave him ten days to get through with his spree. Something I'd said annoyed him. and after telling the cook his opinion of me and saying be woulcn't sleep another night in a camp where was boss he legged out for the settle ment-
 "By himse1fT'
 '.Yes. alone. Next morning, bright and early, he was back again. and this was the yarn he siung me- He'd made about eight miles when it came on dark1sh. and he decided to camp just beyond where we did the most of our timber cut last year. He slept at once and remembers nothing more until he was started awake by a voice shouting at him.. He sat up blinking, but the talk he heard soon fetched his eyes open
 Hands up and no foolingF
 s"Of course he put up his hands He'd no choice. for he couldn't see any one. Then another man who was in the bushes behind his back ordered him to haul out his bundle of notes and chuck them to the far side of the fire or take the consequences Dan saw a revolver barrel gleam in the bush. He cursed bit. but the thieves had the drop on him. so he just had to out with his wad of notes and heave them over as he was told A birch log in the fire dared up at the minute, and as the notes touched the ground he saw chap in black mask step o,l. and pick them up and then jump bas into the dark. Then the voice fh;r spoke first gave him the hint not to move TOT two 0OuES OI 1G II DG SiA1A like dog. He sat out the two hours by his watch without hearing Q sound and then came back to c.
 ssWhen the boys got all the facts the whole camp was nigh asi mad as he was. They put up $50 reward for any one giving information that will lead to catching the robbers, and [ added another hundred for the com pany. So now, Joe. if you can clap your hand con the brutes you'll be do ing yourself q good turn and others too"
 Close ended his narration, and looked at November, who had listened throughout in his habitual silence.
 ssDo the boys up at o know you've come to me2' he said.
 'eNo, I thought it wiser they shouldn't"
 November remained silent for mo ment-
 .sYou'd best get away back. MT. Close" he said at length. .In go down to Perkins clearing, and have a look at the spot where the robbery took place. and then I'll find some excuse to take me to Camp c. when can mike my report to you"