The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-01-07
CHAPTER II.
The Crime at Big Tree Portage.

The Crime at Big Tree Portage.
Y HAVE sometimes wondered wheth
er he was not irked at the pros
81 pect Of my proffered companion
ship and whether he did not at
6rst intend to shake me off 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 he was carrying pack while
was unloaded. Travelled through the
woods at an astonishing pace
He moved from the thighs. bending a
little forward. However thick the un
derbrush and the trees. he never once
halted or even wavered. but passed on
ward with neither check nor pause
Meanwhile. l blundered in his tracks
until ut last. when we came out on the
bank OF strong and swiftly tiowiu.
river. was fairly done and felt that
had the journey continued much
longer | must have been forced t.
give In.
November threw down his pack and
signed to me to remain beside it. while
he 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 ut Rig Tree
Big Tree portage is a 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 houghs
stood beneath the spreadAg branches
OF 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 campfire, patch of
blue caught my eye This. rs my sight
grew accustomed to the light. resolved
itself into the shape Of huge man. He
lay upon his face. and the wind tiut
tered the blue blouse which he was
wearing. 1t came upon me with a
shock that was looking at the body
Of Henry Lyon. the murdered man.
November. standing up in the canoe.
a wood picture In his buckskin shirt
nnd jeans. surveyed the scene In 81
sence. then pushed off again and pad.
Aled 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 IL
with minute care; next he disappeared
within the shelter. came out and stood
for a minute staring toward the riv.
er; finally he called to me to come
ashore
] had seen November turn the body
over. and as l 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. 70,
the bullet had torn a hole at the base
OF the neck. The ground beside hin
was torn up as if by some small SHARP
instruments.
The ides occurred to me that would
try my hand at detection. l went int
the shelter There l found blanket
two freshly fayed bearskins and o
pack. which lay open. came out
again and carefully examined The
ground In ali directions. Suddenly
looking up. saw November Joe
watching me with kind of grim and
covert amusement
What are you looking for?" said he
1.-The tracks Of the murderer
"He didn't make none"
l 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
reached here in the afternoon of the
day before yesterday. He'd been visit.
ing his traps upstream. He hadn't been
here more'n few minutes and was
lighting his pipe in the shelter there
when he hears voice hail him. He
comes out and sees man in a canoe
showed into the bank. That man shot
him dead and cleared off-without
leaving a trace"
How can you be sure of all this?"
Because | found a pipe of tobacco
not rightly lit. but just cliarred on top.
beside Lyons body. and Il newly used
match in this shack The man that
killed him come downstream and sur.
prised him."
"How can you tell he came down
stream?'
Because. II he'd come upstream
Lyon would "a seen him from the
shack said November with admirable
patience.