Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-02-16

But as 1t happened Joe was wrong.
l believe that his reasoning was cor
rect enough, and that it was the fear
of leaving such marks as would enable
us to gather something Of their iden.
tity that kept the enemy from pinning
upon our door the letter which finally
arrived prosaically enough in cheap
store envelope that bore the Priam-
vile postmark The contents OF this
letter were as follows:
Petersham. you go alone to Buffers
cairn II o'clock Friday night. Take the
dollars along you'll be met their and can
hand 1t over
Below was a rude drawing Of cOf-
fin.
Petersham read the note out to Joe
and myself.
where's Buffers cairn?" he asked.
~ know it." said November. But
lers cairn Is on hill about two miles
west Of here"
II suppose you won't go?" said I.
with the money? Certainly not"
"You can hardly go without It"
"Why notT'
"You would be shot down."
"I'd talk to the ruffans first and then
If there was any shooting, guess I'd
be as much In 1t as they would"
II suggest that we all three co."
said.
But Joe would have none Of this
plan.
There's nothing to be gained by
that, Mr.. Quaritch. You bet these
fellas'n keep a pretty bright lookout
If they saw three Of US coming they'd
shoot as like as not
II was thinking l might slip right
along to Buffers cairn and maybe get
a look at the fellas."
.Now said Petersham decidedly. II
won't allow it. You say yourself you
would be shot"
II said we would get shot, not me
alone Three men can't 60 quiet where
one can"
And so finally It was arranged,
though not without good deal OF ar
gument with Petersham.
That's fine fellow" remarked Pc
tersham.
nodded.
1.-The kind Of fellow who fought with
and bettered the Iroquois at their own
game. I wonder what he will see at
Buffers cairnT'
1t was past midnight when Joe ap-
peared again. Petersham and I both
asked for his news.
November shook his head. 1--WE
nothing to tell; nothing at all. ! didn't
see no one"
Where were your?
Lying down on top Of the cairn It
self. There's good corners to It.
"You could see well round, then, and
II any one had come you would not
have failed to observe them"
Couldn't be too sure. There was
some dark times when the moon was
shut In by clouds. They might a
come them times. though l don't think
they did. But I'll know for certain
soon unless 1t comes on heavy rain
There's a fine little lake they calls
Buffers pond up there. You take YOU
fshpole, Mr.. Quaritch, and we'll gt
over at sunrise and you try for some
Of them trout, while l take scou
round for tracks"
This we did, but search as Joe would
he failed to discover any sign at all
He told me this when he Joined me u
breakfast time.
After l had caught nice string o
trout we walked back to Kalmacks
circling round the house before we en
tered 1t. The sand lay undisturbed b!
any strange footstep. but when we go
In we found Mr.. Petersham in stat
of the greatest excitement.
Zone of the blackmailers has had
long talk with Puttick." he told US.
"What?"
Incredible as it sounds. it is So"
"But when was this|'
early this morning. some time aft
er YOU and Joe started. This Is hoV
it happened. Puttick had just got Vi
and gone down with tin Of rosin ant
some spare canvas and tin to men'
that canoe we ripped OH the rock yes
terday. In fact. he had only just be
gun working when he was startled b,
a voice ordering him to hold up hi
hands"
by Jove, what nextT"
why, he held them up. He had NJ
choice And then man stepped Oh
from behind the big rock that's jus
above where the canoe lies"
II hope Puttick recognized him..
mo. The fellow had red handker
chief tied over his nose and mouth
Only his eyes showed under the brln
| of felt hat that was pulled low dowl
over them. He carried rifle. that h
kept full on Puttick's chest while the.
talked. But I'll call Putt.ck. He cal
| finish the account Of the affair himself
That's best"
Puttick answered to the call. ant
| after running over the story. whicl
was exactly similar to that we hat
| Just heard from Petersham. he con
tinued:
1.-THE tough had red banker tie'
over his ugly face. nothing but his eye
showing. He had me covered with hi
gun to rights all the time"
"What kind Of gun was tt?'
81 didn't see; leastways didn't no
tice"
"Well, had he anything to sayf"
HE KEEP me that way minute be
fore he started speaking. You tell Pc
tersham,' says he, It's up to him +
pay right away. Tell him unless b
goes at once to Buffers cairn AM
takes the goods and leaves them ther
on the big fat stone by the rock he'l
hear from US afore evening. and he'l
hear in a way thatll make him SOFT,
all his life. And US for you, Ben Put
tick, you take a hint and advise oil
man Petersham to buy us of. and b
can't be too quick about doing 1t eithel
II he tries to escape well get him o.
the road down to Priamville.' Afte
he'd done talking he made me put m
watch on the canoe-that I'd turne
bottom up to get at that rent-an
warned me not to move for half a
hour When the half hour was up