Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-02-09
cabin was pretty dark even in the day.

SupaA Wo0 PAeseS uoAS 0'SA AA sAS 49,
time.
After this he bent over the table
and, drawing his knife, scratched at
stain on the near side, and then at
similar stain upon the other.
I'm through" he said at length.
Stafford, who had been watching
Joe's proceedings with an air of IN
credulity that bordered on derision
turned sharply to question him:
"Found out anything"
mot much" answered Joe.
"Well, all l can see Is that the vii
lain has eaten a good share Of my
grub"
II dare say" said Joe. There was
two of them. you know"
mo, l don't! And what else car
you tell me about them?"
II think they was man and wife
She's smallish woman; I'd guess she's
maybe weakly. too. And he's fond
Of reading; anyway, he can read"
Stafford stared at November half sus
piciously.
"What?" he shouted. "Are you kid
ding ME? Or how did you get all thatT'
"That's easy" replied November
"There are two or three traces Of lit,
tie fiat foot in front Of the stove and
a woman couldn't run this job on her
own, so it's likely there was a man
too."
Stafford grunted. "You said she was
weakly
81 thought maybe she was, for If she
hadn't split the water out Of the kettle
most times she took it off the stove
there wouldn't be any track, and here
is one near on top Of the other, so 1t
happened more'n once on the same
spot. She found her kettle heavy, Mr..
Stafford Joe said seriously.
"I'm free to own that seems sense" )"
acknowledged Stafford. But the read
ing-that's different
Tables been pulled up alongside
the bunk-see that scrape Of the lee?-
and he's had the lamp close up along
side near the edge where the stain Is.
There's plenty old oil stains in the mid.
die Of the table. but these close to the
edges amt been long on. You can see
that for yourself"
"By jingow said the fox farmer.
Anything else?"
"The chap what robbed you was a
trapper all right and had killed a red
fox recent, so recent he carried 1t
across and skinned it here"
"Where?'
"By your stove" Joe bent down and
picked up some short red hairs. "Clum'
BY skinning," said he. Lets 60 out
and take a look round the island"
Stafford led the way. At short dis.
tance some Of the skinned carcasses
lay. Joe turned them over. Suddenly
he bent down with that quick intent,
ness that l had learned to connect
with his more important discoveries.
From one he passed to another till he
had handled every carcass. Stafford
pointed out another island lying some
five miles north, where. he told us. he
kept his less valuable stock.
There's lot Of red and cross foxes
over there on Edith island. It's named
for my eldest GAL" he said. when.
ever there happens black one in the
litters l try to catch it and bring II
over here to Eel HuIIo! WHAT
thatY
Stafford stood with his hands shad
ing his eyes staring at Edith island.
Look! That's smoke or I'm dream
Ing" he cried.
A very faint line of blush haze ros'
from the distant rock.
"Smoke 1t is," said Joe.
"Hut the island is uninhabited. Com'
on, come on!' cried Stafford excitedly
ut may be those rufians clearing OIL
Edith island too. Well get after them.
"All right, Mr.. Stafford" agreed Joe
But ! guess it's liable to be you
Aleut Sam marooned over there"
"Why?"
That's signal fire. Whoever
made that fire is putting on moss. ANT
I've noticed things here that make mi
think it amt likely they killed Sam"
The wind served us fairly well, ant