Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-04-13
NUMBER IS

ageurs. He had quested along the
trail and found Smokes tracks where
he had left 1t to take refuge on the
bank. The man explained the nature
of his find.
"What'd you kill Joe Kinade forT
he of the black beard asked.
81 tell you I didn't" Smoke began.
Jaw. what's the good Of talkin'? We
got you red handed. Right up there's
where you left the trail when you
heard him comm. You laid among the
trees an bushwhacked him. Pierre.
90 an get that gun he dropped"
"You might let me tell what happen
ed" Smoke objected.
you shut up." the man snarled at
him. II reckon your gun'll tell the
story"
All the men examined Smokes rife.
zone shot," Blackboard concluded
Pierre, with nostrils that quivered
and distended like a deers, shifted at
the breech. "Eim one fresh shot," he
said.
1.-THE bullet entered his back" Smoke
said. HE was facing me when he was
shot. You see. it came from the other
bank"
Blackboard considered this PROPOSE
ton for scant second and shook bis
head. "Nope. It won't do. Turn him
around to face the other bank. that's
how you whopped him in the back.
Some Of you boys run up an down the
trail an see II you can see any tracks
maxim for the other bank"
Their report was that on that side
the snow was unbroken. Blackboard,
bending over the dead man, straighten-
ed up with a woolly. furry wad in his
hand. Shredding this, he found Inn
bedded in the center the bullet which
had perforated the body. Its nose was
spread to the size Of half dollar; Its
butt end, steel jacketed. was undam-
aged. He compared 1t with q cartridge
from Smokes belt.
"Thats plain enough evidence. stran-
ger, to satisfy blind man. It's soft
nosed an steel jacketed; yourn Is soft
nosed and steel jacketed. It's 3O-3O;
yourn is 3O-30. It's manufactured by
the ]. & T. Arms company; yourn Is
manufactured by the ]. & 7. Arms
company. Now, you come along. an
we'll 20 over to the bank an see Jest
how you done It,"
81 was bushwhacked myself" Smoke
said. Look at the hole In my parka."
While Blackboard examined 1t one or
the voyagers threw open the breech OF
the dead mans gun. 1t was patent to
all that 1t had been fired once. The
empty cartridge was still In the cham
Der.
"a d. shame poor Joe didn't get
you," Blackboard said bitterly. But
he did pretty well with hole like that
In him. Come on. you"
Search the other bank first" Smoke
urged.
"You shut up an come on. an let the
facts do the talkin'."
They left the trail at the same spot
he had and followed 1t on up the bank
and In among the trees.
Him dance that place keep him feet
warm" Louis pointed out THAT
place him crawl on belly. That place
him put one elbow wen him shoot.
"And there's the empty cartridge ne
done It WITH was Blackbeards dis
covery. Boys, there's only one thing
TO do. Wefe decent and law abidin',
an, we got to handle this right an reg
ular. Well cache the outfit an run
him an poor Joe back to Two Cabins
I reckon we've seen an can testify to
whatll stretch his neck
II WAS three hours after dark when
the dead man. Smoke and his captors
arrived at Two Cabins. BY the star.
light Smoke could make out dozen
or more recently built cabins smuggling
about a larger and older cabin on a
fat by the river bank. Thrust inside
this older cabin, he found 1t tenanted
by a young giant Of man. his wife
and an old blind man.
The woman, whom her husband call
ed Lucy, was herself strapping crea.
ture of the frontier type. The old
man. as Smoke learned afterward. had
been a trapper on the Stewart for years
and had gone finally blind the winter
before. The camp Of Two Cabins, ne
was also to learn. had been made the
previous fall by a dozen men who ar
rived in half rs many polling boats
loaded with provisions Here they hao
found the blind trapper on the site OF
Two Cabins. and about his cabin they
had built their own.
In FIVE minutes all the men OF TWO
Cabins were jammed into the room
Smoke, showed of into corner. ignor'
| ed and scowled at, his hands and feet
tied with thongs Of moose hide. look
ed on. Thirty eight men he counted, q
wild and husky crew. His captors told
the tale over and over. each the center
| of nm excited and wrathful group.
II was while counting the men that
Smoke caught sight Of familiar face.
II was Breck, the man whose boat
Smoke had run through the rapids on
the way to Dawson. He wondered
why the other did not come and speak
to him, but himself gave no sign Of
recognition. Later. when, with shield
ed face, Breck passed him a wink,
Smoke understood
Blackboard, whom Smoke heard call.
ed Ell Harding, ended the discussion
as to whether or not the prisoner
should be Immediately lynched. Hold
ont" he roared. Keep your shirts on
That man belongs to me. l caught
him, an brought him here.
brought him here for fair nn' I'M
partial trial. an. by "a fair an i'm
partial trial he's goin' to get! Chucl
him In n bunk till mornin', an well
hold the trial right here"