The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-02-04

rs that so?" inquired Joe gently
Eyes. and I'm going into Lavette
this minute to tell themr'
Joe stepped in front of her Just
as you like. Sally But how'll We ex-
plain these?" He flung open the bun
die Of skins he carried.
Mrs. Rome turned color Where did
We find them?" she gasped.
ION his back
She hesitated moment, then. Il
gave Val that lot" she said carelessly
That's queer, now" said Joe, "cos
it was Oh Injin Sylvester found
them"
Sally stared at Joe. then laughed
suddenly, excitedly. oh. Joe you're
sure the cutest man ever made in this
worlG.' And with that she flung her
arms round his neck and kissed him
I'D best pass that ON to Val Blackw
said Joe calmly.
and Sally's bushes were prettier
than you could believe.
There is no need for me to tell how
Bluck was liberated from the hands
OF the crestfallen Evans. who was as
nonplussed us l myself had been at
the breakdown of the case, which up
to the last moment had on the face of
1t seemed indestructible
| have never looked forward to any
explanation more than that which
November gave to Mrs Rome, Black
and myself the same evening
1T was the carcass of Rizpah give
me the first start said Joe. "As soon
as saw that knew it weren't Val"
"Why?" asked Sally.
You remember it was hacked I'D?
Now here was the case up to that: A
thief had robbed Sally, and ali the
sign he left behind was few threads
of his necker and an English made
cartridge. The thief goes out. and old
Rizpah attacks him. He shoots her
Then he cuts her body nigh to pieces
Why?" We all shook our heads.
Because he wants to get his bullet
out of her. And why does he want to
get his bullet? Only one possible rea-
son. Because it's different to the bull
let he dropped on purpose in the
house.
"By Jove!" cried
From that it all fits in 1t seems
funny that the thief should drop
cartridge. funnier still that he should
not notice he'd left bit of his necker
stuck to the nails on the door Still.
,i,rh
pen. But when it came to his having
more bits OF his necker torn off by
the spruces where Evans found them,
it looked like as if the thief was a
mighty poor woodsman. Which he
wasn't He hid his tracks good and
cunning. After that guessed | was
on the right scent, but l wasn't plumb
sure till come up to the place where
he killed the partridge. While he was
snaring it he rested his rifle ag'in a
tree. | saw the mark Of the butt on
the ground and the scratch from the
foresight upon the bark. Then knew
he didn't carry no English rife"
How did you know" asked Sally
Il could measure its length agin the
tree. 1t was nigh foot shorter than
an English rifle"
Vafs fist came down on the table
Bully for You. Joer .....
'Well. now, there was one more
thing Besides that black fox Sally
here missed other marked pelts They
wasn't much value. Why did the thief
take them? Again only one reason.
He wanted 'em for making more false
evidence agin Val"
He paused. 60 on, joe" cried Mrs.
Rome impatiently.
when Mr.. Quaritch and | came to
Vafs shack we searched it. Nothing
there. Why? Cos Val had been home
all night and Sylvester couldn't get in
without wakin' him"
But" said l. wasn't there good
case against Black without that?"
Yes. there was a case. but his con-
victfon wasn't an absolute cinch On
the other hand. If the stolen skins
was found hid in his shack That's
why you had to lie in that brush so
long. Mr.. Quaritch, while went in to
Lavette and spread it around that the
shack hadn't been searched by Evans.
Sylvester was ut the store. and he fell
into the trap right enough. We wait
ed for him, and we got him"
"O' course" continued Joe. revenge
on Val weren't Sylvester's only game
He meant robbin' Sally. too. and had
bis plan laid. He must "a gone to
Vals and stole a cartridge and the bits
Of necker before he robbed Sally's
house. Last night he started out to
leave few cheap pelts at Val's, but
be had the black fox skin separate in
his pack with a bit O. tea and -four
and tobacco, so if we hadn't took him
he'd have lit out into Maine an sold
the black fox pelt there
But why should Sylvester have
such down on Val?'
Joe laughed ASK Valr'
Ten years ago" said Val. "wben
we was both rising twenty year,
gave Sylvester a thrashing he'd likely
remember He had dog what weren't
no use, and he decided to shoot it. So
he did. but he didn't kill it. He shot
it far back and left it in the woods,
and l come along
'The brute!' exclaimed Sally.
Hes Il dangerous Injin." said No
vember. ''and he's of a breed that
never forgets."
when he gets out of prison you'll
have to keep awake, Joe. said Val.
when he gets out I'll have the snow
in my hair all right and you and Sally
will be old married folks" retorted