Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-01-19
when I was truiling the robber.r
"Perhaps Sylvester himself was the

udChb was Quito uAhSASA~
"Well. but tonight? You say the
thief come here tonight1 What did be
do that forT' said Joe. pushing the to
bacco firmly Into bis pipe bowl.
NE had good reason" replied Sal
ly, with bitterness. Last Thursday
when was ON my way buck from put
ting my letter under your door heard
something rustling through the scrub
ahead OF me. 1t might have been
lynx, or It might have been dog. but
when ] come to the trap ! saw the
thief had made of that minute. for
he'd been trying to force open the trap
and when he heard me he wrenched
hard. you bet. but he was bound to
take care-not to be too rough
"Good fur. you mean"
"GoodT sally's face flushed a soft
crimson. "Good7 Why. I've never
seen one to match 1t. 1t WIS black
fox. lying dead there. but still warm.
for 1t had but Just been killed. The
pelt was fair In its prime. long and
silky and glossy. You can guess. No
vember. what that meant for Danny
and me next winter. that I've been
worrying about lot The whooping
coughs weakened him down bad. and
thought of the things could get for
him while was skinning out the pelt.
Sally's voice shook. and her eyes filed
with tears "Oh. Joe. it's hard-hard:
The skin was worth $500 anywhere.
and come home just singing. | fixed
1t at once. and then. being scared-like.
| hid It in the cupboard over there be
hind those old magazines. No one but
Ruby knew that | had got It left
Ruby here, but Mrs. Seats had her sew
enth yesterday morning. aud Ruby ran
over to help for awhile after she put
Danny to bed. The thief must have
been on the watch and seen her CO."
"Where's Ruby now" Joe inquired
"she's stopping the night. They sent
over to tell me-" replied Sally. "Well.
to 90 on, ! had lynx In one Of my
traps which got dragged right down by
Deerhorn pond. so was more than
special late. Danny began at once to
tell me about the man that came In
I rushed across and looked In the cup
board. The black fox pelt was gone.
Of courser'
"What did Danny say about the
InanT
"Said he had on a big hat and
neckerchicf He didn't speak word:
gave Danny sugar. us ] have said. He
must II been here some time. for he's
ransacked the place high and low and
took nearly every pelt got this sea
SON."
.Ioe looked up. "Those pelts mark
,.d?"
"Yes My marks on some-seven
pricks Of II needle"
you've looked around the house to
see II lie left anythingr
"Surer' Sally put her hand In heI
pocket.
"What7"
Only this" She opened her hand
and disclosed rifle cartridge.
Joe examined It soft nosed bullet
for one OF them fancy English guns
Where did you find it,"
"On the floor by the table,
HUH" said Joe. and. picking up the
lamp. he began carefully and method
ically to examine every inch OF the
:oOm
Amy one but me been using tobacco
IN here Iately?" he asked.
Not that know Of." replied Sally.
a cool hand said November.
When he'd got the skin he stopped
10 ill his pipe. II was then he dropped
he cartridge II came out Of his pock
It with the pipe. | expect All that
III tell you about him Is that be
:mokeS Gold Nugget" pointed to
he shrr,lS "and carries small bore
make OF English rifle. Hello! Where's
The old bitch!''
"Old Rizpah? dunno. less she's
zone along to Seats place. Ruby'd
take her II she could. she's that scairt
Of the woods. but RiZpah's never left
Danny before"
Joe drained his cup We've not
found much Inside the house." said he.
AS soon ns the suns up we'll try our
luck outside TIL then I guess we'd
hest put in doze."
Mrs. Rome made up shaked0wn OF
skins near the stove and disappeared
behind the deerskin curtain.
When I awoke next morning II was
to see, with some astoni5hment. that
a new parsonage had been drawn into
our little drama Of the woods. A dark
bearded man in the uniform Of q game
warden was sitting on the other side
Of the stove.
"This is Game Warden Evans. Mr..
Quaritch." she said. He was at
Seats last night. There he heard
about me losing fur from the traps and
come right over to see if he couldn't
help me-"
Having exchanged the usual saluta.
tions. Evans remarked good humor-
edly:
"Novembcr's out trailing the rObber.
Him and mes been taking about the
black fox pelt Joe's wasting his time
NIL right I can tell him who the
thief is."
"You known ! exclaimed.
Evans nodded IL can find out any
time"
"HOw?"
Care to seeT" He rose and went to
the door. Guess Joe missed It" ne
said. pointing with his finger.
turned In the direction indicated
and saw that upon one Of the nails
which had been driven into the door OF
the cabin some bright cOlored threads
were hanging Going nearer ] found
them to be strands Of pink and gray
worsted, twisted together.
"What d'you think Of that?" asked
Evans. with heavy wink.
Before | could answer Joe came into
sight round clump Of bush on the
edge of the clearing.
"Well." called the game warden.
ANY luckT
"Not just exactly" he said.
"What do you make of thatT asked