Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-02-09
November
Joe
The Detective of the
Woods
By HSKETn PRIChARD
Copyright. 1913.
By Hesketh Pfichafd
By MSkE1n PRICHARD
Copyrisht. 1913.
By Hesketh Pfichafd
CHAPTER XII.
The Looted Island.

L was CledT ulSuC, UISuI Will
stars. Joe and / were sitting by
our campfire near one Of the fiords
Of western Alaska, where we had
gone on a hunting expedition after the
great moose Of the west.
was talking when suddenly Joe
touched me.
"Shshy he whispered. There's some
feller moving down by the creek"
We waited, and was soon aware Of
a figure advancing through the night.
Then a voice said, "Fine night,
mates" and sinewy, long armed fel-
low with a bushy red beard stepped
into the circle of light.
1.-THE cold makes you keep your
hands in your pockets, don't it?" said
Joe gently. ut does me-"
l then noticed that both men were
covering each other with revolvers
through their pockets. The stranger
slowly drew out his hand.
'I'm John Stafford"
"This here is Mr.. Quarttch Of Que
bee. I'm his guide. We're come after
big game"
II guess you're speaking truth. It's
up to me to apologize. I'm free to own
I was doubtful about you. You'll un-
derstand that when l tell you what's
happened. Perhaps you've noticed an
island about eight miles of the coast,
lying nor nor'westT
"Sort Of loaf shaped island? Yes"
That's where come from-Eel is
land. I have fox farm there. re-
turned to it yesterday after a run
down to Valdez. When went away q
fortnight ago left my man in charge
of some of the finest black foxes be-
tween this and Ungava. / got back to
find the foxes all killed and my hired
man gone-disappeared."
"Who was he?"
IAN Aleut, called Sam. He's been In
my employ three years. / see what
you're thinking-that he killed the fox
es, and I'd have thought that myself.
only know he didn't"
"How's that?"
"One reason Is that own only one
boat, and when 1 went to the main
land last Friday week I took 1t. leav-
ing Sam Oh the island. It's all Of
seven miles from the coast, so he
couldn't have got away If he wanted.
That, say, is one reason why 1t
couldn't have been him. The other
reasons as good. / was decoyed away
so cleverly Here's the letter that did
It,"
Sir-Your wife wants you to come down
at once. She's due for an operation In
the hospital here on Friday week. and
she's hard put to it to plan for the chill
dren till she gets about again. So you'd
best come. Yours truly,
8. MACFARLANE Doctor).
/ gave him back the letter. "Any
man would have gone on such news" l
said.
"Well, did," said Stafford savagely,
81 got that letter twelve days back,
and of l went hot foot, leaving Aleut
Sam in charge. 1t took me a week
going down. When reached the house
where my wife Is living, she was sur
prised to see me, and showed her
the letter. You can guess. 1t was ali
q plant! There wasn't any DIR. Mac
farlane, nor any operation, and back
I came-record breaking travel-to Eel
island. found the place clean gutted.
All the blacks and silyers caught and
killed, and the skinned carcasses lying
around. And Aleut Sam vanished as
If he had never lived. 1t may have
been done for spite, but whoever he
was he lived in my cabin several days,
and slept in my bunk. l wonder what
he did with Sam. Knocked him on
the head and heayed him In the sea
like as not. I'm nigh desperate. The
work of three years gone, three win
ters spent with Sam alone, like some
kind Of a Crusoe and his man Friday
and keeping my wife and two little
gals down at Valdez"
"Look here, amt It a bit early in the
year to kill foxes" said Joe, after
pause.
They'd have been worth rs per cent
more in month"
"Then why?"-
Because / couldn't have been de-
coyed away except while the steamer
was running before the winter closed
down. See? Even as early as this In
the year the pelts were worth $4,000"
"My! said Joe. Suspect any one
in PARTICULAR"
81 believe it may have been Trapper
Simpson. He's had a down ON me
this good while back. Well, If 1t was
him, he's paid me out good. the black
guard"
Hard words don't bring down nor
man nor deer" said Joe.
There was silence; then I said:
What would you give the man that
discovered who it was robbed your
IF he didn't get me back my pelts
l could give him nothing. If he did
he'd be welcome to $780," replied the
fox farmer.
Good enough, November asked.
Joe nodded.
What do you mean?" asked Staf-
ford, turning to Joe. you a trail
readerT
"Learnin' to be-" said Joe.
Thus It was agreed that we should
20 across to Eel island at dawn to let
November have q look round. We
went ashore, and Joe at once took q
cast, looking for tracks, though he
knew he was little likely to find any
for the ground was as hard as iron
and had been impervious for days.
We next climbed to Stafford's cabin.
Come right in," said he.
"Wait!' said Joe. "YOu told us the
robber lived in here while he was on
the island. II things is the way he
left them I'd like to look round"
"Have your way" said Stafford. u
haven't disturbed them. put OF d.
rectly saw your smoke, and / hadn't
been long ashore"
Joe went In and examined every
thing with his usual swift care. dc
III match after match and peered