Oxford Democrat., 1915-02-23
November
Joe
The Detective of the
Woods
By #SkETH PRIChARD
Copyriaht. 1918.
By hesketh Psiehard
By mSkE1H PRICHARD
Copyright. 1918.
By Hesketh Pfichard
CHAPTER XVI.
Tho Capture.

~ lures.
II started out, Mr.. Quaritch, u
he began, "and crossed the lake to
the camp where Bill Worke was fired
at-you mind Miss Linda dropped q
brooch there? had a search for 1t,
but l didn't find 1t, though I come
across what I'd hoped to find-a lot OF
tracks-men's tracks"
"Who had been there since Satur-
dayT
"Huh! Yes; only about two days
old. After awhile I built bit OF q
fire and cooked pinch Of tea In a
tin I'd fetched along. Then after
lunk"-Joe always called lunch "lunk"
Fl started back. I was coming along
easy, not on the path, but In the wood
about twenty yards to the south Of 1t,
and afore I'd gone above three or
four acres a shot was fred at me from
above. The bullet didn't strike me.
but as 1 was in a wonderful poor place
for cover-just three or four spruces
and half a dozen sticks of wild rasp-
berry, went down. pretending I'd
got the bullet, pitched over the way a
man does that's got it high up, and l
took care to get the biggest spruce
trunk between me and where / think
the shots come from.
Sometimes, If you go down like
that, man'll get rattled-like and come
out, but not this one. Guess I'm not
the first he's put bit Of lead into.
He lay still and fired again-got me
In the shoulder that time, and gave
q kick and showed in among the rasp-
berry canes in good earnest, had some
Of them Whitley buds in my mouth and
was chewing of them. when the fella
shoots twice more-both misses. Then
he kind O. paused, and I guesses he's
going to move to where he can let me
have 1t again.
81 see the black hat on him for a mo-
ment and then lets drive. / tried
to get up to have look at him."
"Surely that was risky. How could
you know he was dead"
Heard the bullet strike and saw the
hat 20 backward. A man don't new
er fall over backward when he's sham
ming. l couldn't get to hlm-fainted,
I guess. Then you come along"
Evening had fallen before we ulti-
mately arrived at Kalmacks. We ap-
preached the house with care and en-
tered by a window at the back, as
Joe thought it possible the front en-
frances might be commanded from the
wood on that side.
We went at once to the room where
Worke was lying and Joe gave him
rapid description Of the man he had
shot.
"That's Tomlinson," said Worke at
once. Them two brothers lives to-
gether. What have they been doingT'
you'll know afore night" replied
Joe. "What are their names"
DANDY Is the one with the black
beard, while him they calls Muppy Is
q foxy colored man."
"Thank you," said Joe. "Now, Bill,
II you keep them names to yourself
I'll come back In half an hour and tell
you who 1t was shot you"
On Joe's appearance Linda started up
and ran to him.
you're woundedr' she cried.
"Its nothin' much, Miss Linda"
But as we laid him down on the
couch he seemed to lose consciousness.
Petersham brought brandy, and Linda,
holding Joe's head upon her arm, put
It to his lips. He swallowed some OF
It and then insisted upon sitting up.
81 must bind up your shoulder We
must stop the bleeding" Linda's dis
tress and anxiety were very evident.
And Joe had to give way. With her
capable and gentle hands Linda soon
dressed the wound and afterward in
sisted on sending for Puttick to help
him to his bunk.
$50 you've got it?' Puttick said. II
warned you. Lucky you're not dead"
Eyes, amt it?" returned Joe.
Well knew that soft drawl, which
NovemDer's voice never took except IN
moments Of fiercest tension.
You'd best join your hands above
your head, Ben Puttick. Lock the
thumbs. That's right!'
Joe had picked my revolver from the
table and held it pointed at Puttick's
breast.
"He's madw screamed Puttick.
."Tie his hands, Mr.. Quaritch. Miss
Linda, will you please to go away"
"No. Joe. Do you think I'm fright
ened"
"Huh! I know you're brave, but a
man acts freer without the women
looking on"
Without word she turned and walk
ed out of the room.
"Putuck's going to confess, Mr.. Pc
tersham," went on November.
"I've nothing to confess, you fool!'
"Not even that story you invented
about the man with the red banker
across his face-the man who wasn't
eever there?"
whats he ravin' about7" cried Put
tick.
"Have you forgot them long haired
Tomlinson brothers that
The effect Of this speech on Putdck
was instantaneous. Evidently he leap
ed to the conclusion that he had been
betrayed, for he turned and dashed
for the door. We flung ourselves upon
him and by sheer weight bore him to
the ground, whess we quickly 6vefpow'
cred him. snarling and writhing.
Some hours later we sat round No.
vember Joe who was stretched upon
the couch. Puttick had been tied NJ
and imprisoned In the strongest room.
"No, Mr.. Petersham," Joe was say
ing. IT don't think you'll have much
more trouble. There was only three
men In It. Ones dead; ones locked
ND, and I dare say wen find a way OF
dealing with No. s."
what I don't understand" said Lin
da, 'is how you found out that Puttich
. Wa In u, When did you begin to So