The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-01-28
CHAPTER VI.
The Black Fox Skin,

Y you must understand that from
" this time on my association
with November Joe was not
continuous but ftful. and that
after the events | have just written
down | went back to Quebec, where
became once more immersed in my
business. Of Joe l heard from time to
time. generally by means of smudged
letters obviously written from camp
and usually smeVin: of wood smoke
1t VAS such a letter. which in the fol
lowing year, caused me once more to
seek November. 1t ran as follows:
Mr. Quaritch. Sir. last week / was up
In WiGdeney Pond and | see q wonderful
red deer buck. | guess he come out OF
the thick Maine woods to take the place
c that fela you shot there last fall This
great fella has had a accident to his horns
or something for they come out of his
head thick and stunted-like and all over
little points. Them horns would look fine
at the top OF the stairs in your house to
Quebec. so come and try for them I'll
be down to Mrs. Harding's Friday morn
ing SO as can meet you if you can come
There's only three moose using round
here. two COWS. and a mean little fella
OF a bull. NOVEMBER
This was the letter which caused NE
TO seek Mrs Harding's. but owing to
d slight accident to the rig | WAS driv-
en- up i'll. ! arrived late to find that
November had gone up to neighbor-
ing farm on some business. leaving
word that should | arrive was to
start for his shack and that he would
catch nle up on the way. November
struck my trail and it was long after
dark when we reached Novembers
shack that evening AS he opened the
Goor he displaced something white
which lay just inside it.
ITS il letter." he said in surprise
as he handed it to me- What does il
say. Mr.. Quaritch?"
l read it aloud. 1t ran:
| am in trouble. Joe. Somebody is rob-
bng my traps. When you get home
which I pray will be soon. come rgh,
over. s. ROME
"rhe skunk" cried November.
| had never seen him so moved He
had been away hunting for three days
and returned to find this message.
The darned skunk" he repeated, ITO
rob her traps!''
'Her-a wOman?''
IS Rome stands for Sally Rome
You've sure heard of herr"
mo: who is she?
"1'll tell you" said Joe. SAILS IA
mighty brave girl-that is. she's wild
ow. She was married on Rome four
years ago last Christmas. and the
autumn after he got his back broke to
the Red Star lumber camp leaving
Sally just enough dollars to carry her
over the birth of her son. To make n
long story short. there was lots of the
boys ready to fill dead mun Rone's
place when they knew her money must
be giving out. and the neighbors were
wonderful interested to know which
Sal would take. But it soon come out
that Sal wasn't taking any of them
but had decided to try what she could
do with the trapping herself
"Just that. Rome worked line o.
traps. and Sal was fixed to make her
living and the boys that way Said a
woman was liable to be as successful
a trapper rs man. She's ut it near
three year now. and she's made good.
Lives with her. boy about four hours
walk nor'west of here. with not an.
other house within five miles of her.
She's GOT young sister, Ruby with
her on account Of the kid. rs she has
to be out such lot''
Not much later ] was following No
gember's nimbly moving figure upon as
hard woods march as l ever care to
try. was not sorry when a thong
Of my moccasin gave way and Joe al
lowed me minute to tie it up and to
get my wind.
There's Tom Carroll. Phil Gort and
Injin Sylvester" began November alb
ruptly-"those three. They're Sally's
nearest neighbors. them and Val Black.
Vafs good man. but
But what?" said / absently. ~
Him and Tom Carroll's cut the top
notches for Sally's favor SO far"
But what's that got to do with
Come on" snapped November and
hurried forward to Sally's lonely cabin.
Joe knocked at the door, calling at
the same time: Its me. Are you
N,,ll~