The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-02-25

more in a month"
''Then whyT"-
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 We're worth $4,000"
"My" said Joe. Suspect any one
in particuI u?"
II believe it may have been Trapper
Simpson. He's had down Oh 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 Il silence; then l said:
What wonld you give the man that
discovered who it was robbed youy
IF he didn't get me back my pelts
could give him nothing If he did
he'd be welcome to $780," replied the
fox farmer.
Good enough. November?" l asked
Joe nodded.
What do you mean?' asked Stat
ford, turning to Joe. You trait
readerT'
"Learnin' to be-" said Joe.
=
Thus it was agreed that we should
go across to Eel island at dawn to let
November have a look round We
went ashore. and Joe at once took a
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. S. cabin.
Come right in." said he -
"Waitw said Joe. You told us the
robber lived in here while he was on
the island. If things is the way he
left them I'd like to look round
Have your way" said Stafford. Il
haven't disturbed them. put off di.
rectly saw your smoke. and l hadn't
been long ashore" ....-
Joe went in and examined every
thing with his usual swift care He
lit match after match and peered
about the stove, for the interior of the
cabin was pretty dark even in the day
time
After this he bent OYER the table
and, drawing his knife. scratched at a
stain on the near side. and then at
similar stain upon the other
I'm through" he said at length.
Stafford, who had been watching
Joe's proceedings with an air of in
credulity that bordered on derision.
turned sharply to question him:
Found out anything?" ~
mot much." answered joe
"Well. all I can see is that the vii,
lain has eaten good share of my
grub
Il dare say" said Joe. There was
two Of them. you know"
mo. | don't! And what else can
you tell me about them?"
II think they was man and wife.
She's smallish woman: I'd guess she's
maybe weakly. too. And he's fond
Of reading; anyway. he can read"
Stafford stared at November half sus
piciously.
"What?" he shouted Are you kid
ding ME? Or how did you get all that?"
That's easy" replied November.
There are two or three traces of q lit
tie flat foot in front Of the stove and
a woman couldn't run this job on her
own, so it's likely there was man
too
weakly"
II thought maybe she was. for If she
hadn't split the water out of the kettle
most times she took it off the stove
there wouldn't be any track. and here
is one near on top Of the other. SO it
happened more'n once on the same
spot. She found her kettle heavy. Mr..
Stafford" Joe said seriously.
I'm free to own that seems sense" :"
acknowledged Stafford. But the read
ing-that's different"
Tables been pulled up alongside
the bunk-see that scrape of the leg?-
and he's had the lamp close up along
side near the edge where the stain is.
There's plenty old oil stains in the mid
die of the table. but these close to the
edges amt been long on. You can sec
that for yourself"
"By jingor' said the fox farmer.
Anything else?"
1.-THE chap what robbed you was a
trapper all right and had killed a red
fox recent. SO recent he carried it
across and skinned it here"
"Where?"
"By your stove" Joe bent down and
picked up some short red hairs 'Clum.
sy skinning." said he Lets go out
and take look round the island"
Stafford led the way At a short dis
tance some of the skinned carcasses
lay. Joe turned them over. Suddenly
he bent down with that quick intent
ness that l had learned to connect
with his more important discoveries
From one be passed to another TIL he
had handled every carcass. Stafford
pointed out another island lying some
Eve miles north. where. he told US. he
kept his less valuable stock.
There's lot of red and cross foxes
over there on Edith island. It's named
for my eldest gal" he said. Wien