The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-01-21
curly ripe AMI 60 off their looks 1T
twenty five. | guess. Mr.. Quaritch, her
age was a pretty safe shot.
CHAPTER XII.
he i-ootac! Island.

'Et'HAfN 'cF hlIi "Git SIItiIlg DN
ks oHr campnre near one of the tiords
60 western Aiaska where we had
4s9la "a Il bunting expedition after the
-r4at moose of the west
was talking when suddenly Joe
touched me.
Sllsh..' he whispered "There's some
Teller moving down by the creek"
We waited, and was soon aware of
q figure advancing through the night.
Then Il voice said. Zine night
mates" and sinewy, long armed fell
low With bushy red beard stepped
into the circle of light.
The cold makes you keep your
hands in your pockets. don't it," said
Joe gently. 1T does me-"
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.. Quaritch Of Que
bee. I'm his guide. We're come after
big game
II guess you're speaking truth. It's
VIZ W AAAN ~ uPOlOSslAO. L III lice W O"lI
was doubtful about you. You'll un-
derstand that when tell you what's
happened. Perhaps you've noticed an
| island about eight miles off the coast.
| lying nor or'west?'
Sort OF loaf shaped island? Yes"
That's where l come from-Eel is
| land. have fox farm there. l re-
turned to it yesterday after a run
down to Valdez. When went away
fortnight ago l 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:"
An 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"
J. "How's that:
One reason is that | own only one
boat. and when | went to the main
land last Friday week took it. leav-
ing Sam on 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 it
couldn't have been him. The other
reasons as good. | was decoyed away
SO cleverly. Here's the letter that did
it,
Sir-Iour wife wants you to come down
ut once. She's due for an operation IN
the hospital here on Friday week, ard
she's hard put to it to plan for the chit
dren till she gets about again. SO YOU'D
best come. Yours truly.
S. MACFARLANE (1octor).
gave him back the letter "Any 4
man would have gone ON such news"
said
'Wcl, did" said Stafford savagely
II got that letter twelve days back,
and of / went hot foot Ioaving Alent
sam in charge, It took me Il week
goinss down. When l reached the house
whore my wife is living, she WAS sur
priSel to see me, and | slowed her
the letter. You can guess. 1t was all
a plant. There wasn't amy DIR. Mac
farlane. nor any operation, and back
/ came-~record breaking travel-to Eel
A'tth'lh. htAtiiAi Lit it4etA g slAlll ttlSNt
All the blacks ard SilVers caught and
killed, and the skinned c;trcasses lying
nrGund And Alput sam vanished as
if Ne had never lived 1t may have
been done for spite, but whoever he
WAS be lived in my cabin several days,
ans slept IN my bunk. wonder what
he lid with sam. Knocked him on
the head and heaved him in the sea
like rs not I'm nigh Desperate The
work Of three years gone, three Win
ters spout with Sam alone, like some
kind Of "A Crnsoe and his man Friday,
and keeping my wife ana two little
gals down at Valdez.
Look here. sn't it a bit early in the
year 10 Kill foNes:" said Joe. after a
pause.
"'i'Iey'd have been worth % per cent
more i'll a month
Then WhN:"-
"HecauSe / couldn't have been de.
coyed away except white the steamer
was running before the winter closed
down. See? Even as early us this in
the year the pelts were worth $4,000"
My" said Joe. Suspect any one
in particular?"
II believe it may have been Trapper
Simpson, He's had !; down on me
this good While back. Well. if it 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 | said:
What would You give the man that
discovered who it was robbed you!'
IF he didn't get NE back my pelts
could give him nothing. Ii he did
he'd be welcome to $780, replied the
fox farmer.
Good enough, Noyember:' | asked
Joe nodded.
What do you mean!' asked Stat