The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-05-06

uOueu .lumDer camp, COlOHel DUKE
said to the guide:
"I'll take the lead here"
He walked slowly, looking intently
at the ground. In a wet spot near a
deep puddle he stopped, saying:
"Here are Shad's tracks and here
are the tracks of the man who fol-
lowed him coming and going. He wore
hunting boots.'
The colonel took rule from his
pocket and measured the tracks, the
Judge noting the figures.
by jove" the latter exclaimed.
"They are almost Identical with those
Of the rubber tracks Of the murderer.
/ am convinced that this man could
have worn Bumpy's rubbers"
"Yes, we're In deeper water than we
thought" the colonel remarked as he
folded his rule. j ssy
They followed the footprints to the
very edge of Center pond. The canoe
was gone. They could dimly see it on
the far shore.
"He went out of the woods last night
and was in hurry" said the colonel.
They turned back and made for the
clearing. Half mile or so back of
st. Germans cabin the tracks Of the
stranger were no longer visible. At
some point, which they did not dis
cover, he had left the trail.
Shad and the two officials tramped
over the lonely sand road to South
Bolton. About two miles below ST.
Germans they saw where team and
wagon had come off the plain into
the road and gone on toward the
settlement some time before.
At South Bolton they went to Hub
bard's store. Shad had told Colonel
Blake of the attractive young lady
he had once seen at Bumpy Browns
shack and who worked in that store.
The young woman had gone to Ash
field that morning. She would be re-
turning the next day.
"Who Is this young woman and
where is her home" Colonel Blake
inquired Of the merchant.
"She Is from Malone" the latter an
swered. "Her name is Caroline De
Long. Robert Royce introduced her to
me in Ashfield one day about year
ago. He had known her and her peo-
pie in Malone. She said that she was
not very well; that she had heard that
South Bolton was healthy place near
the edge Of the big woods and that
she would like to work in my store
1 needed help, so took her to work
here In the store"
Z "Have you been pleased with herr"
swell, yes-pretty well on the
whole. I've found her honest and
good at figures"
II have heard that she is very hand
some and that she dresses WE'LL" Col
onel Blake went on.
eyes, she's as proud as a peacock,
iand my wife thinks that she dresses
too well for girl who has to work
for living and that she gads around,
too much"
"Who does she CAD around with"
"Well, mostly Robert Royce. I
don't know as we can complain Of
that. Royce is single man and /
kind O. think he's fond Of her."
"Do you happen to know old Bumpy
Brown, the tinker who lives down on
the Racquette?"
'Oh, everybody knows him! They
think that he's the man who done the
shooting down to Doolittle's."
''Does Miss De Long know himw
eyes, and we've all been wondering
about that. He was UP here tinkering.
They seemed to be we'll acquainted.
He said that he knew her people. The
last time he was here Carrie spent
the evening with him on the hotel
piazza. Ny wife thinks that he gives
her money"
''What does she say about his indict-
ment?"
sShe says he is harmless old man
who wouldn't hurt anybody"
'You will remember that Bumpy
bought pair Of rubbers here few
days before the murder. Who sold
them to him?"
"Miss De Long"
''Who bought rubbers of the same
size about that timer"
''rve been thinking about that. Yon
know, Robert Royce came in the day
after the tinker was here. Another
man was with Royce. / didn't know
him. There were going into the woods.
The stranger bought raincoat. They