. Conservation. Forests and forestry. THE FRAUDULENT HOMESTEADER 583 "Drink up, and I will show you about the place," he insisted. I thanked both of them graciously, but I said I never drank coffee, and we left the table. I thought the locator looked disappointed. I urged Mrs. Bill and her husband to exhibit their garden and other "improvements," and managed to get them outside without disturbing the debris of the dinner. Then I gave the signal for the boys, and soon they sauntered quietly in. In a moment, while one of the rangers was engaged with Cascade Bill and his wife
. Conservation. Forests and forestry. THE FRAUDULENT HOMESTEADER 583 "Drink up, and I will show you about the place," he insisted. I thanked both of them graciously, but I said I never drank coffee, and we left the table. I thought the locator looked disappointed. I urged Mrs. Bill and her husband to exhibit their garden and other "improvements," and managed to get them outside without disturbing the debris of the dinner. Then I gave the signal for the boys, and soon they sauntered quietly in. In a moment, while one of the rangers was engaged with Cascade Bill and his wife over a peculiar species of berry that grew in the mountains, I managed to get the other ranger aside, and instructed him to get into the cabin unseen, if possible, and empty the con- tents of that coffee cup into his can- teen. This feat was dextrously performed, and we soon left the claim, after expressing ourselves pleased with the call, and myself with the dinner. Sufficient to relate, that after an analy- sis of the coffee by an expert, it was found to contain one-half ounce of rat poison. Thus does man escape the traps set for his downfall. I was very grateful that the manufacturer had inserted an odor into his poison. I often wonder what Cascade Bill said to his wife about it after I left their hos- pitable roof. I went on with my work of investi- gation, and turned up startling and lurid tales about this man and his dark deeds. As fast as the deceived home- steaders gave up their land, they unfolded their troubles to me, and were willing witnesses as to his treachery. Space will not permit me to repeat one- tenth of these stories, but the history in brief of Cascade Bill's creation of the "Settlers' Bridge" should not be overlooked. None of the claims in question could be reached by a single roadway, as they were located between two steep moun- tain walls, with no highway entrance to the outside world. The railway crept through a narrow strip of right of way, f
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