Cleveland County herald., 1920-12-23

The Pearihullter strained HlS eirS for sounds farther up the street, par ticularly for any loud talk or excite ment back of the Mud Hen
 It was the hour just after nightfall, when village streets are most likely ;! to be deserted-the hour when loungers go home to supper Not sound out of the ordinary rode the air.
 At the moment, a door opened on
 the back porch of the sheriiT's house. ! A square of light picked out the rough 1 boards. The sheriff appeared with
 flat basket in the hollow of his arm. A woman's hand puled back the mus
 lin curtains at q side window and held a candle close to the pane to light him across the jail yard.
 The Pearlhuntcr lounged down on the broken chair. A moment later q key, scraping unbelievably loud on the dull silence of the Jail. hunted it's way
 into the lock. The heavy outer door 1 whined back. A match scraped; the 1 sputtering flame was laid to tiie stub 1 of candle; an arm held it through 1 the bars of the inner door. 1 'sOh, you're awake Il was so quiet | in here l thought mGbbe y'u might be 1 asleep"
 With the air of Il man dog tired the Pearlhunter dragged himself up off the chair, shambled out into the hall and took the stub of candle from the Sher- ifs hand
 The sheriff fumbled three or four dishes and q tin cup of black coffee out 1 of the fiat basket and held them close l to the bars. He stood well back, talk ing quite evident pains to keep his re- volver butt out of reach He did not know there was very dependable weapon already on the other side of the bars. He made no move to unlock ] the door or to enter the cell. None of this escaped the Pearlhunt- i CT. The chance to use his stove leg was as good as gone, or rather, it was l not going to come. Once he considered | the desperate move of drawing his re- volVer and forcing the sheriff to open l the door But the sheriff was known i to be Il brave man. He might fight, and if he did, one or the other of them would be killed. The pearlhunter dis l missed the plan.
 "Th' woman didn't know there'd be l company tonight" the sheriff muttered as he held the dishes within reach of l the arm thru~t through the bars. "I'm afeared you'll be sllimped little. But we'll try an cook up a-plenty in the morning."
 He closed the door and turned the key in the lock. The Pearhunter watched him until he had crossed the square of light shining out from the kitchen and re-entered the house until the door closed and the muslin cur tains fell back into place at the side window. Then he laid the stove leg by. His chance was gone.
 The revolver tucked under his waistband at the flank of his back and hidden by his blouse seemed to have a personality. Its friendly pres ence helped his appetite, though, for that matter, it was already keen enough as he had eaten nothing since morning. He could have eaten three such suppers as the sheriff provided.
 The friendly revolver; the thought of grizZled old river man, doubtless at that moment rowing hard up the river, took some of the smart out of his cuts and bruises. His left eye was swelling shut He winked it Timber and stood wondering whether to blow h. loa | h,,,.r ln. finally blew 1t out, and went back to the west window.
 A sound caught his ear; steps com ing down the river road. He listened. The steps turned in at the jail yard came around to the west window. A face appeared between the bars. Enough light fell from the stars to re- veal its identity-the suave, handsome face of the man he least expected to See there.
 The Pearlhunter came close to the window The other backed step away.
 Pleased 4o find you in he sneered.
 The Pearlhunter passed by the taunt
 in silence. It seemed to irritate the otheS that his shot had missed.
 Just thought I'd call around at your -ah--your boarding place this evening and talk over little matter of busi- nesS--a sort of proposition-a-ab-- bargain" he drawled.
 The man on the inside of the bars made no answer. His face was as stolid as if he hadn't heard. Neither was the other much on talk. He shot straight and talked the same way. Half petulantly he shifted to his other foot took his thumbs ont of his vest pockets. The easy smile left his face; the real man came out-a wildcat, fanged and ciawed
 "IIl uncork this rotten old jug, he growled. If you'll bolt the tlatwoods and stop queerin' my game.
 His lips snapped tight His cards were on the tahe Tlte Pearlhunter pondered them in his deliberate way and cast up lhe sum total of their eS- act value.
 First. There would he no mob otherwise ite would have trusted to ,l thr