Cleveland County herald., 1920-12-23

These questions you were expect ing to asl;--I might answer them to boot"
 The pearhunters fingers frightened on the bar He breathed deep. Those questioas! His life through, they had haunted him. And the man before him i knew the answer His face sci hard.
 Answer or not, as you please" he said; hut I'll not bolt the Flatwoods. was expectin' to ask about my-fa- ther.''
 The other whipped curious lock at him.
 Your father,' he snarled. The scowl on his face became it better than the smile. As like you as two peas i; with the same lot of fool, Sir Galahad ! notions about the women-angels and white lilies, and all that rot. He crossed my path once too often, and for the last time. seven years ago. He's in hell now. And your mother The fist that stabbed out of the win dow fell almost short. landing with a snap instead of crash, like lash that can reach only so far. It stung the man on the point of the cheek and shot his head back.
 He staggered and threw up his hand to his face. His other hand inYolun- tarily dropped toward his hip. Well for him that it stopped before it got there. The Pearlhunter had snatched 1 the revolver from under his blouse and j1.et+ hOl I,O The man on the outside backed away. his face stung to flame by the 1 blow. He felt for his knife; seemed | to remember where he had left it-be- | tween the ribs of a man. Anyhow, it would have been as useless 0S the re- l volver Noise precluded the use of l the one; walls and bars the other. "I'd kill you.' he retorted finally, his tones steady, though strained, like the current that plays across the top ct whirlpool, "only haven't time. There's a flock of yellow curls and q deviish ! trim pair of ankles waitin' for me down the road"
 He had so framed the taunt as to re- fleet on the girl his very thought dis honored Without another word he turned and walked away. The Pearlhunter seriously debated whether to shoot hlrl dead and trust to fate for the rest. The revolver crawled up over tie window sill. He grasped one of tne bars 10 steady his hand. A start of surprise came to his face. The revolver went hack below the window sill. The bar was loose.
 It was almost unbelievable. but 1t was so. For some reason or other it had not been fixed very firmly in Its auger hole sockets. There was play a heartening amount of it--betwt n the upper and lower auger holes. His blood missed a beat; then leaVJd the higher
 He jammed the bar into tne lower socket. The bottom of the hole was soft The rain had probably routed 1t. He damned the bar again and the wood gave. He put all his strength to 1t. Each effort drove the bar little deep CT; gave it little more play at the top. If he could only drive it far ctlOuHH SD VI1at tie iOlt NOutt Citdf was working like q wild man.
 Bearing t,own with all his strength. he rotated the bar. The tremendous eXcrtion opened the cuts and scratches on his neck and breast until they bled afresh. He damned the bar down again; bore upon it with all his strength: rotated 1t again and again. Less than half an inch still held at the top.
 His exertions brought the sweat out upon his face. Another effort; tre- mendous; to the last ounce of his power.
 His hands were like fire--but the bar cleared. He could move it tiny mite to the side of the upper aucer hole. The clearance was ever so little hut it cleared. Bracing his knee against the wall and grasping the case ment with his left hand for anchorage. he bent and worked and twisted the bar outward At last. by final su- premc heave, it cleared the upper log. There remained only tO lift it out of the lower auger hole.
 The Pearlhunter dropped back pant ing and mopped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. The effort had been tremendous.
 A minute to get his breath; another spent in listening; and he worked the loosened end little freer lifted out the bar; crawled outside; put it back into place again, feeling about with his fingers to make sure there were no scars on the wood or bits of chips scraped loose, and stole away under the trees.
 It would probably be quite impOssi- ble for the city-bred to appreciate fully the feelings of the Pearlhunter at find- ing the breath of the open woods once more upon his face. The trees were
 like comrades i'll arms. The rough bark that covered their stout hearts actually felt friendly and good to his hands as he darted like a shadow from one to tue other on his way out Of the jail yard and ID the side of the bluff.
 Well knowing there would be eyes on his trail in the morning. he dared l.: x.xrs,