The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-11-13

OF THE FLATWOODS


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the stain of time. Down beneath
everything else lay small box which
the Boss, from an experience which
befeli him as a soldier In the fal
South, knew to be satinwood.
4 The young man stood with II In his
hand, afraid to raise the lid-afraid
to put 1t to the test. So far. the trunk
had given up nothing. He was still
nameless What II this. too. should
prove hlankf
At last the Pearlhunter raised the
lid-some baby clothes, clean and
neatly folded: q plain gold ring
wrapped In q handkerchief Of the
finest cambria; and. under all. a pic
| ture-what the Iron-Gray-Woman
must have been In her girlhood. He
snatched It up, carried 1t to the light
Of the door and looked long upon 1t.
After a time he came back to the
trunk. The satinwood box was the
last article In 1t. and 1t had told him
nothing. He laid the picture in 1t. re-
placed the baby clothes and ring.
closed the box and put 1t back. He
even took sort Of melancholy salts
faction In replacing. with studied
neatness. the glove. the dress and
other articles, after which he closed
the lid, locked 1t. pocketed the key.
and turning to the window. stood star
ing out over the river.
He was still q man without name.
The Boss stepped back from the
door.
"The Blue Moon" he said. 'Hit
orta be putt away safe"
As If the statement recalled
thoughts that had strayed far. the
young man reached In his pocket and
drew forth the pearl. still rolled in the
bit of cloth.
The two days Of ripening and the
chafe of the cloth had greatly en-
HANGED its brflliance. Quietly rolling
the pearl up in the cloth again. he left
the cabin and, followed by the Boss,
strobe down the slope through the
trees to the boat, and together they
rowed away toward the village.
The fame Of the Pearlhunter had
preceded him. As be came up from
the wharf into the town. the Mud
Hen, the one saloon Of the place. dis
gorged . staggering. swearing popu-
iati0n that gathered round him. The
Boss crew, camped half mile below
Fallen Rock, and the crew Of Bull
Masterson. camped three miles above.
were both there. Besides these. the
Obenchain. q small steamer plying be-
tween the ports Of the Wabash. had
come Ia that morning. bringing other
river men.
Caught In the swirl Of the crowd.
the Pearihunter and his companion
were swept into the Mud Hen. A hun
dred voices clamored to have the pearl
laid upon the bar where all could file
BY and see It Tfere fen a few min
utes Of comparative quiet while the
hungry eyes Of the river men were de-
vOaring t. Then followed drinks all
rcund-at the expense Of the finder;
and what followed Is mot Z pleasant
task to describe.
The Pearlhunter. remembering that
mound OF fresh earth Ut FaIlen Rock,
kept his head and drank but little.
The Boss. on the other hand. -cut tn
dog loose rs the river men say. BY
noon he was singing snatches Of half
forgotten songs and fighting the In
disn wars all over again. Coming up
to where his young friend leaned
against the bar. IN easy reach Of the
pearl sim lying upon Its BIT Of cloth,
he threw an arm about his neck and
leant hard upon him. something he
couldn't have been hired to do when
sober
',Come ere, you fellers. This'n's On
me. an It's to III Pearlhunter, Ia
whitest man along tn Wabash-an'
Be ID T tn man what says Z
amir
The rabble swarmed about the bar
IN that we're able. BOTTLE necks
Eurgied: glasses clinked: red whisky |
sixxled down hot throats: ! few
shouted: some swore: others merely
laughed foolishly.
That last drink was the Boss nm
Ish- He wilted down into the nearest
chair; lurched heavily over upon q n
bic and hay there mumblinx. or laugh |
Inc ID high. shrin key: occasionally |
un.xnkfnsr nsps : META ~. srrn ~ = HAT. Il