The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-11-27
She fumbled out from behind row
of books a small packet, with the eau

viii 81 Win IL YOU w. uScu W hccp
| it stuck behind the picture, but 1t
worked out into sight one day, and he
drove the knife through it before
could get it away from him. If he
ever finds the man it belongs to he'll
| serve him the same way, Tn afraid.
| Sometimes think that's why he
| haHnts the wOods-to see if he can find
him. There, You can see where the
| knife went through"
She had been unwrapping a fold of
paper as she talked. The sight of it's
contents surprised low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. 1t was q red
mask. Ssxsawn.
The Pearlhunter fingered the bit
of stiff cloth lying across the girls
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiously. The
| red mask! The slit of the knife near
an eye hQle-.-no man in the Flatwoods
better able to read the story it told !;
none better able to piece together the
fragments e that seven-year-old trag-
edy.
seemed to glow pair of eyes-blue,
| like blue ice; eyes that glow black
when. reused. He knew what they
looked like when the blue turned to
black.
Suddenly, without warning, a deep
groan set the silence ashiver. The
| girl cramIned the packet back behind
the books; the Pearlhunter whirled.
The Wild Man had risen from his
chair and stood peerlng' toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With a step
that was ghostly noiseless he crossed
the floor. Quite close he -came, his
dulled senses seeming to need the
stimulus of close. contact. His .bony
hands and long arms were quivering;
his hollow face twitching pitifully.
l~x Hes never like this" the girl
Whispered III
The young man glanced at her and
stood still. The thin hands fluttered
over his face and head. Even their
lightest touch was heavy with a
strength that must have been prodig-
| ious-as if the fires of his malady kim
died a force In him more than human.
Some impulse of compassion must
have reached the heart of the Pearl
hunter, for he stretched his long arm
forth and laid it about the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
of the gray giant upon him. 1t might
have been the one thing the stricken
man craved in his dumb way-the
touch Of his kind; the prop of mans
arm.
The situation embarrassed the Pearl
hunter. 1t was. like winning the con-
fidence of little child, and then not
knowing what to do with 1t.
The girl was quick to see his embar-
rassment, and, much as mother
might coax a child away from some
one she imagined it was annoying, she
led the old man back to his chair;
then, leaving him, she hurried across
| the room to the book case.
II never saw him so restless before"
she said, as she passed by. HE seems
to like yon, though" she continued
while finding the book she wanted.
Strange, too, for he's cross usually,
even to the doctor. Won't you excuse
| me till quiet himY'
Before he gould reply she had found
the book and hurried back to the chair.
| Opening II. si1es laid 1t upon the old
mans knees. He bent his head and
felt over the open page with his hand,
hut the weird eyes could no longer re-
olvestne frozen magic Of the words.
+ He ~ led in his chair and the book
slid e noor.
The was too distressing, and
the Pa inter- turned his face
away. kvhere he stood he had
an almost bstructed view into the
east room girls room, and before
he. realiz9d his eyes had strayed
lp6st The eprt4ins Amusement held
Efhe8 4leee &moment in spite Of him
Fh6xo1 = striking contrast to what
he had sedheD4 1he rest Of the house.
w east ba 5fs5 s. lature-a car
6or; d< t Of beds; !
i chair, and littfeaalse. &
Tie HcdIu ucT WdlhIHS dCIOSS tiAt
floor and turned away half guiltily
She had her hand upon the curtained
q en- and he no
otherwise furnished quite In keeping
with the room in which he stood, cen
tainly in very decided contrast to the
room upon the east.
But he had no time to reflect on all
these things, for the girl reappeared
in moment carrying cello. which
she placed between the old mans
knees. She put the bow In his right
| hand and lifted his left to the strings
He laid his cheek down upon the in.
| strument; grew quiet. The falterins
bow tried to wake the strings, but IN
vain. The old mans body seemed tc
shrink together. His chin dropped
| down upon his breast. But the next
| instant he sat upright and rigid; his
wide eyes, cropping around, found the
Pearlhunter, and he started to rise
| grappled up, strained up, a. II by q
power outside himself
a.a. ..sae~.-a -.. n