Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-10-07
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER I.-Never having known his
father, and living with his mother on a
houseboat on the Wabash river, 1.-THE
P~earlhunter"-the only name he has
learns from her a part Of the story Of
her sad life. The recital is Interrupted by
a fearful fit of coughing and he hurries
ashore to seek a root that affords relief.
Returning with the root, he meets a
young girl whom he mentally christens
the "Wild Rose" She eludes him before
he can make her acquaintance.
shore has attracted the attention of the
aillng woman and they move into it..
Their first meal Is interrupted by a
stranger who resents their presence. The
youth drives the man from their home.
His presence has strangely affected the
mother. That night the youth finds with
In a mussel the largest pearl hat has
been found on the river, the blue Moon"
Returning exultant to the cabin. he dis
covers his mother dead, she having sue
curnbed while endeavoring to leave a
message revealing the secret Of his par
entage.
CHAPTER III.-At the village of Fallen
Rock, to which he takes the gem for safe
keeping, the '~Pearlhunter'' meets the
stranger who had disturbed his mother
in their cabin, and insults him. They
part as bitter enemies.
CHAPTER ~. - In the village the
"Pearlhunter" sees the girl who had at
tracted his attention in the woods. She
is annoyed by the stranger, and the
"Pearlhunter" rescues her from his I'M
welcome attentions. He accompanies her
to her home.
CHAPTER Vat the house he mee.-
the father of his wild Rose" known to
the locality as the "Wild Man," mentally
irresponsible as the result of a wound re-
ceived from a man weara1g a red mask,
a notorious desperado. The youth de-
clares his intention of devoting the
money he is to get for the pearl to pay
ing for a surgical operation which will
restore the old mans reason.
CHAPTER Win the cabin that night
the 'Pearlhunter' Is aroused from sleep
by the stealthy visit of a man who con-
ceals a red mask in the wall and makes
his escape. The "Pearlhunter." mystified,
and suspecting foul play. destroys it.
Next day Louie Solomon pearl buyer,
purchases the gem for $500.
zoo, up there!"
1t was the hoarse, gruff voice of the
Boss. A day and half a night! The
finding of the Blue Moon had been eel
ebrated most %furiously.
"Hello-o!" he answered.
He heard the Boss swear and say to
the others: There! What'd I tell
y'u! I knowed he wouldn't be asleep"
The hoarse voice, thickened a good
deal by the celebration, doomed across
the water again and bounded against
the face Of the cliff.
Louie Solomon struck town t'night.
He'll be down in tn mornin'."
Let m come"
Stick out fer tn five thOuSan'."
The Pearlhunter did not answer.
BE up t,morrow, Sometime" the
voice doomed out again.
"Come ahead"
The Boss tossed back no further
word.
So Louie Solomon, the smoothest,
trickiest, shiftieSt Of them all, would
be "down in the mornin'." The eyes
of the ~Pearlhunter narrowed. His jaws
snapped together. He turned and re-
entered the cabin. The candle had
burned low. The draft that set in
from the open door had guttered it
deep. He blew it out, flung off his
clothes and rolled into bed.
give thousand !" he muttered, drop
ping into the sleep hat comes easy to
the oodsman. mot ever Louie Sol
ONION can beat me if / stick right here.
That's what I'll do-stick-right here.
I'm not askin' more, and he shan't
have it for-less-"
So long as the pulse of the woods
beat normal the sleep of the Pearl
hunter was sound. The boot Of the
owl; the whine of the wildcat; the
howl Of the wolves; never disturbed
him. In cabin or house-boat, or out
under the trees, he could sleep through
it all. But let a false note creep into
the wild medley and it instantly
reached him. 1t was his training, and
could be counted on.
Some time away in the dead night
the false note came-guarded footballs
outside the cabin, and close to the
wall. Without start or stir the Pearl
hunters eyes came open, every sense
at keenest pitch. 1t must have been
near morning, for the moon stood al
most straight in the open door. He slid
his hand down his side, felt for the
revolver under the edge of his thigh,
laid it across his chest, and covered
both hand and revolver with a corner
of the sheet.
A form blotted the moonlight upon
the floor with a living splotch Of shad-
ow. An arm came in at the door; a
hand fumbled behind the easement.
That was all. No face appeared. A
moment or two, and the arm disap.
reared the Splotch of shadow slid off
'lAe square Of moonlight ;Itl" soft foot
'alls "'lnped away Ground the east end
Of the cabin and muEiled into silence.
sNerg softly the Pearllmnter rose to
his feet. The llghi outside was far
too bright 10 risk ~yenturIng forth. II
would have BETRAYED him Ins'a".'"