The Little River news., 1920-12-04
Iaeh ot6lr, crouched.and tense.

from her chair The Pearlhunter dared not look, but he saw the eyes of the man he faced turning irresistibly toward the sound. With the first glance a startling change came over him: his eyes strained; stared; his hand left his hip and went to his face. He strengthened and shrank back against the cabin door. The Pearl hunter dared not look around, yet he knew his mother was coming. With a step he would not have believed it possible for her to take she was be- tween them, her face ablaze with i'm perious dignity her eyes like the pan ther before the door of her den. She had shed her weakness as a mantle. The intruder covered: his lips moved. She raised her hand and pointed to the door, Again he tried to speak. Her body stiffened; her arm grew rigid. Like man compelled to re- treat beforesa a blaze, he half turned and backed away.
 The Pearlhunter followed him. trailed him up the bluffs, through the woods and out to the river road. where it came down from the north, right angled east and led away up the river to the village.
 When he hurried back his mother wss again in her chair, the imperious outburst over. spent and trembling. She looked up at him curfously. He thought she was about to speak. She hestated looked down.
 q haven't seen him for twenty years. He's the-the--o man."
 The Pearlhunter started; glanced quickly at her. She was rocking back and forth, the fingers of her thin hands lacing and unlacing nervously.
 The breeze from the door was gut tering the candle. He crossed the floor to close it. As he brought it around, it scraped small packet ahead of it along the floor He picked it up and. after closing the door, car ried it to the candle. It was not big ger than the length and width of a mans two thumbs. and was wrapped in brown paper. He unrolled it. The first glance. as the folds fell apart and bit of cloth dropped upon the table, brought startled eXclamation from him. It was a red mask.
 The Iron-GrayW oman left her chair and came to the table. The two of them stood staring down upon the bit of flaming cloth
 sudden impulse seemed to sweep the man. Involuntarily his hand felt for the pistol at his hip; he whirled toward the door. The woman clutched his arm. He caught the appeal in her eyes bowed his head; turned back to the table. e
 A tense bit oil pantomime it had been, full enough of meaning, of hu- man interest, to anyone able to trace back through the years the snarled life-threads of the actors: the two river waifs staring. down at the mask; the hard man strsiing away up the river road. Y S$esaNs9 @.s.stS''3@
 The woman went back 10 her chair and resumed her quick. nervous rock. ing.
 .,ss.sAnd so he has come to this p'- she muttered., My poor. poor cousin ' What must have been hersfatetr y4tg. She leant forward and sat still and thoughtful, her face propped in her palm. The man stood by the table, lingering the bit of cloth, his eyes, stern and severe, still irresistibly drawn in the direction the intruder had gone.
 A hail came up from the houseboat. The sudden cry half startled them both, coming so close as it did on the heels of that tense moment barely gone
 "It's the Boss. I promised to go spearing with him tonight"
 Stepping to the door, he opened it and answered the han; came back; slid the teakettle off the fire; closed the damper of the stove; and snuffed the candle.
 "Now, mother, don't attempt to clear away the dishes. Leave them till l get back. I'll only be gone lit- tie while."
 The woman made no answer. The red mask still lying upon the table caught his eye. Rolling 1t up, he hid it under loosened chink in the cabin wall, picked up his hat and started for the door; hesitated; came back to the rocking chair.
 "YOu won't be-afraid-r
 She looked up at him in quick sur prise. A half frown clouded the luster of her eyes.
 What question:"
 He turned and left the cabin; closed the door after him and strode down the slope to the hOusebOat.
 The men who hunted the river mus sel along the Wabash before the days or the button industry hunted 1t for the pearl sometimes found jmbedded between it's flesh and shell. Struggling up and down the streams. often singly, sometimes in crews, they were a shift less. fiery, reckless breed-of feather with the buccaneers,of other days, and led on by the same lure; chance <nH-- J <4-, N ...