Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-16

little woman, believed him safely
in the village jail. AS long ~
they believed that. he was safe, and
complete master Of his movements.
They would believe it till morning.
After that he would have tn mot to
reckon wtth-the mob and the Sher-
'tff, n another more dangerous than
them both. Tomorrow was theirs: to-
night his. He was hungry. The cabin
offered the only chance for food.
With every caution to leave no
trail. he picked his way through the
woods to the edge OF the bluffs, stole
over and down toward the cabin. He
that he did not look at the cabin IT,
self until within a few yards Of it.
The first glance At the black hulk OF
IT. squatted in the deep gloom under
the outstanding rocks. brought him to
instant pause. There was light
within. Tho windows had been COW
cred. but a tiny ray crept through a
chink between the logs at the east
end. He crouched down In the
bushes to consider what this unex-
pectad circumstance mean before
venturing another step. It might be
tha Boss. But no; he would not have
blinded the windows.
No sound came from the cabin.
The night val intensely still. Not an
car stirred tho river. The waterfall
alone fretteA the silence. The PEARL
hunter fattened himself in the weeds
and bushes and crav1ed guardedb
toward that open chink in the east
vail. Foot by foot he worked his
way until he was able at last to bring
his face level with the tiny opening.
With his eye close. the chink afforded
a tolerably clear view Of the interior
of the cabin. He barely restrained q
] ~Vy at -hAt hA goo
STOPPED owe the small. narrower
cd trunk. his hat of. stood tho Red
Mask. He had pr1ed open the lid.
and q laid the contents Of the
trunk out with seeming care In rath-
err a heaps upon the floor. In his
han he held the picture of tho Iron
Gray Woman.
ing his mothers picture in such
hands. and his breast burned TO dash
into the cabin and settle his s.,ore
With the Acrileg1ous wretch ones end
for all. But II was not his to do az
he plsaaed that night. Hh activities
for tho moment were limited to keep
ing his y fast to tho chfnk. 1t wa
like an ol~d-fashioneA mechanical!
panorama in which one drops a Gen.
ny and watches a picture unfold in
stde. And certainly no panoramic
machine eve staged a drama more
, intense Than the Pearlhunter rewed
through that narrow slit betwee4, the
cabin logs.
The man by the trunk stralghtened
carried the picture to h candle and
stood looking long upon it. He laid
he would drink up the beautiful face
from the card. He pressed the pic
ture to his bosom: held 1t again to the
candle and whispered to 1t In tona<
that did not carry TO the ear OF the
amazed listener. Hs strobe up and
down thu room: and there was on his
face a look that no man had prob.
ably ever soen there before. and
probably would never sas again.
He grsw calmer after . time: drew
a chair up to the table, by the can.
die. n sat for 4 long time ga11nE a
the face that smiled up a. him out 81
= long buried past.
After long moments he roused him
self. unbuttoned his vest and put thu
pocket. The watcher outside the wal
WINGED: his lips drew together in
tense line. But there was much Il
) be seer Just then. The man inside
had risen. crossed tho floor. put thu
things back in the trunk. closed tn
lid and picked up his hat. Next mo
ment the candle was blown out. Thu
F~0obyNunC0r O4Tely MA Lln1G 10 CroEI
I into the fringe of weeds when thu
cabin doc opened and softly closed.
With a brisk step that indicated n
had flung of the spell of the past. tn,
notorious renegade walked Aroun.
r the west end Of the cabin. past tn
spring. and straight TO. the tiny poo
under the waterfall. whore the Pearl
hunter. who had stolen along tn
north wall of the cabin. had his sec
/ ond astounding surprise since cominl
a down the bluff.
Jumping lightly from rock to rocl
in tho shallow water OF the pool. tn
9 bandit approached tho cataract, tn
. third leap landing him upon the na
= top Of a rock almost within the YER
wash Of. tins falling water. Pausing =
! instant to pull his hat tight and tur
r up the collar OF his coat. he spran
4 straight into the thin blade OF tn
& falls. His leap must have carrie
htm completely throuxh to the othe
. 'sido. twas the nrst the Pearrhunts
aaft .F5fssa5GEE Haa~ Ra.0 -EatEGI5%s