The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-12-17

front, with another, probably the
kitchen, extending back from the cen
trail room. ~
Where the path left the stream to
turn toward the door the girl paused
and held out her hand for the basket.
Slowly the Pearhunter passed 1t over.
1t was an awkward moment. His
eyes Travelled past her to the tiny
garden. He noticed that the fence
around it was sagged and broken. The
garden, however, appeared to be clean
and well-kept. Aside from th.s-and
the fiowers--the place showed very
sad lack Of care.
The underbrush along the bluffs
trembled slightly but enough to at
tract the woodsman's eyes. Noiseless-
ly the swaying bushes parted-as
noseless as the unfolding of flower
and In the narrow opening, framed
by its border of quaking leaves. there
grew a face-snd and vacant with
pitiful eyes; Enthusiastically, though he
had never seen 1t before. the gaunt,
gray face of the Wild Man.
The pearlhunter glanced quickly at
the girl. to find her eyes still fixed
on her basket. and when he looked
again at the bushes, the face was
gone.
AS his gaze searched the under
brush, glimpse of a gray shadow
fitted along under the cliff and dis.
appeared behind the cabin. He
couldn't leave her now--and yet. by
what excuse could he stay?
you have pretty place here" he
said probably because he couldn't
think of anything else to say. "A
pretty pace-all so natural; the
woods are hardly disturbed blt-but
aren't you-afraid?"
II haven't been tilI--today" She
raised her eyes to his face. The store
keepers story came to her mind =
the grave at Fallen Rocks; the lonely
cabin to which he would have to re-
turn. And he had just rendered her
service--the age-old service of man
to woman. wont you come up to
the house?"
The Pearlhunter little knew how
that simple Invitation honored him.
No other man had ever received 1t.
''Td like to-"
He said 1t so seriously that the girl
laughed.
Carrying the light basket between
them they walked up what might be
called. for want of better word to
ho urI
not the least necessity that two hands
should be laid to that one light basket
1t just happened. as do so many other
pleasant things in this delightfully."- I'M
orderly world.
AT the door she stopped and faced
him. A deep seriousness had filled
up the dimples.
Mr.-Pearlhunter-"
The slow eyes of the man found
her face, and she paused.
you told me to leave off the Miss
I'm askin you to leave off the Mr."
The dimples came back. but only
for moment.
"-Pearlhunter.' The name came
strange to her. "You Will be the first
man, except my father and the doe
tor, that has crossed his doorstep
In seven years" Her voice fell very
low "You must not be surprised at
what you see"
From behinA the closed door of the
cabin came grnan-not of physical
pain. but one that seemed TO mutter
up out of wsacked soul The girl
dropped her siGe of the basket handle.
Daddy" she cried and dashed the
door open.
The Pearlhunter was hard man
to Jar out Of his habitual calm but
the sight that met him as he followed
her across the doorstep struck him
rigid and staring.
A huge iron gray shell Of man
rose slowly in the shadow the late af
ternoon cast over the room. The
light that fell In at the open door
brought out the pathetic, nervous
/ culver of his face: the solemn vacancy
of his pitifuI eyes. 1t was the Wild
| Man.
The girl ran to him and put her
| AIMS @tVAi us NitoutItiS. lie SepfupI
not to feel her touch. Slowly and
noiselesaly he approached the Pearl.
hunter A leaf couldn't have drifted
across the floor more silently, or
more involuntarily. Some extraneous
force seemed to drive him.
The girl ctpng TO him and tried to
coax him, ofen drag him, back into
his char. lie seemed to be utterly
unaware e her weight There was a
knife In HIS hand. His hollow eyes
never left the Pearlhunter's face.
With all the girls assurance that
he was harmless, that there was nc
danger. It took all the PearlhuHter's
resolution to abide the coming of thai
gaunt apparition. His breath came
! fast. He set the basket down on ths