The Lamar register., 1920-09-22
CHAPTER ~.
The Girl With a Basket.

lhtt, Etu WIFI inc sumo
and reek he had just left. lie filled
his lungs with lt-June-he TASTED II
with his lips.
With half an eye on the door of thu
Mud Hen. half an ear over his shoul
der, he crossed TO the bank.
What name?" inquired the old
banker, making out the receipt. after
having placed the pearl away in the
vault.
The color set the tan on the young
mans face afire. II was sometliino
he had not foreseen-that Il nam.
would be required; and he had none
A pearl worth thousands but no name
he would gladly have given the one
for the other.
What nameT" repeated the banker
looking over his glasses out through
the window
"Pearl-hunter, the other STAN
mered.
Pearlhunter-what?"
t-Pearlhunter-"
"Pearlhunterl Why, that's no
name"
"It's-lt's all I have"
"Pearlhunter-well-
The banker had his mouth nlrcad,
set to say something more-but he
didn't. Instead. he tool, Il better look
at the tall young fellow on the other
side Of the window. Dipping his pen
into the Ink well "A second time. al
though II was already overloaded. TO
the dripping point. he went ON filling
out the receipt.
Just bring this with you when you
want your pearl. Mr.-Pearlhmter"
"And II | lose itT''
''Then-weli-just bring yonr face
Yes, That viii do-your face | reck-
on you won't lose it,
The old fellow cluckled ms n he
had surprised himself making Joke
II usually puts man In good hu-
NOR 10 discover that he has made
Joke. The banker stood rubbing his
bony hands together while the penrl-
hunter walked out.
what nextf The Penrlhunter
stood on the sidewalk outside If the
bank door and debated HAT very
question: u question in two parts:
first, whether to go back TO Fallen
Rock; second. whether to make an
other try after ,he I;o-- -, fnaltv
decided In fav"- = the Erss 'i'ir
thought drew his eyer toward the
Mud Her across the street. The Man
in-the-Fancy-Vest was standing just
inside the door.
AT the moment. a young woman
with basket on her arm came ont of
grocery block up the street and
walked rapidly toward the saloon.
The man just inside the door nppar.
entity was watching for her She
seemed 10 know that he would he
thereto dread that he would be-to
Judge by the way she hurried past
The man stepped ont on the sidewalk
as the girl came opposite and tried
to stop her. He even stepped In
front of her. She turned Out around
him and. with bare word or two la
response TO his efforts 10 engage her
In talk. hurried rapidly on.
He stood looking after her tIll she
was block or more down the street
road would be the better word.
since the river road formed the one
street Of the village-and then delhi.
erately followed.
All thoughts OF the cabin at Fallen
Rock. OF the Boss sprawled over o.
iille at the Mud Hen. Instantly h.i
the mind OF the Pearlhunier Ills
someYhat passive face liyrned; Into
his slow eyes came a qulckened inter
est. He hardly knew why he followed
He simply found himself walking NJ
Ter them.
The river road. as II follows along
under the brow Of the cliffs below
Buckeye. makes many turns. The
girl and her pursuer were walking
fast when the Pearlhunter pepped on
around n turn and looked after them
BY running AT such times as the win'i
ings Of the road hid him. he hal
caught up with them as near rs was
prudent. The girl was walking very
rapidly II was plain that she knew
she was being followed II va
equally plain that she did not want
her pursuer TO know that she knew r.
Ent walk as fast rs she would, the man
following her walked Just n bit faster
Nearly n mile below the village ard
half that distance above Fallen Rock
the river road angles abruptly to the
north through a cut In the cliff and
leads back Into the level highlands
lust where the road turns a path