The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-11-19

H1mmell Dot Shpr1ngi Not once
I pass Fallen Rock l don't shtop und
drink i'm I'm campin' here tonight
I'm last night campin' here. but We
shtruck town late. undt got in mid d't
Boss undt lot of pearl fishers. IIndt
dis morningI ~ He threw up his pudgy
hands, the Jews exclamation point
when words fail. ZACH Himmel, de
headt! Undt pokerI All poker play,
ers vot I see, he's de schlick oneP'
1.-THE Boss?"
BOSS He don't can see last night
de candle. Dot timber buyer l don't
met him before. PokerI From S23 he
trim mer'
The eyes of the Pearlhunter drew
together.
''Timber What was he likeT'
ooh, so high like your shoulder" he
said. Light hair, blue eyes-undt
hell on cussfn'."
did he wear fancy vest?"
you know him?"
1--WE seen him"
The pearl buyer took off his hat and
wiped his sleeve across his brow.
81 tell him I'm tonight campin' here.
He say mebbe he come down undt gift
me chance to get 1t back, my $23.'
Phe Pearlhunter's eyes were still
drawn and thoughtful, though he made
no comment, but led the way back to
the front of the cabin, as though he
believed his companion had merely
come up the hill for a drink at the
spring and would now go back TO his
skiff. 1t completely deceived Louie Sol
ONION, for all his craftiness. But. of
course, he had no means of knowing
the message the Boss had shouted up
from the boat the night before.
The Pearlhunter stepped inside the
door and picked up his broom. Out of
the little end of his eye he saw the
Jew watching him. He made a swipe
with the broom as If to go on with his
sweeping. 1t was a close grappIe of
wits. But the lure of the pearl was
too much for Louie Solomon. He had
TO come TO it at last; and he had to
come square. Taking off his hat, he
looked back over his shoulder and
again drew his sleeve across his brow.
I'm hearin' you picked up a blue
one"
The Pearlhunter leaned his broom
against the table and came out upon
the door step.
"Who was telling your"
"Oh. dey talk. You sell him?'
eff 1 get my price,
''How much you want it?"
"Five thousand"
The little Jew almost fell over. His
faf HAMS punabad tho DIR fun 90 Nv
clamatiOn points.
'Five t'ousan'l Himmeli You pearl
fishers ISIS all alike-all crazy"
THAT'S my price"
He stepped back inside the door and
reached for his broom. The other
hoped across the door sill and caught
his arm.
''Himmell Let it go dot broom! /
look at your pearl. You should jump
in de boat, undt we look him over at
de bank. But l know he turn out like
DE rest-wort' mebbe five hundred
mebbe no. You pearl fishers iss all
crazy. Himmel!"
The Pearlhunter followed in silence.
He did not ask how the other knew
the Blue Moon was in the bank. know
ing what river men were when drink |
had loosed their tongues. After DAYS
and weeks at the clam rakes and the |
watts. with little more than an
occasional grunt between them, three |
fingers of squirrel whisky would set
their tongues bobbing like a cork in a |
suck hole
Louie Solomon carried three rowers |
in his long skiff, all hardy river men
that had been with him for years.
Each man wore a heavy six-shooter in
plain sight at his belt. Some said that
ne paid these men fancy wages. and
hat he employed them as much for
heir ability with the revolver as for
heir skill at the oars.
1t was far past noon when the white
skiff drew up to the wharf A crowd,
Mostly river men. was there TO meet
land more coming. 1t seemed ev-
,rybody in Buckeye knew what was
soing on. In front of the Mud Hen
he little jew paused, rolled his furry
ongue, and jerked his hand toward
he door. The Pearlhunter shook his
read
wait till we get back from the
'ank"
The Jew stabbed the air with his ex-
ressive hands.
..TIimmell It's on mel'
But the Pearlhunter was far too
wise TO fall for that trick.
Thanks" he said. But business
rst."
He strobe on toward the bank. The
ew trcttec along beside him. The
rowd followed.
The old banker invited them back
ITO his private Office and shut the
oor 1t was the first time the Pearl
unter had ever been farther in bank
han the lobby. and only once in his
fe that far. The solid and substan-
al luxury of the place was a reve-
ltion TO him. even a matter of intense
uriosity. But the cumulative effect
{ it was to give him courage. to make
i'm feel he was somebody
1t seemed to the Pearlhunter that ,
he banker was gone a long time when ,