The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-09

you mustn't let Daddy see II. He
will go wild If you do. / Used to keep
1t stuck behind the picture, but II
worked out into sight one day, and he
drove the knife through IL before
could get IT away from him. If he
ever hnds the man ii belongs to he'll
serve him the same way, I'm afraid.
Sometimes / think that's why he
haunts the woods-to see IL he can find
him. There, you can see where the
knife went through"
She had been %unwrapping a fold of
paper as she talked. The sight of its
contents surprised a low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. Ii was a red
mask.
The P~earlhunter fingered the Bit
of stiff cloth lying across the girls
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiously. The
red mask! The slit of the knife near
an eye hOle-no man in the Flatwoods
better able to read the story IL told !.
none better able to piece together the
fragments of hat seven-year-old trag.
edy.
Up through the eye holes there
seemed to glow a pair Of eyes-blue.
like blue Ice; eyes that glow black
when roused. He knew what they
looked like when the blue turned to
black.
Suddenly, without warning, a deeL
groan set the silence ashiver. The
girl crammed the packet back behind
the books; the P%earlhunter whirled.
The Wild Man had risen from his
chair and stood peering toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With a step
that was ghostly noiseless he crossed
h floor. Quite close he came, his
dulled senses seeming to need the
stimulus of close contact. His bony
hands and long arms we're ~quivering ,
his hollow face twitching pitifuiiy.
Hes never like this" the girl
whispered.
The young man glanced at her and
stood still. The thin hands iuttered
over his face and head. Even their
lightest touch was heavy with a
strength that must have been prodig.
ious-as if the fires of his malady kin.
died a force in him more than human.
Some impulse of compassion must
have reached the heart OF the Pearl.
hunter, for he stretched his long arm
forth and laid it about the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
of the gray giant upon him. 1t might
have been the n thing the stricken
man craved in his dumb way--the
touch of his kind the prop Of a mans
arm.
The situation embarrassed the Pearl.
hunter. 1t was like winning the con.
fidence of a little child, and hen not
knowing what to do with ii.
The girl was quick to see his embar.
rassment, and, much as a mother
might coax a child away from some
one she imagined it was annoying. she
led the old man back to his chair /;
then. leaving him, she hurried across
the room to the book case.
II never saw him so restless before"
she said, as she passed IVY. HE seems
to like you. though" she continued
while finding the book she wanted.
strange. too, for he's cross usually,
even to the doctor. Won't you excuse
me till I quiet him?"
Before he could reply sne had found
the book and hurried back TO the chair.
Opening it. she laid ii upon the old
mans knees. He bent his head and
felt over the Oren page with his hand.
but the weird eyes could no longer re.
solve the frozen magic of the words.
He fidgeted in his chair and The book
slid TO the floor.
The picture was too distressing, and
the P~earlhunter turned his face
away. From where he stood he had
an almost unObstructed view into the
east room, the girls room, and before
he realized II his eyes had strayed
past the curtains. Amusement held
them there n moment in spite of him.
The room. In striking contrast to what
he had seen of the rest of the house.
was almost bare of furniture-a car
fttitNS HpfI the fu'tNt VI DtuS , q
broken chair. and little else.
He heard her walking across the
floor and turned away half guiltily.
She had her hand upon the curtained
entrance of the west room. and he no.
ticed that il was carpeted. and was
otherwise furnished quite I'm keeping
with the room in which he stood. GER.
tainly In very decided contrast TO the
oom upon the east.
But he had no time 10 reflect on all
these things. for the girl reappeared
in a moment carrying a cello, which
she placed between the old mans
knees. She put the bow in his right
hand and lifted his left to the strings.
He laid his cheek down upon the In
strument: grew quiet. The faltering
bow tried to wake the strings but In
vain. The oll mans body seemed to
shrink together. His chin dropped
down upon his breast. But the next
instant he sat upright and rigid; his
wide eyes. cropping around, fornd the
Pearlhunrer, and he started tc rise