Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-10-21
SYNOPSIS.

Pearlhunter"-the. only name he has
learns from her a part Of the story of
her sad life. The recital is interrupted by
q fearful fit Of coughing and he hurrieo
ashore to seek a root that affords relief.
Returning with the root, he meets a
young girl whom he me4tally christens
the "Wild Rose" She eludes him before
he can make her acquaintance.
CHAPTER ia vacant cabin on the
shore has attracted the attention of the
ailing woman, n they move into it.
Their first meal is interrupted by a
stranger who resents their presence. The
youth drives the man from their home.
His presence has strangely affected the
mother. That night the youth finds with
in q mussel the largest pearl that has
been found on the river, the Blue Moon"
Returning exultant to the cabin, he dis
covers his mother dead, she having sue
cuubed while e~ndeavoring to leave a
message revealing the secret Of his par
entage.
CHAPTER III.-At the village Of Fallen
Rock, to which he takes the gem for safe
keeping, the "~Pearlhunter' meets the
stranger who had disturbed his mother
in their cabin. and insults him. They
part as bitter enemies.
CHAPTER Nv. - In the village the
"~Pearlhunter" sees the girl who had at
tracted his attention in the woods. She
is annoyed by the stranger, and the
"Pearlhunter" rescues her from his I'M
welcome attentions. He accompanies her
to her home.
CHAPTER Vat the house he mee.=
the father of his "Wild Rose" known to
the locality as the "Wild Man," mentally
irresponsible as the result of a wound re-
ceived from a man wear1ag a red mask.
a notorious Desperate. The youth de-
clares his intention Of devoting the
money he is to get for the pearl to pay
ing for a surgical operation which will
restore the old mans reason.
CHAPTER Win the cabin that night
the "~Pearlhunter'' is aroused from sleep
by the stealthy visit Of a man who con-
ceals a red mask in the wall and makes
his escape. The "Pearlhunter," mystihed,
and suspecting foul play. destroys it.
Next day Louie Solomon, pearl buyer,
purchases the gem for 5000.
CHAPTER V~1I.-Solomon accompanies
the youth to his cabin and within a few
minutes of their parting the pearl buyer
is stabbed and robbed of the gem. The
"~Pearlhunter'' is charged with the muir
der and robbery and is saved from lynch
ing by the Intervention of the sheriff.
The mob believes the "Pearlhunter" is
the Red Mask" He is confined in the
village lookup.
Even the women took up the cry, so
great was the terror Of his name-the
Red Mask-a name that might have
stampeded the village. The mob
charged him. Bound as he was, he
dashed at them. A butt of his Shout
de- caught the foremost man, a burly
blacksmith, on the jaw. He vent
down like a beef under the mallet. A
drive of his head to the pit Of the
stomach crumpled up another. A we'll
directed kick laid out a third.
He fought as the men of his blood
had always fought. But what al
ole man, with bis hands tied, DO
against many? They had bis blouse
ripped off, his shirt in .shreds, aHdaIA
9 hundred hands still itching to get at
him. They beat his face; his body
wherever a fist or a club could reach
him. A stick of stove wood in the
hands Of a lanky woodchopper, laid
open an ugly cash across his head.
Half-dazed, he was trying to wink
the blood and mist out of his eyes
when a roar was heard on the out
skirts Of the crowd, and the stocky
form of the old Boss was seen fight
ing his way into the circle. He had
probably gone up to Fallen Rock, as
he had promised the night before,
missed the Pearlhunter, and come on
to the village. He fought well, and
opened a narrow swath, halfway
through the circle to his friend. But
Just there somebody struck him above
the ear with the flat Of a barrel stave.
The ripple subsidized; the swath closed.
The Pearlhunter's last friend was
down and out.
The rope was flung over a limb.
Half a hundred hands, some Of them
women's hands, stretched up ready to
pull. Half a hundred hands did pull.
The rope ENTHUSIASTICALLY. A hush
fell on the mob; a hush so deep that
the creak Of the tightening rope could
be distinctly heard. That last final
scene, the last stroke that stops a life
it is a solemn moment; even to a
mob. The Pearlhunter was lifted;
the last light tips Of his toes left the
grass; flames ran up and down his
spine; the world turned black.
There came a sudden dash Of hOofs,
and a man rode straight at the mob.
1t takes a hardy person to withstand
h charge of a horse. The crowd
parted. The horseman reached the
dangling man, and with one slash Of
a huge iackknife, cut the rope.
The stroke came barely in time.
The Pearlhunter, only saved from
crumpling down to the grass by the
arm OF the horseman, dropped limp
and gasping against the side OF the
horse, Slowly the world quit reelIng;
the light came bnck; he raised his
eyes; caught the glitter of u shcrIif's
star upon the vest OF his reseuer.