Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-23
B. BRIGGS

al houAy III" NAG lAIo' vi liz i
hunters wound was becoming almost
un~bearable, when the horse grew. sud-
denly quiet. Z The Pearlhunter sank
low in the cover and pulled the Sher-
if down beside him. A dull sound
carried up through the passage, fol-
lowed by the click Of steps upon tho
shale. The horse whinnied and be-
gan TO pace n paw again. a low
word came out Of the dark and he
grew quiet, A match scraped; a sput-
tering flame hunted the candle in the
Granny: the cave, the horse, the .jaun-
ty form of the man they awaited
sprang' out of the dark.
He came straight to- the horse: the
Aone friend absolutely true to him In
all his dangerous world; the. one
friend who still regarded him as a
gentleman. The horse reached out
his note to meet him; rubbed his
!. shoulder with his head. A moment
the man gave to che caress. then hut-
ried, to the corn sack, laid three ears
! upon the rock, and turned to the
hay.
they escaped his glance now. But
raising his eyes as far as the. pocket,
he grabbed up. a handful or two Of
the brightest straws and turned back
to the horse. .S
Short rationsttonight. Rocket; and
FRI make your toilet while you eat"
He took dow from near where the
saddle hung a curry comb and brush
from another of the numerous cram
mes or the cave and proceeded, with
surprising skill and %quickness. to
groom the horse. The ask complet-
ed, he laid back thc~brush and curry
comb. and. lifting the feet of the
horse, examined them one by. one, nail
BY nail. afterward running his hands
down the horses limbs and lingering
over each joint, finally summing up
the inspection by listening with no it,
tie care to the animals breathing. It
]. was the work. of a master. The in
spection over he took the saddle
down from the wall. threw it on the
horse, drew the girths, hung the
bride on the horn, unstrapped his
spurs from the back of the saddle and
buckled them to. his heels.
/, II wish knew" he muttered. half
dumb companion, as he waited for
the animal to finish his supper,
whether hat Pearlhunter has left
1t looks like he had. And vet. that,s
not like his breed-to cut out. Still.
there's always a chance" He seemed
to mediate: flung to his head with a
eat.er rimas and a toss of his
Aubu' .. p SA1dIlCe! ne RrOwIp6
What's life without its chance! Life;
Huh! 4 game of chance-with the
cards stacked. and, the DEVILS deal.
Rocket. you'll carry double tonight.
Yellow curls, eyes like blue bells. and
ankles! But, high headed;-she
came devilish high shootin' me this
afternoon! But the harder to tame,
the better worth tamin'."
The Pearlhunter was writing back
in the pocket. his face like the rock
he crouched against; but the Sheriff
hadn't nudged him
n Red Mask looked down at the
fast disappearing provender before
the horse. walked back and fort4,
across the cave a. time or two, turn
ed. examined the saddle girth again,
c and united the halter
strap ana stood for a moment or two
fumbling- benin the~-oak root .where
1t had been tied. -
That Sheriff" He, Strengthened.
threw up his head and laughed bois-
Nerousiy. He couldn't find a lost
elephant. let alone a wonderful Sea
little drop. of distilled witcherv X
this" "Ae
). From the dry clay and shale back
OF the pax root he had drawn forth a
small plush box. With the word
this" be blew. the dust off, and nusha
ed in the catch. The lid, fippen in
On the tiny cushion lay the Blue Noon
tWinkltnK in the candle-light, not IN.
x the princess that walked I'm in
the cave OF the dragon. -.
last came the Sheriff's nudpe
The Pearlhunter quietly <pass;aS. Fl.
revotver over. There couldn't have
heen a sound in the Act loader than
me awi OF a breath, but some
how it must Have reached fha mn,
Dy the horse. There came a chan..
over his fafe-a change so slight an Ia
De az GOOD Is imperceptible; to be,
much as glanced toward the lnockst
back Of the hay, the pearlhunter
would have acted on the instant. iHnt
he didn't glance that way. Very ieiss
urely he closed the box. put. It II. III.
vest pocket n looked down II sas
y the horse had finished his sumner
The Pearlhiinter yas in the act az
pressing against the knee o fthe SLer-
III in sign that the time had COM
When.s totally without q fyarninv
soupds without the slightest prelim.
ina4S motion, there came a shot frnnn,
hehind the horse that dashed The
candle out. The shot was followed
y g 4 lcunle Of feet. The Pearlhunt-
~ 1sspea the hay and charged
the horse. It wasn't there. From the
passage came the clatters Of hoofs. Il
F0llQEed by the stumbling SHERIFF
he asr1be4 Ms way to the NOUN Of
the psasGEeffe was barely in tins
Ito heAr. q splash, ana the click az
steel upon the rocks OF the. pool,
O6ntt11ed IN tomorrow
Eveiineb Heeald.
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