Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-11-04
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER I.-Never having known his
father, and living with his mother on a
houseboat on the Wabash river, ''The
Pearlhunter"--the only name he has
learns from her a part of the story of
her sad life. The recital Is interrupted by
a fearful fit Of coughing and he hurries
ashore to seek a root that affords relief.
returning with the root, he meets a
young girl whom he mentally 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, and they move into 1t,
Their first meal is interrupted by a
stranger who resents their presence. The
youth drives the man from their home.
Ills presence has strangely affected the
mother. night the youth find with
tn a mussel the largest pearl hat has
been found on the river, the "Blue Moon"
Returning exultant to the cabin, he dis
covers his mother dead, she having sue
cutuhed while e~ndeavoring to leave a
message revealing the secret of his par
tentage.
CHAPTER III.-At the village Of Fallen
Rock, to which he takes the gem for safe
keeping, the "P~earlhunter' meets the
Adi6o "llO udO Ol6kuTUGQ MS IuOCQ6E
in their cabin, and insults him. They
part as bitter enemies.
CHAPTER Nv. - In the village the
"Pearlhunter" sees the girl who had at
sracted 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.
CIJh DTEp Vac <ho h1,,,o ho 100000
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 wear1lg 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,' mystifed,
and suspecting foul play. destroys it.
Next day Louie Solomon pearl buyer,
purchases the gem for 5000.
CHAPTER V11.-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 "P~earlhunter" is
the Red Mask" He is confined in the
village lookup.
CHAPTER VIII.-The stranger offers to
secure the release Of the "Pearlhunter" if
he will promise to leave the vicinity. The
youth refuses. Made desperate by the
strangers threats Of harming the girl,
the young man prizes the bars from the
window of his cell and escapes.
He damned the bar into the lower
socket. The bottom of the hole was
soft. The rain had probably rotted it.
He damned the bar again and the wood
gave. He put all his strength to it.
Each effort drove the bar a little deep
er; gave it a little more play at the
top. If he could only drive it far
enough so that the top would clear! He
was working like a wild man.
Bearing Down with all his strength,
he rotated the bar. The tremendous
exertion opened the cuts and scratches
on his neck and breast until they bled
afresh. He damned the bar down
again; bore upon it with all his
strength; rotated it again and again.
/. Less than half an inch still held at the
top.
His exertions brought the sweat out
upon his face Another effort: ire
m%endous; to the last ounce of his
power.
His hands We're like fire-but the
bar cleared. He could move it a tiny
mite to the side of the upper anger
hole. The clearance "a ever so little
but 1t cleared. Bracing his knee
: against the wall and grasping the case
ment with his left hand for anchorage,
he bent and worked and twisted the
bar outward. At last, by a final SUI
preme heave, it cleared the upper log.
There remained only to lift it out Of
the lower auger hole.
The Pearlhunter dropped back pant
ing and mopped the sweat from his face
with his sleeve. The effort had been
tremendous.
A minute to get his breath; another
spent in listening; and he worked the
loosened end a little freer; lifted out
the bar; crawled outside; put it back
into place again. feeling about with
his fingers to make sure there were no
scars on the wood or bits of chips
scraped loose, and stole away under
the trees.
1t would probably be quite impossi-
BILE for the city-bred to appreciate fully
the feelings of the Pearlhunter at find.
ing the breath Oh the open woods nee
more upon his face. The trees were
like comrades in arms. The rough bark
that covered their stout hearts actually
felt friendly and good to his hands as
he darted like a shadow from one to
the other on his way out of the Jail
yard and up the side Of the bluff.
Well knowing there would be eyes
on his trail in the morning, he dared
not go directly to where his misgivings
urged him, The sheriff he did NOT fear.