The Lamar register., 1920-12-29

gloom, he Joined the sheri6.
Jump. I told you how"
prod Of the six.shooter emphai
sized the command. The sheriff
Jumped. There was nothing else to
DO. he was still dounder1ny about
on the inner margin of the pool be-
hind the falls when the Psarlhuntsr
landed lightly beside him. almost up
on him. The passage was dark-dark
~ the inside of a pistol barrel It
was a very reassurtng fact. It meant
that there was NO candle burning far
! thG ahead In the cave. He was in
time. Making sure OF that very im-
psrtant fact, he thrust the revolver
into the holster pocket at his hip.
Trasp<d the sheriff by the collar and
hurried up the passage
By the same subtle instinct that had
served him the night before. he knew
when he reached the point at which
the passage wfdened into the cave.
There he loosed the shsr1ns collar and
struck match The sheriff caught
his breath and stared. The horse, tA4
candle In the Granny, the saddle and
spurs. the feed-ail Just as II had
been described TO him.
u never knew there was anything
like this under Fallen Rock"
You're probably the third man that
ever did know II. Pick your steps
across those sllvers OF shaie there and
get into that pocket behind the hay.
Harry! We mustn't show much light
He's due any minute"
The one match served. SO urgently
did the Pearlhunter consider the need
Of haste that before IL was gone they
were crowded well back In the pocket
behind the hay.
The instant you're convinced I'm
not the Red Mask, nudge me. and IN
give your revolver back And
needn't tell you that when the r1me
comes to act. we've got to act quick"
st fer what must have been half an
hour, and the throe Of the Pearlhunt-
ers wound was becoming almost un.
bearable, when the horse grew sud.
denly quiet The Pearibunter 1Ank
low In the cover and pulled ths sheriff
down beside hiIn. match scraped |;
a sputteriug name hunted the candle
In the Granny: the cave. the horDs.
the jaunty form Of the man they await
ID sprapg out of the dark.
He came straight to the horse: the
one friend absolutely true to him In
all his dangerous world; the one
friend who still regarded him az q
gentleman. The horse reached OUT his
nose to meet him rubbed his shoulder
with his head. A moment the man
gave to the caress. then hurried 10
the corn sack. laid three carr upon
the rock. and turned to the hay.
Now was the critical instant II they
escaped his glance now! But he
was totally unsuspecting. without
raising his eyes as far as the pocket.
he grabbed up handful or two OF the
brightest strsws and turned hack tc
the horse.
Short rstions tonight. Rocket; and
m make your toilet while you eat
He took down from near where the
saddle hung g curry comb and brush
from another Of the numerous craB.
nies OF the cave and proceeded. with
surpElklut Skill hnO QuickucsS, 10
groom the horse. The task completed
he laid back the brush and curry
comb. and. lifting rhe feet OF the horse
examined them one by one, nail by
nail. sfterward running his hands
down the horses limbs and lingering
over each Joint. finally summing up
the inspection by listening with nc
little care to the animals breathing
II was the work Of master. The In
spection over, he took the saddle down
from the wall. threw It on the horse
drew the gfrths. hung the bride on the
horn. unstrapped his spurs from the
back Of the saddle and buckled them
to his heels
u wish ! knew" he muttered. half
to himself apparently half to his
dumb companion. as he waited for the
animal to finish his supper. whether
that PearIhunter has LETT. 1t looks
Ike he had. And yet. that's not like
his breed--to cut out. Sull. there's
always a chance" He seemed TO
meditate; nung up his head with q
hitter Erimsre and Q toss Of his hand