Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-10-26
ODE
Blue Moon
"a Tale Of the Flatwoods

the Warbritton lands, and enters the
woods. The girl took this path. She
was in the act of climbing the fence
low and broken where the path
crossed it-when. with a prodigious
step or two, the man following caught
up with her and took hold of the
basket.
ALLOW me TO assist YOU" he said
The Pearlhunter, from where he
had darted behind a clump of hazel
growing rank along the side of the
road, could just distinguish the
words
Without answering. the girl sprang
to the ground on the opposite side of
the fence. but without letting go of
the basket. Neither did the other let
go. Placing his disengaged hand
upon the top rail of the fence, he
vaulted lightly over. The Pearlhun-
ter seized the favorable instant to
steal nearer. The sunbonnet hid the
girls face so that he could not see it,
but he fancied the plump brown hand
on the basket handle was trembling
The smile on the face of the man
clinging persistently to the other side
of the basket meant things that q
smile has no business to mean.
"Why do you always avoid meT'
His voice was low, soft, musical-too
musical. "Surely It's no crime for a
30 i-a ~ r;r1 s1fhn rot
may look at the queen you know"
He laughed. Something altogether
different from mirth in that laugh
something altogether different from
mirth behind 1t. The girl made no
reply--if the heavlng of her bosom
gave any index to her feelings, she
probably could not reply. She did
not even raise her eyes.
"You ignore me there in the vii
lage." he pursued. But out here in
the woods-well, it's out here in the
woods. You've got to H-llw
The exclamation was surprised out
Of him. The girl bad suddenly
dropped her side of the basket and
whirled. But quick as she was, he
was quicker. AS the basket clattered
to the ground he seized her arm.
There followed some muttered words,
and 4 smothered cry that the Pearl
hunter was too busy just then to I'M
derstand.
The girl was still struggling, her as
sailant muttering, and trying to de-
tain her without too great show of
violence, when a grim face scowled
up from behind the fence, long arm
shot over. the fingers of a calloused
hand twisted themselves into the col
lar of the assailant and slammed him
back against the rail with a force that
took the breath out of him in a grunt.
Nor was that ALL The same long arm
dragged him backward over the fence
and chucked him head first down into
the path on the other side, where for
q moment he lay half stunned, gasp
ing for the breath that had as good as
gone, and gazing half foolishly up at
the man who stood over him.
But 1t was only for a moment.
With a face like the flames of hell he
sprang up. The body Of the Pearl
hunter crouched; frightened.
There Is just one thing to expect in
such situation; but the expected
failed to happen. For the second time
that day the Man-in-the-Fancy-Vest
treated the Pearlhunter to a very
genuine surprise. The fame of anger
in his eyes slowly changed to a
naughty contempt. infinitely ranking.
He turned, and, without a backward
glance, stalked down the road to-
ward the village
The Pearlhunter stood gazing after
him. The Red Mask-and he hadn't
struck Three times affronted, and he
hadn't struck. Each time there had
been death in his eyes. What was
holding his hand? Was he biding his