The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-08-14
The Blue
Moon
A Tale of the Flatwoods
BY
DAVID ANDERSON
Copyright. 1919.
The Bobbs- Merrill Company
Publication rights, 1920 Mcclure
Syndicate and Pensacola
Journal.
CHAPTER XVII.
Silence That Came Alive,

deem the day. He took his face on
of his hands and stared hard at tn
floor.
The sheriff was to bring his suppe
to him. The fact suddenly became sig
nificant. Maybe he'd come inside
Maybe he'd come alone.
a board of the floor was warped W
He tried to get his fingers under i
! and rip it loose. 1t was nailed too Sc
| curely. He looked at the bed-iron
and bolted hard to the wall; not {
loose piece of metal there. He picked
up the chair, twisted out a post, fel
it over, balanced 1t in his hand;-toC
light.
+ A rusty stove out in the hallway be-
| tween the two cells caught his eye
| No poker no lid. The door was fas-
tened in a manner that prevented its
being taken off. The hearth was gone
Nothing loose He stood studying it
The legs! He darted behind the stove
lifted it, and wrenched one loose, hit
it under his rumpled blouse; and went
to the east window to watch the sher-
ifs house.
A scratching at the west window
repeated; crossed the hall and tiptoed
to the window. Peering out and down
he saw the back and shoulders of a
man crouched close to the wall. A
h nd came up to scratch the window
ledge again. The Pealrhunter laid his
palm upon it. 1t was snatched away;
but came back again.
THAT you, Pearlhunter?"
yes"
"Alone?"
YES"
The man on the outside raised him
self even with the window. The Pearl
hunter would have recognized him in
half the light-the Boss. His face
came close to the bars on the out
side; the Pearhunter's face came close
to the bars on the inside. The
friendly butt of a six-gun came across
the window ledge. The comfortable
feel of it in his fingers gave the
Pearlhunter a new lease of life.
Hide it in y'ur pants leg, or
some'r's," the Boss whispered. AN
heres some more bullets, an tn caps
an powder flask"
The young man gra sped the hard old
hand and whispered an awkward woNi
or two. The Boss drew his hand bSck
and swore.
"Hit amt no more'n you'd a done
fer me- he growled. Now listen. Bull
Masterson he's camped three mile up
the river. He's got seven men; an
I've got five. That makes fourteen,
countin' me and Bull. We en- plum
upset this derned OF meat house. An
onc't we git y'u, out, let 'em lay claw
on y'u again, if they divil da'st."
NO, no." the Pearlhunter muttered.
You mustn't do that. You'd cross the
law yourselves"
Law" the Boss snorted in his |
hoarse whispers. Hit amt tn law, |
nor tn sheriff I'm fearin'. Hits them |
cussed town yaps. They're wild at tn |
name of tn Red Mask. They think |
you're him, and they're like a herd of |
1eer that's got a wolf down. They're |
noldin' a meetin' right now blind tn
Mud Hen. If they start agin, the sher
IF cayn't hold out ag'in 'em. That |
timber buyin' Teller, him with tn
'lowery vest, pears t be eggin' 'em
IN. I'd like e know what tn thun-
Ter"
The tall form of the Pearlhunter
'tiffened in the gloom; his fingers
yripped the revolver butt. He reached
In arm between the bars and laid his
land on the Boss's shoulder.
You might get Bull Masterson," he
aid, "and wait across there on the
over point of Alpine Island. But don't
10 anything unless the mob starts. ]
Ion't know much law, but I do know
hot 10 Id,7sN fa~ zoe |
.uing a sheriff's prisoner from a mob"
Law! Law!" The Boss growled.
When know they've sketched tn
wrong man"
He would have grumbled still FUR
her, but the Pearlhunter urged him to
20. With a last whispered word, the
turdy old fellow stole away in the
loom, half reluctant still, as though
e felt he was disgracing himself not
o stay and fight-somebody.
The Pearlhunter watched the disap-
earring form till 1t was lost among the
rees that grew under the bluff. He Ii
ad purposely avoided any mention Of
is plans, not wishing to involve a
riend needlessiy 1t was a bold
hough-that plan. He picked up the ;
tove leg from the floor, where he had :
lid it while hiding the ammunition. |
nd felt its ragged outline. It was an
gly weapon. Too hard a lick with il :
-ould mean death-murder. II it came :
} that, he might as well be the Red
Task
He tossed the stove leg on the foot
the dirty bed and crossed TO the ]
asst window There were lights in {
lie sheriff's kitchen. and shadows fit I
ng back and forth across the muslin |
but no signs of the sheriff {
it'll the supper. He strained his ears :
'r sounds further up the street. par
cularly for any loud talk or excite
Ient back of the Mud Hen
It was the hour just after nfghtfa1i 7
hen the village streets are most {
kelly to be deserted-the hour when I