The daily Alaskan., 1920-10-23

diSpngagcd the bonnet from the llnD, and was shaking the curls into shape to replace it when the Pearlhunter made a quick step toward her with hand upraiscd.
 "Don'tm he cried Don't"
 A man of slow speech, with eyes hard to wake, he wouldn't have be- licved such words were in him.
 The girl stood fumbling the bonnet. He watched one stray curl lose Its place and come slowly tumbling down, little by little, till 1t fell over her shoulder and lay upon the softly ris- ing and falling bosom. From the curl, he raised his eyes to her face. He saw smile steal across it. II was only q little smile. but 1t grew under his gaze till it reached up to her eyes, and piuchcd the lids together. and squeezed out tiny ripple of merri- mpnt that ran out over her face and settled in two round dimpleS that tcaSiugly uptilted the corners of her mouth-a good. winsOme mouth, fringcd with full red lips and set with wholesome teeth. The smile grew until 1t quite passed beyond her control. She threw up her head; the smile became a laugh.
 It was the only thing that could have broken the restraint. The laugh; the slow smile that answered it- their introduction. She tied the bon net strings, while he watched her fin gers as they formed the knot.
 "That song" he said, "it was the most wonderful thing ever heard"
 Tnc girl laughed again-a laugh like water tinklirg over pebbles.
 "Thc birds are my playmateS," she answered simply. "They fly down all over me. I had 10 learn their lan- guage."
 You live in these wOOdS?"
 The Pearlhuntcr was q long time asking that question.
 Not far from the pool"
 And you're not afraid?'
 He glanced up the road toward the village.
 "Oh. live. with Daddy" A shade crossed her face. Never before" she added. as if inc first statement had not quite satisfied his question. Daddy is not very well and l have to 20 to the store. Every time I've gone In the last few days that man has tried 10 talk to me. was fright ened 10 death today when he followed me. He never did that before. I'm SO glad you happened along; and l thank you over and over!
 "It was nothing" he said simply, twisting his hat in his hand. He didn't tell her 1t wasn't a matter of hap prRing.
 She shook the curl off her bosom and back over her shoulder. He was sorry for that.
 He is gambler: Nt least SO the grocery man told me today-and a- a-man Killer"
 The PrarIhuntcr could have added quite. s;ar.linsy 10 the iDformation impaired by tie grocery man, hut he only said:
 Hes all that-and more"
 She glanced across the fence and up the foad. He fancicd slight shivur Iif,ud her shoulders.
 "Miss-NIiss-I don't know your namew
 Two roguish little points pInched up the girls eyes. The two dimples played hIde-and-secE with the corners of her mouth-artless as the tlicking wings of Lady Cardinal.
 "A little bit ago you called me"
 "The Wild Rose" he finished.
 q llke-that" she stammered, lever so much better than any-other name"
 Again that slow smile broke across the face of the Pearlhunter. He knew he ought to say somethlng-but what?
 "Well. Miss-Wild Rose" he final ly ventured, with no idea of what else he was going to say.
 "Leave off the Miss, please" It was a timely rescue. "NIiss seems, wcll-sO-dignifed for the woods. And you are-Y
 He shifted the basket to the other arm and stood gazing up and down the ragged fence row.
 "They call me the-the-Pearlhunt- er," he stammered after time.
 The girl seemed to ponder the word. She was fast losing her first distrust, just as any other creature of the woods loses itwhen convinced no dan ger threatens.
 "I knew-that," she answered. "The storekeeper pointed you out to- day when you went to the bank. l mean your-other name"
 The blood leaped to his face. The innocent question staggered him. He stared past her into the trees.
 Its all the name I haveW
 She saw instantly that she had hurt him. The pain that subdued the smile in her eyes was worth the hurt. She drew step nearer.
 "The storekeeDer told me the won