The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-12-17
She fumbled out from behind Z row
II books I small packet, with the eau

1t stuck behind the picture, but 1t
worked out into sight one day, and he
drove the knife through 1t before 1
could get 1t away from him. II he
ever finds the man 1t belongs to he'll
serve him the same way, I'm afraid.
Sometimes ! think that's why he
haunts the woods--to see II he can find
him. There. you can see where the
knife went through"
She had been unwrapping a fold Of
paper as she talked. The sight of its
contents surprised low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter 1t was Z red
mask.
The Pearlhunter fingered the bit
OF stiff cloth lying across the girls
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiously. The
red mask The slit of the knife near
an eye hole-n0 man In the Flatwoods
better able to read the story 1t told;
none better able to piece together the
fragments OF that seven-year-old trag-
edy.
Up through the eye holes there
seemed to glow pair Of eyes-blue
like blue Ice: eyes that glow black
when reused. He knew what they
looked like when the blue turned to
black.
Suddenly, without warning, a deep
groan set the silence ashiver The
girl erammed the packet back behind
the books the Pearlhunter whirled.
The Wild Man had risen from his.
chair and stood peering toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With step
that was ghostly noiseless he crossed
the floor. Quite close he came, his
dulled senses seeming to need the
stimulus Of close contact. His bony
hands and long arms were quiverlng;
his hollow face twitching pitifuly.
Hes never like this" the girl
whispered.
The young man glanced Mt her and
stood still. The thin hands futtered
over his face and head. Even their
lightest touch was heavy with
strength that must have been prodig-
ious--as IL the fires of his malady kin
died a force in him more than human.
Some impulse of compassion must
have reached the heart OF the Pearl
hunter for he stretched his long arm
forth and laid it about the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
of the gray giant upon him. 1t might
have been the one thing the stricken
man craved in his dumb way-the
touch of his kind; the prop Of mans
arm.
The situation embarrassed the Pearl
hunter. 1t was like winning the con-
fidence of little child, and then not
| knowing what to do with it.
The girl was quick to see his embar-
rassment, and, much as a mother
might coax child away from some
one she imagined 1t was annoying, she
then. leaving him, she hurried across
| the room to the book case.
II never saw him so restless before"
she said as she passed by HE seems
to like you, though" she continued
while finding the book she wanted.
"Strange. too, for he's cross usually,
even to the doctor. Won't you excuse
me till quiet himr'
Before he could reply she had found
the book and hurried back to the chair.
Opening it, she laid 1t upon the old
mans knees. He bent his head and
felt over the oren page with his hand,
but the weird eyes could no longer re-
solve the frozen magic of the words.
He ffdgeted In his chair and the book
slid to the floor
The picture was too distressing. and
the Pearlhunter turned his face
away. From where he stood he had
an almost unobstructed view into the
east room, the girls room, and before
he realized 1t his eyes had strayed
past the curtains. Amusement held
them there moment In spite Of him.
The room. in striking contrast to what
he had seen OF the rest of the house,
was almost bare of furnlture--a car
petless floor; the rudest Of beds; a
broken chair, and little else.
He heard her walking across the
floor and turned away half guiltily.
She had her hand upon the curtained
entrance of the west room. and he no
| ticed that it was carpeted. and was
otherwise furnished quite In keeping
with the room In which he stood. GER
tainly in very decided contrast to the
room upon the east.
But he had no time to reflect on all
these things. for the girl reappeared
in a moment carrying a CELLO which
she placed between the old mans
knees. She put the bow in his right
hand and lifted his left to the strings
He laid his cheek down upon the In
strument grew quiet. The falterine
bow tried to wake the strings. but In
vain The old mans body seemed tc
shrink together. His chin dropped
down upon his breast. But the next
instant he sat upright and rigid; his
wide eyes, groping around. found the
Pearlhunrer, and he started to rise
grnppled up. strained up, as II by O
power outside himself.