The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-12-09

rather more p~retentious than was
common in tie woods. There were
three wipss, extending at right an
giles tsom a common center, making
fcdr rooms. In all. three along the
front, with another. probably the
kitchen, extending back from the cen
trail room.
Where the path left the stream 10
turn toward the door the girl paused
and held out her hand for the basket
Slowly the Pearlhunter passed IL over.
IL was an awkward moment. His
eyes Travelled past her 10 the tiny
garden. He noticed that the fence
around it was sagged and broken. The
garden, however. appeared TO be clean
and well-kept. Aside from this-and
the flowers-the place showed a very
sad lack of care.
The u%nderbrush along the bluffs
trembled slightly, but enough to at
tract the woodsman's eyes. Nolseless-
ly the swaying bushes parted-as
noiseless as the unfolding of a flower
land In the narrow opening, framed
by It's border of quaking leaves, there
grew o face-sad and vacant, with
pitiful eyes; Enthusiastically, though he
had lever seen 1t before. the gaunt,
gray face of the Wild Man.
The Pearlhunter glanced quickly at
the girl, to find her eyes still fixed
on her basket, and when he looked
nroin nj thA k,,oIae Sho fona n,aC
gone.
As his gaze searched the under
brush, a glimpse of a gray shadow
fitted along under the cliff and dis.
appeared behind the cabin. lie
couldn't leave her now-and yet, by
what excuse could he stay?
You have a pretty place here" he
said, probably because he couldn't
think of anything else to say. "A
pretty place-all so natural; The
woods are hardly disturbed a bit-rut
aren't you-afraidf"
II haven't been till-today." She
raised her eyes 10 his face. The store
Keepers story came to her mind -
the grave at Fallen Rocks; the lor lily
cabin TO which he would have TO re-
turn. And he had just rendered aer
a service-the age-old service Of RAN
TO woman Wont you come up to
the house?'
The Pcarlhunter little knew how
that simple invitation honored him.
No other man had ever received T..
"Td like to-"
He said 1t 50 seriously hat the girl
laughed.
Carrying the Sight basket between
them they walked up what might be
called, for want of better word to
name 1t. the front yard. There was
not the least necessity that two hands
should be laid to THAT one light basket.
II just happened, as do so many other
pleasant things in this delightfully."- I'M
orderly world.
AT the door she stopped and faced
MIN. A deep seriousness had tiled
up the dimples.
"Mr.-Pearlhunter-"
The slow ewes OF the man found
49, - diu StC HNu~tb.
You told me TO leave off the Miss.
I'm askin' You to leave off the Fir"
The diniples amt back. bur only
for a moment.
"-pearlhunter." The name came
strange TO her. "Ybu will be thu first
man. except my father and the doc
tor, that has crossed his doorstep
In seven years" Her voice fell very
low. you mist not be surprised AZ
what you see"
From behind the closed door Of the
cabin came o groan-not of phy deal
pain. but one that seemed to mutter
up out OF a wracked soul. The girl
dropped her side of the basket handle.
Daddy !" she cried and dashed the
door open.
The P%earlhuntcr was a hard man
to jar out OF HIS habitueI calm. hut
the sight that met him as he followed
her across the doorstep struck him
rigid and staring.
A huge iron gray she'll OF a man
rose slowly In the shadow the late af-
ternoon cast ever the room. The
light that fell In at the open door
brought out the pathetic, nervous
CULVER Of his face the solemn can
OF his pitIful eyes. 1t was the Wild
Man.
The girl ran to him and put her
arm s about bis shoulders. He seemed
not to feel her touch. Slowly and
noiselessly he approached the Pearl
hunter. "A leaf couldn't have drifted
across the floor more silently, or
more i~nvoluntarIly. Some
force seemed to drive him. .
The girl chung 10 him and tried to
coax him. even drag him. back into
his chair. He seemed to be utterly
unaware or her weight. There was n
knife In his hand. Ills hollow eyes
never left the Pearlhunter's fare.
With all tile girls assurance tiia'
he was harmless. that there vas n"
danger. II took all the ~Pearlhunter's
resolution TO abide the coming OF tina,
9aunt apnnrifl0n. His breath vume
fast. M set the hasxa' aosAn ~ the