The daily Alaskan., 1920-11-23

and spend the afternoon with you, and talk over with you some very charm ing plans I have formed. You have what believe to be a wonderful voice. While, to my great regret, you have never sung for me. yet, as have passed back and forth through the woods in my business of looking up timber options I have sometimes heard you sing. You undoubtedly have great voice. Now, I am rich, with no one to spend my money on. What | better could do with 1t than give to the world q great singer? If you will go with me, you shall have the best training the world affords" He put one foot up on the doorstep, his. face beaminG-if such face can | beam. The Pearlhunter stiffened in his place behind the curtain. The girl never changed hairs breadth In the narrow opening between the cheek of the door and the jamb. Her cold sl- lence was apparently too much even for the bold man that faced her.
 Aren't you going to invite m6sin"
 "AIy father Is away this afternoon. I can not invite you in."
 It was the first word she had spok- en-a word cold and hard enough; but the brazen intruder seemed to take | encouragement from 1t.
 "Then permit me to invite myself"
 He advanced step laid his hand to the door. pushed lightly. The narrow slit between cheek and jamb widened not q hair.
 The passions of a PruSSian noble were behind that face outside. They began to break through it's thin ve- neer of politrness. He put his hat back on. but still kept his hand on the door.
 "I might choose to come in."
 Tho girl made no answer; neither did she suffer the door to yield. The last vesticr of the smile left the mans Face.
 "I might demand tO come in"-sOme. thing close kin to a snarl slipped into i hlS yoice--"to search this cabin for that notorious deSpcradO, the Red Mask, the murderer of Louie Solo mOn."
 "The Red Mask is not in this cab | ln."
 The answer came slowly, and there was peculiar emphasis upon the word "in," doubtless unconscious. To the listener behind the curtains, it was as If she had said: Not in the cabin, | just in front of it."
 The pressure on the door increased. | The Pearlhuntcr saw the girl brace 1 her body against 1t. The door began 10 give a tiny mite at nrst--an mch-- two inches
 He could stand it no longer. He was in the very act of sweeping the | curtains aside when the girls right arm, the one hid behind the door, dropped tO her side. Her hand went into the folds of her dress. When It | came out it hrld the revolver he had cleaned and pur in order the night be- | fore She cnrled the weapon and Ieaped back. The door flew open. The man on the Stru barely saved himself from Sprawliug in upon the floor by clutchiug the door jamh. When he re 1 gained his balance, he was gazing into the mu2@lr of very steady and de- pendabIe looking SiXgUn. At first flush he actually thought 1t was a joke. You wouldn't Sh"ot a mHn?'
 His voice had lost its jaunty assur- ance.
 No" came the cold, crisp answer down the steady barrel, but I'd shoot a Snake.'
 There was no chance of misunder- standing her
 "Damn'd if I don't believe you would"
 You know how to find out" He knew. He slowly raised hIs hands. The expression in his eyes might have meant any number of things; first of all. that he bowed to necessity; second, that he would come again. AStOnishpd, mortified. baffled- that. most of all; b0frled-he doubtless Salved his pride with that second thought: He would come again. The girl SenSed something of what smoI- dered deep in the bold eyes-eyes that a good woman could hardly meet with out dishonor But there were plans | afoot-and she trusted them.
 Listen. I'll give you time to get out of sight, If you walk fast. If you look back, or # you are in sight when I think the time is up, I'll shoot; and | I'll hit what l shoot at"
 He studied the eyes back of the re- vOlver. What he saw whirled him around. his hands still up. and started him back down the path. The farther he went the faster he went In less l time than she had thought, he had | passed the turn and disappeared.
 She closed the door, laid the revol- yer on the table beside the sewing bas- ket. crossed the room to the sofa. The