Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-10-07

Liz Eyes OF tne Pearlnunter drew
together.
climber! What was he like?
"Oh. so high like your shoulder" he
said. Light hair, blue eyes-undt
hell on cussin'."
Did he wear a fancy vest?"
you know him?"
"Tve seen him"
The pearl buyer took off his hat and
wiped his sleeve across his brow.
II tell HIM I'm tonight campin' here.
He say mebbe he come down undt giff
me chance to get it back, my $23."
The Penrlhunter's eyes were still
drawn and thoughtful, though he made
no comment, but led the way back to
the front of the cabin, q s though he
believed his companion had merely
come up the hill for a drink at the
spring and would now go back to his
skiff. 1t completely deceived Louie Sol
ONION, for all his cr%aftiness. But, of
course. he had no means of knowing
the message the Boss had shouted up
from the boat the night before.
The P%earlhunter stepped inside the
door and picked up his broom. Out of
the little end of his eye he saw the
Jew watching him. He made a swipe
with the broom as if to go on with his
sweeping. 1t vas a close grapple of
wits. But the lure of the pearl was
too much for Louie Solomon. He had
fn Gonna tn If nt Loot . or~l no hoI to
come square. Taking off his hat, he
looked back over his shoulder and
again drew his sleeve across his brow.
I'm hearin. you picked up a blue
one"
The Pearlhunter leaned his broom
against the table and cline out upon
the door step.
"Who vas telling YOU"
ooh, dey talk. You sell him?"
"If | get my price"
"How much you want it,"
give thousand"
The little Jew almost fell over. His
fat hands punched the air full of ex-
clamation points.
wv | VtSdIl . l1lllllllel Lou pearl
fishers ISIS all alike-all crazy"
THAT'S my price"
He stepped back inside the door and
reached for his broom. The other
hoped across the door sill and caught
his arm.
"Himmel! Let it go dot broom! I
look at your pearl. You should jump
in DE boat, undt we look him over at
de bank. But I know he turn out like
DE rest-wort' mebbe five hundred =;
mebbe no. You pearl fishers ISIS all
crazy. Himmel!"
The Pearlhunter followed in silence.
He did not ask how the other knew
the Blue Moon was in the bank, know
ing what river men were when drink
had loosed their tongues. After days
and weeks at the clam rakes and the
mucky watts. with little more than ar
occasional grunt between them, three
fingers Of squirrel" whisky would sci
their tongues bobbing like a cork in q
suck hole.
Louie Solomon carried three rOwers
in his long skiff, all hardy river mer
that had been with him for years
Each man wore a heavy six-shooter ir
plain sight at his belt. Some said that
he paid these men fancy wages, and
that he employed them as much fol
their ability with the revolver as fol
their skill at the oars.
1t vas far past noon when the white
skiff drew up to the wharf. A crowd
mostly river men. was there to meet
it-and more coming. 1t seemed ev.
erybody in Buckeye knew what was
going on. In front of the Mud Hen
the little Jew paused, rolled his furry
tongue. ana ierked his hand toward
the door,. The ~Pearlhunter shook his
head.
"Wait till we get back from the
bank"
The Jew stabbed the air with his ex
pressive hands
"IIimmel' It's on me !"
But the Pearlhunter was far 700
wise to fall for that trick.
Thanks he said. "But business
first"
He strobe on toward the bank. The
Jew trotted along beside him. The
crowd followed.
lie old banker invited them back
into his private office and shut the
door. 1t vas the first time the Pearl
hunter had ever been farther in a bank
tina h lobby, and only once in his
life that far. The solid and substan-
tla luxury Of the place was a reve-
latlon to him, even a matter of intense
curiosity. But the cumulative effect
OF it was to give him courage, to make
him feel he was somebody.
1t seemed to the Pearlhunter that
the banker IA gone Il long time when
he went to bring the pearl from the
safe. When he finally re-entered the
private office the owner of the pearl
saw why. He had hunted up some
where about the bank a small box. n
tiny Jewel case, covered with green
plush, and was carrying the pearl in
it-a little thing, but very graceful
and gracious. The act went to the
hnor t of Az n.z.JL--l- 80