The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1920-09-11

NVthS" out ih'o Sight one uuy, anu he
drove the knife through 1t before l
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 fold Of
paper as she talked. The sight Of Its
contents surprised a low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. II was red
mask.
The Pearlhunter fingered the bit
Of -stiR 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-no man In the Flatwoods
better able to read the story II 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 n pair Of eyes-blue,
like blue Ice; eyes that glow black
when reused. He knew what they
looked like when the blue iarned to
black.
Suddenly, without warning, n deep
groan set the silence ashiver. The
girl crammed the packet back behind
the books; the Pearlhunter whrled.
| The Wild Man had risen from his
chair and stood peerlng toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With a 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 qulverlng /;
his hollow fare twitchlng pitifully.
Hes never like this" the glrl
whispered.
The young man glanced at her and
stood stlll. The thin hands nuttered
over his face and head. Even their
llghtest touch was heavy with q
strength that must have been prodlg.
ious--as II the fires of his malady kin.
died n 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. It 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. II was like winning the con
fidence Of a little child, and then not
knowing what to do with 1t.
The girl was quick to see his embar
rassment. and, much rs a mother
might coax a child away from some
one she imagined II was annoying. sh,
led the old man back to his chair
then. leaving him, she hurried across
the room to the book case. ,Ul
II never saw him SO restless before,
she said. as she passed by. "He SEEM
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 excus
me TIL I quiet himr'
Before he could reply she had foun,
the book and hurried back to the chair
Opening II. she laid II upon the sol,
mems knees. lie bent his head ant
felt over the open page with his hand
but the weird eyes could no longer re
solve the frozen magic Of the words
He fdgeted In his chair and the bool
slid to the floor.
| The picture was too distressing, an,
the Pearlhunter turned his fac
away. From where he stood he hat
an almost unobstructed view into tn
east room, the girls room, and befor
he realized II his eyes had straye,
past the curtains. Amusement hel,
them there moment In spite of him
The room, In striking contrast to wha
he had seen of the rest of the house
was almost bare Of furniture-a car
petless floor; the rudes. Of beds;
broken chair, and little else.
He heard her walking across tn
floor and turned away half gultily
She had her hand upon the curtaine,
entrance Of the west room, and he NO
ticed that II was carpeted, and wa
otherwise furnished quite In keepin
with the room In which he stood Ger
tainly in very decided contrast to tn
room upon the east.
But he had no time to reflect on al
these things, for the girl reappeare
In moment carrying cello, whic
she placed between the old man
knees. She put the bow In his RICH
hand and lifted his left to the string:
He laid his cheek down upon the In
strument; grew quiet. The fa1terin
bow tried to wake the strings but 4
vain. The old mans body seemed I
shrink together. His chin droppe
down upon his breast. But the mex
instant he sat upright and rigid; hi
wide eyes, cropping around, found III
Pearhunter and he started to RISE