Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-10-26
CHAPTER w.
The Girl With a Basket.

II WIS June outside. June-it
slipped down out of the cool dells and
dingles of the woods and soothed the
Pearlhunter's face, red with the stifie
and reek he had just left. He filed
his lungs with it-June-he tasted II
with his lips.
With half an eye on the door of the
Mud Hen, half an ear over his shoul-
der, he crossed to the bank.
What name?" inquired the old
banker, making out the receipt, after
having placed the pearl away in the
vault.
The color set the tan on the young
mans face afire 1t was something
he had not foreseen-that a name
would be required; and he had none.
A pearl worth thousands, but no name
he would gladly have given the one
for the other.
What name" repeated the banker.
looking over his glasses out through
the window.
"Pearl-hunter the other STAN
mered.
misunderstanding?
Observation-Disclosures
"Pearlhunter! Why, that's no
name"
Visits all / have"
arlhunter-well-!"
The banker had his mouth already
set to say something more-but he
didn't Tnctood ba took a hattor Iooy,
at the tall young fellow on the other
side of the window. Dipping his pen
into the ink well a second time, al
though it was already overloaded to
the dripping point, he went on filing
out the receipt.
"Just bring this with you when you
want your pearl, Mr.-Pearlhunter."
"And if lose it?"
"Then-well-jus bring your face.
Yes, that will do-your face. / reck-
on you won't lose it."
The old fellow chuckled as If he
had surprised himself making a joke.
1t usually puts a man in a good hu-
NOR to discover that he has made a
joke. The banker stood rubbing his
bony hands together while the Pearl
hunter walked out.
What next? The Pearlhunter
stood on the sidewalk outside of the
bank door and debated that very
question: q question in two parts !;
first. whether to go back to Fallen
Rock; second, whether to make an
~, i
decided in favor of the Boss. The
thought drew his eyes toward the
Mud Hen across the street. The Man
in-the-F ancy-Vest was standing just
inside the door.
AT the moment, a young woman
with a basket on her arm came out of
a grocery a block up the street and
walked rapidly toward the saloon.
The man just inside the door appar-
entity was watching for her. She
seemed to know that he would be
thereto dread that he would be-to
Judge by the way she hurried past
The man stepped out on the sidewalk
as the girl came opposite, and tried
to stop her. He even stepped in
front of her. She turned out around
him and, with bare word or two in
response to his efforts to engage her
in talk. hurried rapidly on.
He stood looking after her till she
was block or more down the street
road would be the better word,
since the river road formed the one
street of the village-and then DELHI
erately followed.
All thoughts of the cabin at Fallen
Rock, of the Boss sprawled over
table at the Mud Hen, instantly fed
the mind of the Pearlhunter. His
somewhat passive face livened; into
his slow eyes came a quickened inter-
est. He hardly knew why he followed.
He simply found himself walking af-
ter them.
The river road, as 1t follows along
under the brow of the cliffs below
Buckeye, makes many turns. The
girl and her pursuer were walking
fast when the Pearlhunter peeped out
around a turn and looked after them.
BY running at such times as the wind
ings of the road hid him, he had
caught up with them as near as was
prudent. The girl was walking very
rapidly. It was plain that she knew
she was being followed. 1t was
equally plain that she did not want
her pursuer to know that she knew It.
But walk as fast as she would, the man
following her walked just bit faster.
Nearly mile below the village. and
half that distance above Fallen Rock,
the river road angles abruptly to the
north through cut in the cliff and
leads back into the level highlands.
Just where the road turns a path
leaves it, crosses dilapidated rail
fence running along the east line or