The Lamar register., 1920-09-15


little suspecting the five-pronged death
creeping upon him. The points were
within three feet Of the CLOSING scales
when the Pearlhunrer struck. There
followed moment OF fierce hurry
among the waving ferns; a little
shower OF spray broke the surface of
the water. and all was over. A nsh
does not struggle long when the spear
gUes home.
"Sir-pounder. II he's an ounce"
chuckled the Boss when the f1sh lay in
the bottom OF the boat, The PEARL
hunter rested his spear upon the gun
vale and bent above the Jack light.
The boat drifted on.
1t was perhaps half an hour later
when, in The leisurely manner of men
returning from a season Of successful
sport, the two fishermen. with the pick
OF all they had hoafed over 10 the
bottom OF the bout. rowed up the
stream. The glare OF the campfire
was beginning 10 slit II upon the drip
ping oar blades anu the ripples they
raised when the Boss laid the boat
nearer the south shore with the re
mark:
Here's where we're erpectin' +
hist III sinners tomorrow-sll along
here. list look at tn tracks Make a
right smart track, don't they, fer
beast without no feet?'
The Pearlhunter made no answer.
Cronrhed down by The Jack light well
toward the how of the boat he had
been for some time watching the un-
usually thick tsngie OF winding marks
upon the Shiny bottom, plowed there
by the mussels or CLANS while feed
ing. dozens and hundreds OF the creep
ing bivalves. half buried in the ooze,
at that very moment dotting the river
he'd
The Boss was in the very act OF
turning the boat across the river to
the camp when he was startled by an
excited exclamation from his compan-
ion. who had suddenly lesnt low and
dangerously far out over the water.
He was up on the instant and hsd
flashed the Jack light around the boat
In his dripping hand there was an i'm.
rDense river mussel.
The old Boss had no sooner caught
the blnish purple glitter shedding from
the hinge knobs OF the giant biyaive
than he uttered a shout that walked
the echoes up and down the river
shore. aud brought the i've men at the
camp running down TO the ~ster's
edge
a Blue Moon :" he yelled. BY the
gods a Blue Moon,''
He snatched 1t from the hand of his
companion and held II under the full
glare of the Jack light. SeTt moment
he had handed ~ hack and was driv-
ing the boat TO shore. where the nrst
glance at the peculiar markings Of the
mussel Instantly threw the whole
camp into the widest excitement.
They spread down BY the light Of
the IRE the whiiest cloth the camp af.
forded. and the Boss cut the mussel
open. one pearl, large. lustrous.
dropped out upon the cloth and lay
twiukiing up into their faces like a
fallen star. II passed from hand TO
hand. the pearl fishers struggling with
each other for the privilege Of holding
II.
Il never seed q one b'fore" cried
the oldest "clammer" present. but l
knOwed hit were a Blue Moon tn min
ute I lsmped tn she'll"
The pearl. psssing from hsnd to
hand had come round TO the Boss
again. Who STOPPING close to the IRE
night. examined II through a small
hnnd lens such as most pearl fishers
larry. "rrarihuhter he said. turning
TO the young man. you shoreiy air
lucky You've found y'ur psarl-an'
fortune Il wrrei''
Then It's you that's lucky" was
The slow answer. IFS not mine"
Had the others not been too excited.
they might have noticed that his lips
were drawn; his voice strsined.
The grizzi-d old river Boss gripped
his callnused hand shut upon the
pearl his sesmy old face hardened,
and there sprang up in his deep-set
eyes an expression not unlike the er-
preston iu the eyes Of a hawk when
title to the prey In his claws is dis
puted. But The expression passed. He
thrust the pearl back into the young
mans hand as though half afraid OF
II.
"suy." he growled. what do you
think amf"
"It was taken from your boat. In
waters you expected to fish tomorrow.
You'd have found IL anyway"