The Lamar register., 1920-11-03
SYNOPSIS.

father. and nvinr with his mother on "A
houseboat on the Wabash river, The
Pesrlhunter"-the only name he has
learns from her part Of the story Of
her sad life The recital Is interrupted by
a fearful fit of coughing and he hurrie b
ashore to seek root that affords relie'
Returning with the root. he meets 4,
young girl whom he mentally christie =
the wild Rose" She eludes him before
he can make her acquaintance.
CHAPTER IA vacant cabin on the
shore has attracted the attention Of the
ailing woman and they move into II
Their hrst meal Is interrupted BY a
stranger who resent- their presence The
youth drives the man from their home
His presence has strangely affected the
mother. That night the youth finds with
in mussel the largest pearl that ha-
been found on the river, the Blue Moon
Returning exuithnt to the cabin. he dis
covers his mother dead she having 'stic
cumbed while enieavOrins to leave -
message revealing the secret OF MS par
entage
CHAPTER iiI.-At the village OF Fallen
Rock. to which he takes the gem for safe
keeping. the ''Pearihunter' meets the
stranger who had disturbed his mother
In their cabin. and insults him, They
part as bitter enemies
CHAPTER " In the village the
''Pearlhunter' sees tbs girl who had at
racted his attention In the woods She
is annoyed by the stranger. and the
''Pearlhunter'' rescues her from his un-
welcome attentions He sccompa nies her
to her horne
CHAPTER V.--At the house he meets
the father of his wild Rose" known TO
the locality as the wild Man." mentally
irresponsible as the result of wound re-
eeived from a man wearing a red mask.
a notorious desperate. The youth de-
ciares his intention OF devoting the
money he IL to get for the pearl to pay
ing for a surgical operation which viii
restore the old mans reason
de stepped back inside the door and
reached for his broom. The other
hoped across the door sill and caught
his arm.
"Himmeli Let II go dot broom
look at your pearl. You should jump
In de boat. undt we look him over at
de bank. But know he turn out like
d'e rest-wort' mebbe five hundred;
crazy. Himmelr
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
mad loosed their tongues. After days
and weeks at the clam rakes and the
mucky watts. with little more than an
occasional grunt between them, three
fingers OF squirrel whisky would set
their tongues bobbIng like n cork In a
suck hole.
Louie Solomon carried three rowers
in his long skin all hardy river men
that had been with him for years.
Each man wore heavy six-shooter in
plain sight at his belt. Some said that
he paid these men fancy wages. and
that he employed them as much for
their ability with the revolver as for
their skill at the oars.
1t was far past noon when the white
skin drew up to the wharf. crowd
mostly Nriver men. was there 10 meet
it-and more coming. II seemed ev.
erybody In Buckeye knew what was
going on. In front of the Mud Hen
the little Jew paused, rolled his furry
tongue. and Jerl;ed his hand toward
the door. The Pearlhunter shook his
head
wait TIL we get back from the
bank"
The jew stabbed the air with his ey
pressive hands.
"uimmell IT'S on met"
Bot the Pearlhunter was far too
wise to fall for that trick.
Thanks he said. But business
hrst "
He strode on toward the bank The
Jew trotted along beside him. The
crowd followed.
The old banker invited them back
into his private office and shut the
door. Ii was the first time the Pearl
hunter had ever been farther In a bank
than the lobby. and only once In his
life that far. The solid and substan.
tial luxury Of the place was n reve-
iation to him. even matter of Intense
curiosity. But the cumulative effect
Of II was TO give him courage, to make
him feel he was somebody
II seemed to the Pearlhunter that
the banker was gone long timo when
he went to bring the pearl from the
safe. When he finally re-entered the
private office tho owner of the rearl
saw why. He had hunted up some.
where about the bank small box, a
tiny Jewel case, covered with green
plush, and was carrying the pearl in