American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1920-12-18

At last the Pearlhunter raised the
lid-some baby clothes, clean and
neatly folded; a plain gold ring
wrapped In handkerchief Of the
finest cambria; and. under all. a pic
ture-what the 1ron-Gray- Woman
must have been In her girlhood. He
II up. carried II to the light
Of the door and looked long upon II.
After time he came back to the
trunk. The satinwood box was the
last article in It, and II had told him
nothing. He laid the picture In II, re
placed the baby clothes and ring.
closed the box and put II back. he
even took a sort Of melancholy salts
faction in replacing. with studied
neatness. the glove. the dress and
other articles, after which he closed
the lid, locked II. pocketed the key,
and turning to the window. stood star.
ing out over the river.
He was still q man without q name.
The Boss stepped back from the
door.
"The Blue Moon" he said. Hit
orta be putt away SAFE"
As II the statement recalled
thoughts that had strayed far, the
young man reached in his pocket and
drew forth the pearl, still rolled In the
bit Of cloth.
The two days Of ripening and the
chafe Of the cloth had greatly en-
HANGED Its brilliance. Quietly rolling
the pearl up In the cloth again. he left
the cabin and, followed by the Boss.
strobe down the slope through the
trees to the boat, and together they
rowed away toward the village.
The fame Of the Pearlhunter had
preceded him. As he came up from
the wharf into the town, the Mud
Hen, the one saloon Of the place, dis
gorged a staggering, swearing popu-
lation that gathered round him. The
Boss crew, camped half q mile below
Fallen Rock, and the crew Of Bull
Masterson. camped three miles above.
were both there. Besides these. the
Obenchnin. small steamer plying BE-
tween the ports Of the Wabash. had
come In that morning. bringing other
river men.
Caught I'm the swirl of the crowd.
the Pearlhunter and his companion
we're swept into the Mud Hen. A hun
dred voices clamored to have the pearl
laid upon the bar where all could Ole
by and see II. There fell few min
utes OF comparative quiet while the
hungry eyes Of the river men were de-
vouring II. Then followed drinks all
round-at the expense Of the finder /;
and--whnt followed Is not n pleasant
task to describe.
The Pearlhunter. remembering that
mound OF fresh. earth ut Fallen Rock,
kept his head and drank hut little.
The Boss, on the other hand. "cut tn
dog loose" ms the river men say. BY
noon he was singing snatches Of half.
forgotten songs and fighting the In
dian wars all over again. Coming up
to where his young friend leaned
against the bar In easy reach of the
pearl. stIll lying upon Its bit OF cloth,
he threw an arm about his neck and
leant hard upon him. something he
couldn't have been hired to do when
sober.
"Come ere, you fellers. This'n's on
me, an It's to tn Pearlhunter, IN
whItest man along tn wabash-an
be id T. tn man what says e
ANTI"
The rabble swarmed about the bar
all that were able. Bottle necks
gurged; glasses clinked; red whisky
slzzled down hot throats; a few
shouted; some swore; others merely
laughed foolIshly.
That last drink was the Boss I'm
lsh. He wilted down into the nearest
chair; lurched heavily over upon Ia
BILE and lay there mumbling. or laugh
ing In high. shrill key; occasionally
shouting out a note or two Of boat
ing song that had been old on the riv
er for quarter Of century.
II was early afternoon before thu
Pearlhunter dared to think serlousl,
Of depositlng the pcnrl-before rive
etiquette permitted him TO remove !
from the bar. lie tried to rally tn
Boss. All he got was further In
stallment OF the Indian wars.
Half disguised with II all, he turned
back. to the bar and stood leaning hi
chin upon his hand. A door opene'
from another part OF the building
the Mud Hen being an Inn, the onl
one In the place. A man entered
Crossing the floor with as little atten
ton to the crowd as II the place ha
been deserted. he staggered up to IN
bar Perhaps he secretly wished tina
somebody would get In his way. II
had Just that air about him.
The Pearlhunter heard the doc
omen; felt the hnsh that fell-th
hush that always falls upoL the raj
Bile at the coming OF masterful pref
ence. lie turned his eyes slowly u
ward the newcomer. His nerves wer
as steady as the woods make then
but they were not quite proof again'
n. sk. -tta-f 4