The daily Alaskan., 1920-11-18
BY

asked. that set him raEing over ms sIjm stock of words for ways to ask IL.
 DO girls-I meau-have you got any place about you-your dreSs-to car " It?" ,.,, frank and wide-eyes that had no need to narrow.
 I haven't" she answered; put can make one"
 'I advise you to."
 He laid the revolver on the Stanu md turned back to her. The time had come to go, and they both knew it. For a while they stood silent. once his hand reached toward her, but he drew it back.
 twill you he ready to raise the blind when blow out the candle" he said at last.
 She went to the window and the next moment the room was in dark ness.
 Two futtcrInS spots of white in the gloom rolled up the blind, found the strings that held it and whipped them into a knot. Then the girl stepped back. The man crawled through the window-wlth extreme care not to scar the ground outside.
 It Is past all knowing how her hands happened to get into his. He bent his head and laid his face upon them; suffered them to slip out of his fingers at last; and turned away.
 He was gone on the instant-gone as q shadow gOcs-never knowing that for long and long the dull window framed a white face listening for some sound Of him to come back out of tS nishs,
 The woodcraft of the Pearlhunter was profound It was about all life had taught him. but it had taught him that. With the logical precision of schoolmustcr passin: from one step of a problem 10 another, 1t led him straight 10 the trail of the man he had been following a short time hefore- which. of course. took him in the di- rectlon of Fallen Rock. The man he followed had doubtless gone back to the village by this time. This prob ability he had already estimated and set down in his reckoning at Its proper value But he had another pur- pose In turning his steps toward Fall- en Rock. He was deliberately going back to the cabin.
 With every caution to leave no tral, he picked his way through the woods to the edge of the bluffs, stole over and down toward the cabin. The first glance at the black bulk Of it squat ted in the deep gloom under the up- standing rocks, brought him 10 h. Stant pause. There was a light with in. He crourhed down In the bushes to consider what this unexpected cir cumS,arce meant before venturins an- other step.
 No sound came from the cabin. The right was intensely still. Not an oar stirred the river. The waterfall alone fretted the s:lnure The Peurhuntor fattened himself iu the weeds and bushes and foot by foot worked his way uutn he was able al last 10 bring his face level with the tiny opening. With his eye close the Chlnk afforded a to'erub'y clear view of the interior of the cabin. He barely restrained cry at what he saw.
 Stopped over the small, hair-covered trunk. his hat orf. stood the Red Mask. He had pr'cd open the lid and had laid the contents of the trunk out with seeming care in rather neat heaps upon the floor In his hand he held the picture of the IrOn-Gruy- Woman.
 - The rearlhunter's gorge rose at see Ing his mothers picture in such hands, and his breast burned to dash into the cabin and settle his score with the sacrilegiouS wretch once and for all. But 1t was not his te do as he pleased tle,t night His activities for the mo- ment were limited to keeping his eye fast to the chink.
 The man by the trunk strengthened, carried the picture to the candle and stood looking long upon it. He laid 1t to his lips, again and again, as if he would drink up the beautiful face from the card. He pressed the picture to hIs bosom; held 1t agaln to the candle and whispered to it in tones that did not carry to the ear of the amazed listener. He strode up and down the room; and there was on his face a look that no man had probably ever seen there before, and probably would never see again.
 After long moments he reused him self, unbuttOned his vest, and put the picture carefully away in an inner pocket. The watcher outside the wall winCed; his lips drew together in a tense line. But there was much to be seen just then. The man inside had risen, crossed the floor, put the things back in the trunk, closed the lid and picked up his hat. Next moment the candle was blown out. The Pearlhunt-