Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-12-18

You mustn't let Daddy see 1t. He
Till go wild IL you do. used to keep
ii stuck behind the picture, but II
worked out into sight one day. and he
drove the knife through II before
could get It away from him. If he
ever finds the man 1t belongs to he'll
serve him the same way. I'm afraid.
Sometimes ! think that's why he
baants the goodS--to see if he can find
him. There. you can see where the
knife went through"
she had been unwrapping a fold of
paper as she talked The sight OF It's
contents surprised low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. 1t was red
mask.
The Pearlhunter fingered the bit
Of stif cloth lying across the girls
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiouSly. Tho
red mask The slit of the knife near
an eye hole--no man in the Flatwood.
- ter able to read the story il told
none better able to piece together the
fragments OF that seven year-old trag
cdy.
Up through the eye holes there
seemed to glow rar Of eyes-hftr.
like blue ice; eyes that glow blaek
when reused. lie knew what the,
looked like when the blue turned to
black,
Suddenly, without warming. a deem
groan set the silence ushiler The
girl crammed She packet back behind
the books; the Pearlhuuter wh.rled.
The Wild Man had risen fror, his
chair and stood peerjng toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With step
that was ghoStly noiSeless he crossed
the floor, Quite close he came, his
dulled senses seeming to need the
stimulus Of close contact, His bony
hands and long arms were Guivermg,
his hollow face twitchng pitifully
He's never like this" the girl
whispered
The young man glanced ut her aud
stood still. The thin hands tuttered
over his face and head Even their
Ilghtest touch wis heavy with
strength that must have been prodig-
ious-aS if the fires of his mnlady kin
died force in him more than human.
Some impulse Of compassion must
have reached the heart Of the Pearl
hunter for he stretched his long arm
forth and laid 1t about the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
Of the gray giant upon him, 1t might
have been the one thing the stricken
man crVed in his dumb way-thc
touch of his kind the prop Of mans
arm
The situation embarrassed the Pearl
hunter II WAS like winning the con
hdeuce of a little child. and then not
knowing what to do with ii.
The girl was quick 10 see his emhar-
rassment. and, much rs morlter
might coax u child away from some
one She imagined il was annoying, she
led the Gid man back TO his chair.
then leaving him she hurried atro@s
the room 10 The book case.
- never saw him so restless before
she said. rs she passed by He seems
To like you. though" She continued
while finding The book SHE waul"d
strange. too. for he's cross usually,
even TO the doctor Won't you yA,uop
me tin quiet him"
Before he could reply she had found
the book and hurried back to the clair.
Opening IT, she laid il upou the old
mans knees He benz hi, head and
felt over the oren page with his band
hut the weird eyes could no longer re-.
solve the frozen magic Of the words
He fidgeled in his chair and The book
slid 10 the floor
The picture was TOO distressing. and
the Pearhunter turned his face
away. From where he stood ne had
On almost unobstrirted view into tie
east room the girls room, and before
he realized II his eyes had stravcd
past the curtains Amazclncnt held
them there a moment IN spite Of him
The room, In striking contrast ~ what
he had seen OF the rest Of the house.
was almost bare of furniture car
petleSs floor; the rudeSt Of beds
broken chair. and little else.
He heard her walking across the
floor and turned away half GUILTY.
She had her hand upon the curlaiucd
entrance of the west room and he no
ticed that II was caipctcd and was
otherwise furnished quite IN keeping
with the room in which he stood Ger.