The state herald., 1920-02-01

TALE OF THE FLATWOODS
BY DAVID AWDERSON



| the stain Of time. Down beneath
everything else lay small box which
the Boss. from an experience which
befell him as a soldier In the far
South, knew to be satinw00d.
The young man stood with It in his
hand, afraid to raise the lld-afraid
to put It to the test. So far. the trunk
had given up nothing. He was still
nameless. What II this. too. should
prove blank?
At last the Pearlhunter raised the
lid-some baby clothes, clean and
neatly folded; plain gold ring
wrapped In q handkerchief Of the
finest cambric; and, under all. a pic
ture-what the Woman
must have been In her gIrlhood. He
snatched It up, carried 1t to the light
of the door and looked long upon 1t.
After time he came back to the
trunk. The satinwood box was the
last article In It, and It had told him
nothing. He laid the picture In 1t. re-
placed the baby clothes and ring,
closed the box and put It back. He
even took sort Of melancholy salts
faction In replacing. with studied
neatness. the glove. the dress and
other articles. after which he closed
the lid. locked It. pocketed the key.
and turning to the window, stood star
ing out over the river.
He was still man without name.
The Boss stepped back from the
door,
"The Blue Moon." he said. slit
orta be putt away safe"
As II the statement recalled
thoughts that had strnyed far, the
young man reached In his pocket and
drew forth the pearl. still rolled in the
bit Of cloth.
The two days Of ripenlng and the
chafe Of the cloth had greatly en-
HANGED Its brllllance. 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.
preceded him. As he came up from
the wharf Into the town, the Mud
Hen. the one saloon Of the place. dis
gorged Q staggering. swearing popu-
lation that gathered round him. The
Boss crew, camped half mile below
Fallen Rock. and the crew Of Bull
Masterson. camped three miles above.
were both there. Besides these. the
Obenchain, small steamer plying be-
tween the ports Of the Wabash. had
come In that morning. bringing other
river men.
Caught In the swirl Of the crowd.
the Pearlhunter and his companion
were swept into the Mud Hen. A hun
dred voices clamOred to have the penrl
lnid upon the bar where all could file
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-what followed Is not a pleasant
task to describe.
The Pearlhunter. remembering that
mound Of fresh earth at Fallen Rock.
kept his head and drank but little.
The Boss, on the other hand. "cut tn
dog loose" us the river men sny. by
noon he was singing snntches 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 nm arm about his neck and
lean. hard upon him. something he
couldn't have been hired to do when
sober.
'Comc ere. you fellers. This'n's ON
whltest man along tn wabash-an'
be d--d Z III man what snys e
ANTI"
The rnbble swnrincd about the bar
all that were able. Bottle nccks
gurglcd: glasses cllnked: red whisky
sIzzled down hot throais; u few
shouted: some swore: others merely
laughed foolishly.
That last drink was the Boss I'm
ish. lie wIltcd down Into the nearest
chair: iurched heavily over upon IN.
bile and lny there mumblIng. or laugh.
Ing In high. shrill key: occasionally
shouting out n note or two OF n boat.
Ing song thnt had been old on the riy.
.r for n quarter OF century.
II wns early afternoon before the
Penrlhunrcr dared to think seriously
of dcposltins the pcarl-bcforc river
etiquette permitted him 10 remove II
from the bnr. lie tried to rniiy the
Boss. Al he got wns further IN.
stnllmcnt OF the Indian wars.
Hnif disgusted with II MI. he turned
back 10 the bar md stood lcnning his
chin upon his hand. A door opened
from another part Of the building
the Mud lien being mn Inn. the only
ono In the place. A man entered.
Crossing the fioor with ~ little nt.cn.
,ion TO tho crowd M n the place had
been deserted. he swaggercd M 10 the
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