The Holbrook news., 1921-02-11


 Mud Hen was famous along the Wa bash.
 "HimmelI Dot shrringl Not once I pass Fallen Rock I don't shtop undi drink i'm. I'm campln' here tonight I'm last night campin' here, but we shtruck town late. undt got in mid de Boss undt lot of pearl fishers. Undi dis mOrning!" He threw up his pudgy hands, the Jews exclamation point when words fall. "Ach Himmel, de headtl Undt poker! All poker play CTS vot see, he's d'e schlick OneI"
 The BossY
 "Bossl He don't can see last night de candle. Dot timber buyer. I don't met him before. Pokerl From s23 he trim meI
 The eyes of the Pearlhunter drew together.
 ''Timberl What was he lke?"
 "Oh. so high like your shoulder" he said. Light hair. blue eyes-undt hell on cussin'."
 Did he wear a fancy vestT'
 You know hlm?"
 I've seen him."
 The pearl buyer took off his hat and wiped his sleeve across his brow.
 q tell him I'm tonight campin' here. He say mebbe he come down undt giff me chance to get 1t back. my $23."
 The Pearlhunter's eyes were still drawn and thoughtful, though he made no comment, but led the way back to the front of the cabin. as though he believed his companion had merely come up the hill for drink at the spring and would now go back to his skiff. It completely deceived Louie Sol omOn. for all his craftiness. But, of course, he had no means of knowing the Dlessage the Boss had shouted up from the boat the night before.
 The Pearlhunter stepped inside the door and picked up his broom. Out of the little end of his eye he saw the Jew watching him. He made a swipe with the broom as if to go on with his sweeping. It was q close grapple of wits. But the lure of the pearl was too much for Louie Solomon. He had to come to- 1t at last; and he had to come square. Taking off his hat, he looked back over his shoulder and again drew his sleeve across his brow.
 ''Tm hearin' you picked up a blue one"
 The PearIhunter leaned hls broom against the table and came out upon the door step.
 ''Who was telling you?"
 SOL dax- tolI- Vof1 coll him
 "If get my price,"
 How much you want ft?"
 Five thousand"
 The little Jew almost fell over. His fat hands punched the air full of ex- points.
 Five tousan'l Himmeli You pearl fishers iss all alike-all crazy"
 "That's my price,"
 He stepped back inside the door and reached for his broom. The other hopped across the door sill and caught his arm.
 "HimmeII Let it go dot brooml look at your pearl. You should jump in d'e boat. Indt we look him over at d'e bank But know he turn out like d'e rest-wort' mebbe five hundred nebbe no. You pearl fishers iss all crazy. Himmell"
 The PearIhunter followed in silence. He did not ask how the other knew he Blue Moon was in the bank. know ng what river men were when drink md lOosed their tongues. After days md weeks at the clam rakes and the nucky vuts with little more than an occasional grunt between them, three fingers of "squirrel' whisky would set heir tongues bObbing like cork in a suck hole.
 LouIe Solomon carried three rowers n his long skin. all hardy river men 1 hat had been with him for years. 1 Zach man wore heavy six-shoOter in | ,lain sight at his belt. Some said that le paid these men fancy wages. and l hat he employed them as much for | heir ability with the revolver as for heir skill at the oars.
 It was far past noon when the white | kiff drew up to the wharf. A crowd. | mostly river men. was there to meet | t-and more coming. It seemed ev- rybody in Buckeye knew what was oing on. In front of the Mud Hen he little Jew paused. rolled his furry ongue. and jerked his hand toward he door. The Pearlhunter shook his cad
 Wait till we get back from the ank"
 The Jew stabbed the air with his ex- reSsive hands.
 "Himmell It's on me!'
 But the Pearlhunter was far too rise to fall for that trick.
 Thanks" he said. But business rst"
 He strode on toward the bank. The ew trotted along beside him. The rOwd followed.
 The old banker invited them back Ito his private office and shut the oor. It was the first time the Pearl unter had ever been farther in bank ian the lobby, and only once In his fe that far. The solid and substan- al luxury of the place was a reve- Ition to him. even a matter of intense lriOsity But the cumulative effect