The Ordway new era., 1921-04-01

s,r,n., that held n and whipped them
into . knot. Then the girl steppeo
back. The man crawled through the
window-wIth extreme care not !"
scar the ground outside.
1t is past all knowing how her hands
hanpened TO get into his. He bent nia
head and laid his face upon them
suffered them to slip out OF his nngers
at last: and turned away.
He was gone on the instant-gone
as a shadow goes-never knowihe
that for long and long the dull window
framed white face listening rot
some sound of him TO come back ou'
of the nighi.
The woodcraft of the Pearlhuntef
was profound. 1t was about all life
had taught him. but 1t had taught him
that. With the logical precision OF
schoolmaster passing from one step oi
a problem to another, II led him
straight to the trail OF the man he had
been following a short time before
which. of course. took him In the df
rection of Fallen Rock. The man he
followed had doubtless gone back &c
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 trail
he picked his way through the woods
to the edge of the bluffs, stole over
and down toward the cabin. The firsi
glance at the black bulk Of 1t, squat
ted in the deep gloom under the up
standing rocks. brought him to IN
slant pause. There was light with
In. He crouched down In the bushes
to consider what this unexpected cir
cumstance meant before venturing an
other step.
No sound came from the cabin. The
night was intensely still. Not an cal
stirred the river The waterfall alone
fretted the silence The Pearlhunter
fattened himself in the weeds and
bushes and foot by foot worked his
way until he was able al last to bring
his face level with the tiny opening
With his eye close. the chink afforded
q tolerably clear view Of the interior
of the cabin. He barely restrained 6
cry at what he saw.
STOPPED over the small, hair-covereo
trunk. his hat of, stood the Red Mask
He had pried 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-Gray.
Woman.
The Pearlhunter'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 it was not his to do as he pleased
that 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 II
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 again to the
candle and whispered to it in tones
that did not carry TO the ear of the
amazed listener. He strobe up and
down the room; and there was on his
face 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
WINGED; his lips drew together in 8
tense line But there was much to be
seen just then. The man inside had
risen. crossed the floor. put the thing.
back in the trunk. closed the lid and
picked up his hat. Next moment the