The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1921-01-06

klDUk
lou mustn't let Daddy ~ Il. He
wintgo Wild II you do. I used to kssp
4 suck behind the picture, but Il
worried out into sight one day, and be
drovs the knife through It before !
could get II away from him. II be
sver tnds the man 1t belongs to he'll
ssrvg him the same way. I'm afraid
eoalstlmes I think that's why he
hau4ts the wOods-to see II he can and
him There. you can sec where the
knif4 went through"
eee had been unwrapping fold Of
papte a. she talked. The sight Of ID
contents surprised a low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. 1t was q red
mask.
Tie Pearlhunter fingered the BIT
Of stiff cloth lying across the giri'a
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiousiy. The
red maskl The slit Of the knife near
an eye hole-no man in the Flatwootis
better able to read the story II told |;
none better able to piece together the
fragments Of that seven.year.old tras.
edy.l
Up through the eye holes there
seemed to glow \ pair of eyes-blue,
like blue ice; eyes that glow black
when reused. He knew what they
looked like when the blue turned to
black.
Suddenly. without warning, q deep
groan set the silence ashlvef. The
girl cramned the packet back behind
the books; the Pearlhunter whirled.
The Wild Man had risen from his
chair and stood peerlng toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With q step
that was ghostly nOlseless he crossed
the floor. Quite close he came, his
dulled senses seeming to need the
stimulus Of close contact. His bouy
hands and long arms were quIvering {:
his hollow face twitching pitifully.
"He's never like this" the girl
whispered.
The young man glanced At her and
stood still. The thin hands duttered
over his face and head. Even their
lightest touch was heavy with o
strength that must have been prodig.
lous-as II the fires Of his malady kin.
died a 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 II about the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
Of the gray giant upon him. II might
have been the one thing the stricken
man craved In bis dumb way-the
touch Of his kind: the prop Of mans
arm.
The situation embarrassed the Pearl.
hunter. It was like winning the con.
ndence Of little child. and then not
knowing what to do with II.
The girl was quick to Sc his embar.
rassment. and, much ~ = mother
might coax q child away from some
one she imagined It was annoying, she
led the old man hack to his chair
then. leaving him. she hurried across
the r6om to the book case.
II never saw him 40 restless before, ~
abe said, ~ she passed BY. "IIe seems
to like you. though" she continued
while finding the book she wanted.
"etrange. too, for he's cross usually,
even to the doctor. Won't you excuse
ne tn I quiet himr'
BEFORE be could reply she had found
the book and hurried hack to the chair.
Opening 1t. she laid II upon the old
mans knees. He bent his head and
felt over the oren page with his hand.
but the weird eyes could no longer re.
solve the frozen magic Of the words.
He hdseted In his chair and the book
sid to the door.
The picture was too distressing, and
the Pear'huntef turned his face
away. From where he stosd he had
an almost unobStr,scted view into the
east room. the girls room, and before
he realized II his eyes had str.yed
past the curtains. Amusement held
them there moment In spite Of him.
The room. In striking contrast to what
he had seen Of the rest Of the house.
was almost bare OF furniture car.
petIexs floor: the rudext NJ beds; Q
broken chair. and little else.
He heard her walking across the
floor and turned away half guiltiiy.
she had her hand upon the curtaineti
entrance Of the west room. and he no.
ticed that II was ca1,cte,i. and was
otherwise furnished qnite In keeping
with the room In which he stOOd, GER.
tsinly In very decided contrast to the
rom up0n the east.
but ne had no time IN reflect on ali
these thinKA for the girl rrnpp.a red
In q moment carrying 4 cello. which
she placed between the old mans
knees. She put the bOw In his right
hand and lifted his left 10 the strings.
He laid his cheek down upon the In.
xtrumrnt: grew quiet. The faItsrins
hOw tried TO wake the strings. hut In
win. The old mans body seemed IN
shrink together. Ills chin dropped
down upon hin breast. Hut the next
instant IN aat upright and rigid; his
wide eyes. cropping around. found the
t'earihuntsr. and he started 10 rise