Cleveland County herald., 1921-01-13
Ninth Installnent of
 The BLUE MOON

! ! e-sxs.ssssaass. .....s.s. Fus awful mad, an' a-swearln' to hls. self. He sashed at me with switch But I ducked. an cut dirt, an skinned over tn fence. When looked back he was a-goin' on toward town, an Streaked it through tn woods lickety- split"
 The very information she had been about to venture forth into the woods fo acquire.
 "How Is your grandma today?"
 ''Oh, she's well ag'In She cooks sots of things now. She fried me some screw-cakes yisterd'y."
 He was one-"lickety-split"
 The girl closed the door. laughing softly, and turned toward the curtains The Pearlhunter was just coming through them. Tt couldn't have dark. one stroke more. and things will fake a turn.'
 ''That stroke!" She was very thoughtful, her eyes searching the side of his face toward her. "YOu speak of 1t lightly; but so you spoke of that dreadful fight with the mob"
 He sat still a long time.
 'I don't know why l shouldn't tell you.' he said at last. ''rhe only req sen didn't was to save you the thought of it, But a girl like you-Td ask no better backin in tight place."
 Her face lighted
 "Then why not take me with you?"
 He started, turned his slow eyes toward her. A moment he studied her. and then shook his head.
 "No"-the word seemed final. "It won't do for a girl--a lady--to hear what will have to be heard tonight; and see what will have to be seen."
 Her eyes dropped; so did his. They both met at the same foeus-the letter fn her hand. She passed it to him. He turned it over and over, looked at the address. the postscript, and handed it back.
 'T never got letter in my life," he said, "nor wrote one."
 sNeither did l." She turned the let fer over and over, studying 1t. "Box %" she unused. Its for Daddy! He couldn't read 1t, even if he were here. Do you think should open it?'
 "Yes, I think you should" he ad- wised. She tore open the end of the envel- ope and drew out a folded sheet of legal cap As she unfolded it, bill 1 -a greenback- fell out upon her lap. 1 She bounced upon it. Fifty dollars Why-Why-!"
 ''The letter will tell" he sald lean- 8ng eagerly toward her..
 She unfolded the stiff sheet, the in- neT side of it covered with the letter, written in a clear, readable hand:
 .vincennes Ind, June 15, 1S4-. My Dear Colonel:
 Enclosed I am sending the usual monthly remittance as per your order when you left.
 "Why haven't you answered any of l my letters? l have sent the remit tance regularly but have not heard a wo16 from yod fo1 nearly svY0n ya.,4,.
 
 estate has increased till hardly know l how to invest 1t further. If I don't 1 hear from you l shall have to come 1 up to Buckeye for consultation.
 "The little girl-llttle Hesper Dawn l must be quite woman now. As | have written you, her grandfather, old | Godfrey Dawn, died last year. He re- | pented in his last hours and left her 1 sole heir to his fortune, which, as you | know. is even more considerable than | your own. The estate is in my hands | ready to convey to her. The legal age of a woman in this state is eighteen. If old Godfrey has not misinformed me. she will be twenty the twentieth of this present month. So. she has been for some time legally competent to come into her estate. If, under the terms of your will, she should fall heir to your fortune as well, which she bids fair to do. as no word has come and none likely to come at this late day, she will be quite the richest heiress in my knowing.
 "Now, my dear Colonel. let me hear from you Why should famous sol faier. and the greatest cellist of his time, longer isolate himself from the world to nurse his sorrow? For the sake of the little girl, if not for your ,own-and ours-leave your Flatwoods hermitage and come back to us.
 Awaiting-urging-a early reply ts fl,is letter, beg to remain. as ever. "Your obedient serv't.
 "GEO. ESKRIDGE." A voice out of the big world she had tssited only in dreams. She glanced