The Holbrook news., 1921-03-11
66e Blue Moon cA Tale of the Flatwoods

There came the guarded scrape of a match. A sputtering, tardy flame was laid to the wick of a candle on a small stand in the corner under a mir. TOT. The wick caught; smoldered flared to full strength. The wonder of her hair and throat and arms sprang out of the night. She laid the burnt match upon the candlestick and turned. A gasp broke from her at the sight of him-tattered. hatless bruised and bloody.
 Forgive me that I come before you like-this." he stammered.
 An impulsive step brought her to his side
 Forgive mel" she repeated, her voice still a-quiver; her face pity-ten- dered. You must let me dress your hurts"
 He shaded the candle with his body while she raised the curtain over the door and slipped out to the kitchen. She was back before he could have believed it, carrying a basin of cold water and some strips of muslin, all of which she had managed to get to- gether in the deep dark.
 Drawing a chair near the candle she made him sit dOwn-a quite Obvi- ous necessity, if she was to reach his head. But she didn't stop with wash ing the clots out of his hair and bind ing up the scalp wound. The cuts and bruises on his face and chest came in for their share. When her ministra- tiOns were over he was e1Other man.
 All unsuspecting. tbs girl did other things for him that night besides washing his wounds. Nothing can so refine man as the ministry of a good wOman's hands. It never leaves him quite as it found him. He can never again be quite the same. His life out he will be a grain the finer for it. So great is the grace of nature that no man is denied that touch. Once to every man 1t comes-to recreate: to make him new; to call him up to his higher self. It came that night to the Pearlhunter.
 The girl seemed to lose all fear of him; to forget that he was in her bed room in the secret night. She even smiled a cOntented smile of satisfac- tion as he rose and stretched himself. He fumbled in his tattered blouse and drew forth the draft.
 ~'Have you pen and ink ?" he asked. bis voice. his manner, again the voice and manner of the alert, keen woods man.
 Wondering, she opened the drawer of the small stand under the mirror and placed pen and ink before him. He picked up the pen, awkwardly-a fish spear, an oar. or a six-grn fitted his hand better-dipped it in the ink: laid the draft upon the stand; squared himself; and after no small pains sue ceeded in writing the word 'Pearlhunt- CT" across the back. It was quite evi- dently a relief when the unaccustomed task was over. He laid the pen down as If glad to be quit of it and handed the draft to the girl.
 'It means that I have five thousand dollars in the bank" he said, "and any body that takes this draft there with my'-he hesitated-"name across the back can get the money. The banker said so.''
 Her face showed how little she guessed what his words were leading up to. It was some time before he went on. "Pm askin' you to keep it." he said. And if anything should happen to me. I'm askin' you to keep the mon- ey. too"
 The girl caught his tattered sleeve.
 ''NOi NoI' she said. Don't say thati'
 He looked down at the hand on his sleeve; picked it up; held it an in- stant: suffered her to take it away.
 ''I know who killed Louie Solomon" he said slowly. 'I know who has the Blue MOOn-absolute Knowledge bur