The state herald., 1921-02-15

will 60 wild II you do. ! used to keep
II stuck behind the picture, but II
worked out Into sight one day, and he
drove the knife through It before .
could get II away from him. II be
ever nnds the man It belongs to he'll
serve him the same way. Tm afraid.
Sometimes I think that's why he
haunts the woods-to see II he can flnd
him. There, you can see where the
knife went through"
She had been unwrapping q fold Of
paper az she talked. The sight Of il
contents surprised a low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. It was Q red
mask.
The Pearlhunter fingered the Bit
Of stiff cloth lying across the girls
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiously. The
red mask! The slit Of the knife near
an eye h0le-no man In the Flatwooda
better able to read the story It told
none better able to piece together the
fragments Of that seven-year-Old trag.
edy.
Up through the eye holes there
seemed to glow pair Of eyes-blue,
like blue Ice; eyes that glow black
when reused. He knew whnt they
looked like when the blue turned to
black.
Suddenly, without warning. a deep
groan set the silence ashiver. The
girl crnmmed the packet back behind
the books; the Penrlhunter 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 bony
hands and long arms were quivering;
his hollow face twitchlng pitifully.
Hes never like this" the girl
whispered.
The young man glanced at her and
stood still. The thin hands luttered
over his face and head. Even their
lightest touch was heavy with q
strength that must have been prodig.
ious-as IL the fires of his malady kin
died 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 1t about the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
.of the gray giant upon him. 1t might
have been the one thing the stricken
man craved In his dumb way-the
touch of his kind; the prop Of u mans
arm.
The situation embarrassed the Pearl
hunter. 1t was like winning the con-
fidence OF a little child. and then not
knowing what to do with II.
The girl was quick to see his embar-
rassmcnt, and. much Us mother
might coax child away from some
one she imagined It was annoying. she
led the old man back to his chair;
then. leaving him. she hurried across
the room to the book case.
~ never saw him so restless before"
she said. as she passed by. "He seems
to like you. though" she continued
while finding the book she wanted.
"Strange. too, for he's cross usually,
even to the doctor. Won't you excuse
me till quiet hlm?"
Before he could reply she had found
the book and hurried back TO the chair.
Opening II. she laid II upon the old
mans knees. He bent his head and
felt over the oren page with his hand.
hut tho yairb ayas ,.nulb No lamar ra.
solve the frozen magic of the words.
He fidgeted In his chair and the book
slid TO the floor.
The picture was too distressing. and
the Pearlhun,er turned his face
away. From where he stood he had
an almost unobstructed view into the
east room. the girls room. and before
he realized It his eyes had strayed
past the curtains. Amazement 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-a car
petless floor: the rudest OF beds; u
broken chair. and little else.
He heard her walking across the
floor and turned away half guiltily.
She had her hand upon the curinin-d
entrance OF the west room. md he no.
tlced that II was cnrpeted. and was
otherwise furnished quite In keeping
with the room In which he stood. GER
taInly In very decided contrast TO the
room upon the east.
But he had no time TO reflect on ali
these things, for the girl reappeared
In moment carrying cello. which
she placed between the old mans
knees. She put the bow In his right
hand and lifted his left to the strings.
He laid his cheek down upon the In
strumcnt grew quiet. The fnlterIng
bow tried to wake the strings. but In
vain. The old mans body seemed to
shrink together. His chin dropped
down upon hIs breast. But the next
instant he snt upright and rigid: his
wide eyes. cropping around, found the
~ IA.