The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1921-02-17
Once 70 Ev0rv Man.

It was far the hardest thing he had
ever tried to do In his life to go round
TO that east window. 1t was partly
open. His breast was pounding; his
ears humming. He forced himself up
to the window and brought his lips
close to the sash.
"Wild Rose!"
He heard her start. and spring up
In bed. Then all was breathless still.
"Wild RoseI"
The bed creaked. He heard her
soft feet moving about over the floor.
A muffled shadow came toward the
window-a shadow and a whisper:
"Pearlhunter!"
He reached his hand inside. A white
arm and slender fingers came out of
the gloom and found his palm. The
shadow on the outside and the shadow
on the inside drew closer, the one
searching what that word would be.
The man swallowed hard. 81 sold
the Blue Moon to Louie Solomon to-
day-five thousand dollars"
he felt a thrill in the girls fingers.
"rhis afternoon Louie Solomon was
murdered, and the pearl stolen"
She shuddered, took her hand out of
his and fumbled the loose garment
about her shoulders, but made no an
swer. Her mind was unconsciously
prepared for terrible things
"They accused me of the crime"
The girl gasped Her hands flut-
tered toward her throat.
"You :"
"Me," he answered strained and
slow. "I've come to tell you, myself,
because-because-you trusted me.
The mob had the rope around my
throat. But the sheriff got me away,
and put me in Jail. broke out, and
came to tell you. I couldn't bear for
you to think"
She stood perfectly still inside the
window. He mistook her silence He
laid his hand on the window ledge and
tried to drive his eyes through the
gloom to her face.
"Please believe mel" he pleaded. He
couldn't have pleaded harder had he
faced judge and jury, instead Of mere
iy ragged girl Of the Flatwoods. 81
didn't kill Louie Solomon. ! didn't
take the Blue Moon"
The white arms reached out toward
him.
mo! No! do believe you
Her face had come close to the win
dow. He could see her eyes-like star
spots in the dark-big with startle-
ment, for they had caught sight Of his
tattered blouse; the dried blood on
him, and clothed in his hair. With a
cry. her hands went to his face.
"Why, your head Is bleeding! And
your facet"
Scratches Nothing but scratches ~
ne hastily treasured In tones that eau
ton held low; panied at her distress;
pleased, too; his eyes alight.
"But this one on your head! It's
cut-deep-and still bleeding" Her
voice was steadier. "You must let me
bind up this one"
He glanced toward Fallen Rock.
1--WE da'sn't risk light" he said.
"For your sake we da'sn't. The night
has eyes. And they'll comb these
woods tomorrow"
She shrank back into the room. He
drew half a step nearer, laid his arm
on the ledge and stood fumbling the
easement, lost In thought.
"And yet I've that to do that must
have light" he unused, more to him
self than to her, raising his head after
q time and glancing toward the dim
outline inside the window. "Is there
q blind on your window that would
hide a GAMBLER
"Why--yes-" she answered, puz-
sled and slow.
II was a long time before he spoke
again. Had the light served, she might
have seen in his eyes the struggle he
was going through. He rubbed his
drawn lips together to loosen them.
"Will you trust me In your room7"
The girl started Her hands clutched
each ether. She knew II was not to
have his wounds dressed that he
asked. Short as her acquaintance
with him had been, she knew IL was
not that. 1t was no light reason that
had driven him to ask such a privi-
iese. It gripped her, shook her, but
strangely enough did not brighten her.
"Tll trust you"
Not often In q mans life does he
hear such gracious words. Nature is
DOT lavish Of such gifts. The shoul-
ders Of the Pearlhunter lifted. The
droop left his head.
MAY come now7 The night is GO
ING. The moon win be I'D In another
40 hours