The Little River news., 1921-01-05
planned? Why shouldn'. .

And there the Pearlhunter stood. with the rope around his neck--the wrong neck--and no proof to put it around the right one. Something swelled under the rope; something that surged up to his eyes and struck out splinter of fire. He turned to the man on the horse.
 "Sheriff, if you'll stick my gun back and cut my hands loose, I'll rope you the real Red Mask" '
 Itwas an unwise thing to say. He knew 1t the moment he'd said it. II 3 was unlike him. The man leaning in apparent carelessness against the hitch rack was probably quite un- aware that he was suspected. It might prove costly mistake to let him know that he was. Besides, 1t was extremely unlikely that he would have the pearl still on him. With the pearl gone, the proof would be gone. The Pearlhunter's usual slow caution should have brought a good many con- alterations to his mind before he said that. But a rope around mans neck makes prodigious difference in the look of things. One cannot help won- dering what would have been the out X come had the sheriff needed the re- quest and cut loose the hands of his prisoner. Things would have hap pened-and they would have hap pened fast. ..et- rt.-i
 The sheriff laughed; hard, raspy laugh. A good many things in that laugh: the jangle of handcuffs; the grate of keys in stiff locks-but never mite of mirth.
 He's roped now."
 He's not" was the Pearlhunter' g incautious answer, "but he's handy"
 He had purposely raised his voice. But the man for whose ear 1t was in- tended never shifted his position; never changed, even in the slightest his easy smile. He did slip his hand down the front of his frock coat and loosen it against his side. but that was all.
 The sheriff swore; turned slowly in his saddle and glanced the crowd over Ladies an gentlemen" he said, rais- ing his voice, "as said before. this man is entitled to trial, an trial he'll git. He'll hang-but it'll be the law that hangs i'm, an not you. I ad. wise you to break up this damn fool. ishness an go home."
 It could be seen with half an eye that the sheriff was in no humor to stand any back talk. The crowd didn't try 1t; they obeyed-many sullenly, some grumbling openly. A few stayed. The man leaning against the hitch rack went back to the Mud Hen.
 The village of Buckeye struggles for quarter of a mile along the river road. The road Is bigger institution than the town. It formed the princ. pal street. The village lookup. ol Jail, stood, in plain sight short way to the west on. the north side of the road. 7 @S
 The sheriff dismounted. picked ur the slit and trampled blouse. threw il about the shoulders of his prisoner and united the severed rope end still knotted about his neck. With a nut. tered command, he made slight mo. ton toward the jail with his revolver. The Pearlhunter, still with bound hands, his shirt so tattered- that 1t left him half-naked from his waist up. the blood upon his face and body fast stiffening into clots, obeyed the com- mand.
 Inside the lookup the sheriff cut his hands loose, and immediately stepped outside and locked the door. seeming to have no fancy to tarry after his prisoners hands were free. Turning back to his prisoner he pointed out his house and told him he would bring over some supper later on.
 The Buckeye lookup was a two story, rectangular structure of heavy logs. There were two cells, with a hallway between, on the first floor. and the same arrangement above. The Pearlhunter was the only prisoner, so he had free range of both lower cells. The barred gate opening to the stair leading to the upper floor was heavily padlocked. The door of the jail faced south-faced the river road. Each cell had one window: the window of the one looking east. the window of the other looking west. These win dows were both rather larger than might have been expected. Each con- tained a single sash, with the four bars to each window. set in auger holes in the logs at the top and bot. tom. The sash was hinged at the side so as to swing in. '' '.'
 The Pearlhunter opened the sash at the west window and swung 1t back as far as it would go. Through the bars he could look out under the cool, calm trees in the Jail yard. The river road wound dusty and dry toward the sundown; wound to the first curve and hid itself in the hills; wound on to that sharp turn at the rim of the deep woods by the low fence. And there the path began. the dim slim path worn by wonderful feet; the path that led to a girl with eyes ike the placid. sky at the bottom of the spring; eyes that trusted" him. that would look for him. What would they L TsE al <. I~ l,d.,l .....as ...1