The St. Charles herald., 1921-01-01

straight and talked the same way.
Half petulantly he shifted to his other
foot took his thumbs out OF his vest
pockets. The easy smile left his race;
the real man came out-a wildcat,
fanged and clawed.
"TIl uncork this rotten old Jug" ne
growled, "if you'll bolt the Flatwoods
and stop queerin' my game
His lips snapped tight. His cards
were on the table The Pearlhunter
Wondered them in his deliberate way |
and cast up the sum total OF their ex-
act value.
First. There would be no mob.
Otherwise he would have trusted TO
that. The meeting behind the MUD
Hen had fzzled.
Second. He had no stomach Tor
going into court
Third. "Queerin' his "game." what
did he mean by his game? He couldn't
have meant the Blue Moon, for ne
didn't know the Pearlhunter knew ne
had it, His game. That tense scene
at the fence the evening before flashed
ND clear as the river bed under the
lack light: girl with a basket;
frightened eyes yellow curl that rose
and fell upon a startled bosom.
'I'n stay where 1 am," he answered,
crisp and cold. 'The law put me in;
the law can get me out"
The other shrugged his shoulders,
furious at the battling coolness he en-
countered. And yet he couldn't afford
| to give up his plans, or spoil them Dy
| any untimely show Of his real feel
ings. The easy smile came back.
"Those questions you were expect
ing to ask-I might answer them TO
boot"
| The Pearlhunters fingers tightened
on the bar. He breathed deep. Those
questions! His life through, they hao
haunted him. And the man before aim
knew the answer. His face set hard.
ANSWER or not, as you please" ne
said: 'but Til not bolt the Flatwoods.
I was expectin' to ask about my-ia-
ther."
The other whipped curious look at
him.
"Your fatherw he snarled. The
scowl on his face became it better than
the smile. "As like you as two peas |;
with the same lot Of fool, Sir Galahao
notions about the women-angels ana
white lilies. and all that rot. he
crossed my path once too often. ana
for the last time, seven years ago. Hes
in hell now. And your mother
The fst that stabbed out Of the win
dow fell almost short, landing with q
! snap instead Of crash, like lash that
can reach only 20 far. 1t stung the
man on the point Of the cheek ana snot
his head back.
He staggered and threw up his hand
to his face. His other hand involun-
tarily dropped toward his hip. Wen
for him that it stopped before 1t got
there The Pearlhunter had snatcheo
the revolver from under his blouse and
held 1t Just below the window ledge.
The man on the outside backed
away. his face stung to flame By thu
blow. He felt for his knife; seemed
TO remember where he had left it-be
tween the ribs Of man. Anyhow, l
!. would have been as useless as the re
| volver. Noise precluded the use O
the one; walls and bars the other.
.I'd kill you," he retorted finally, hi
! tones steady. though strained, like tn
, current that plays across the top OF
whirlpool, ''only haven't time. Therei
flock OF yellow curls and a devilisl
: trim pair Of ankles waitin' for m
! down the road"
! He had SO framed the taunt as to re
! feet on the girl his very thought dis
honored. Without another word n
E turned and walked away.
: The Pearlhunter seriously debate
whether to shoot him dead and trus
: to fate for the rest. The revolve
/ | crawled ND over the window sill. d
4 | erasped one of the bars to steady hl
: hand. A start Of surprise came to 81
: face. The revolver went back belo'
4 the window sill. The bar was loose.
. II was almost unbelievable, but
: was so. For some reason or other
had not been fixed very firmly IN Il
!. anger hole sockets. There was play
.N q. heartening amount Of it-betwee
. the upper and lower auger holes. hl
; blood missed beat; then leaped tn
8 higher.
: he janmed the bar into the lowe
: socket. The bottom Of the hole We
!. soft. The rain had probably rotted
3 He jammed the bar again snd the woo
rave. He put all his strength to
Each effort drove the bar little dee
!, er: gave It q little more play at u
|. ton. II he could only drive 1t q
4 enough so that the top would clear Z
I was working like Wild man.
!. Bearing down with all his strengt
= he rotated the bar. The tremendo'
o exertion opened the cuts and scratch
N his neck and breast until they bi!
q afresh. He jammed the bar dov
4 again; bore upon 1t with all =
strength; rotated It again ana aga,
4 Less than half an inch stin held at Z
At top. -. :
mon his face Another ehort; q
= nendous: to the last ounce OF