The state herald., 1921-02-08

glance, stalked down the ROAD to-
ward the village.
The Pearlhunter stood gazing after
him. The Red Mask-and he hadn't
struck Three times afrronted, and he
hadn't struck. Each time there had
been death in his eyes. What was
holding his handf Was he biding his
timer It was not pleasant thing to
contemplate, for nny man can kill
another II he waits his opportunity.
and takes him at disadvantage.
Why hadn't he struck? Always the
question came back to that. And
what wns holding him to the Flat
woods7 The Pearlhunter whirled with
the thought. and looked back over the
fence.
The girl was gone.
The basket and bundles were still
scattered about the path. He climbed
the fence and began gathering them
up. He had them all back in the
basket, and was leaning against the
fence. wondering how to get them to
their proper owner. when a slight
rustic among the bushes reached his
ear. He glanced up: the girl stood
before him.
II was tho girl Of the pool-the
Wild Rose.
The woods had hid them; the woods
had nursed them: the woods had set
them face to face-the Pearlhunter;
the Wild Rose-a man; woman.
strtD owoy $ro,,, life avary popoccap
tial; bare It Of every husk Of sham
and convention: pare 1t right down
to the red, quick core, beyond which
II II not possible to reduce It further,
and you come at last to n man and a
woman. Six million years the Al
mighty Artist practiced on such Sec
ondary studies MS stars and suns, and
peopllng them with inconceivably d.
verse and curious forms OF life. before
trusting his hand on his final master
piece-a man: woman.
They stood staring. ms mt that other
the thought uppermost In the mind OF
the Pearihunter-that other meeting.
And he had looked Somehow he
wished he hadn't; and yet he wasn't
sorry that he had. The thought drew
his eyes to her feet Shifting the
basket, his hand slowly stole up and
dragged of his battered hat.
The blue eyes under the sunbon-
net iivened. The girl drew a step
nearer. The bushes she had been
bending aside sprang back into place.
She drew another step nearer. As
she moved. an overhanginR limb
caught the sunbonnet and dragged II
of, displaying very soft and glossy
mass Of yellow turls. She turned.
disengaged the bonnet from the limb.
and was shaking the curls into shape
to replace II when the Penrlhunter
mnde quick step toward her with
hand uprnised.
"Don't!" he cried. Don't"
A man Of slow speech. with eyes
hard to wake, he wouldn't have be-
lieved such words were in him.
The girl stood fumbling the bonnet.
He watched one stray curl lose Its
place and come slowly tumblIng down.
little by little, TIL II fell 'ver her
shoulder md lay urgn the softly ris-
Ing and falling bosom. From the curl.
he raised his eyes to her face. He
saw n smile steal across II. II was
only n little smile. hut II grew under
his gnze TIL II reached up to her eyes.
! and pinched the lids together. and
squeezed out n tiny ripple Of mcrri.
In ru fun nd
settled In two round d'mp!es tina.
teasinrly uptilted the corners of her
mouth--a good winsome mouth.
fringed with full red lips and set
with wholesome teeth. The smile
grew until II quite passed beyond her
control. She threw up her head; the
smile became n laugh.
II was the only thing that could
have broken the restraint. The lnugh:
the slow smile that answered IT,
their Introduction. She tied the hon.
net strings, while he watched her nn
gers ns they formed the knot
"'That song" he said. at was the
most wonderful thing I ever heard"
The girl laughed ngnin--n laugh like
water tinklIng over pebbles.
"The birds are my plnymatcs." she
answered simply. "Theg hy down MI
| over me. ! Ind to learn their Ian.
gungc."
"You live In these Soodsf"
The "enrlhunter Tns long time
asking that question.
"Not fnr from the pool"
"And you're not afraldT
lie glanced up the road toward the
village. t.#H.
"Oh. live with Daddy" A shnde
crossed her fncc. "Neyer BEFORE" she
added. as II tho, frst stutemcnt hnd
not quite satisfied Ills question.
Daddy Is not very well and have
TO go TO. the store,. Every time I've
gone In the last few days that man
hns tried to talk 10 me. wns fright.
ened 10 death today when he followed
me. He never did that before. rm
| 40 glad YOU hnppcncd nlouv: upd