Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-01-01

The forenoon was nearly gone when,
through the trees up the river. he
caught the bright CLINT of the sun upon
oar blades. Even at that distance he
knew the craft-LOuie Solomon's long,
white six-osred skiff.
Broom in hand. the Pearlhunter was
making prodIgious dust and clatter
among the chairs and boxes when the
| pearl buyer. short and pudgy-Jew
from his shrewd eyes TO his fat feet
stepped before the door.
House cleaning, hain'dt it7"
"Oh, just digging myself out"
Standing his broom against the wall,
he stepped outside. He knew Louie
| Solomon well-what pearl fisher did
nOt?-and Louie Solomon knew him.
Like two wrestlers on the mat the two
| stood looking each other over-a man
that wanted to sell something; a man
| that wanted TO buy it-with the odds
on the one that could put up the big
gest bluff. The world could be halved
| just there
Cup by de shpring?"
"A gourd."
/ The two went arounds the west end
Of the cabin and back to where the
spring boiled out from beneath the
foot of the cliffs The Jew dipped up
a gourdful and drank so deep that the
Pearhunter knew 1t was no honest
thirst he Quenched The bar Of the
| Mud Hen was famous along -le Wa
bash.
"Himmel Dot shprlng Not once
] pass Fallen Rock | don't shtop undt
drink i'm. I'm campin' here tonight
I'm last nigh campin' here, but we
shtruck town late undt got in mid de
Boss undt lot of pearl fishers. t'ndt
dis morning" He threw up his pudgy
hands. the Jews exclamation point
| when words fell. Zach Himmel, de
headt! Undt poker All poker play
ers vot see, he's de schlick onez!"
1.-THE BossT"
Boss He don't can see last night
de candle. Dot timber buyer. / don't
met him before Pokeri From $23 he
trim me-"
The eyes of the Pearlhunter drew
together.
Timber What was he like?"
"Oh. so high like your shoulder" he
said. Light hair, Giue eyes-undt
hell on cussin."
did he wear a fancy vest?"
"You know Hmm"
1--WE seen him"
The pearl buyer took Off his hat and
wiped his sleeve across his brow
~ tell him I'm tonight campin' here.
| He say meb5e he come down undt gift
me chance to get 1t back, my S23."
The Pearhunter's eyes were still
drawn and thoughtful. though he made
no comment, but led the way back TO
| the front of the cabin, as though he
believed his companion had merely
| come up the hill for a drink at the
spring and would now. go back TO his
skiff. 1t completely deceived Louie Sol
onion, for all his craftineSs. But. Of
course he had no means OF knowing
i the message the Boss had shouted up
4 from the boat the night before.
door and picked up his broom. Out of
the little end of Ills eye he saw the
Jew watching him. He made a swipe
with the broom as If to go on with his
sweeping. 1t was a close grapple of
/ wits. But the lure of the pearl was
too much for Louie Solomon. He had
4 to come TO It at last; and he had 10
come square. Taking off his hat, ne
4 looked back over his shoulder and
again drew his sleeve across his brow.
I'm hearin' you picked up blue
one"
The Pearlhunter leaned his broom
/ against the table and came out upon
the door step.
"Who was telling your"
"Oh, dey talk. You sell him?"
IF get my price"
How much you wanti IT."
Five thousand"
The little jew almost fell over. His
/ fat hands punched t,Ie air full of ex-
+ cIamation points.
give t'ousan'l Himmel You pearl
! fishers ISIS all alike-all crazy"
That's my price"
he stepped back inside the door and
reached for his broom The other
hoped across the door sill and caught
4 his arm.
"Himmel! Let It 60 dot brooml I
look at your pearl You should jump
in de boat undt we look him over at
| DE bank. But l know he turn out like
DE rest--wort' mebbe FIVE hundred /;
mebbe no You pearl fishers iss all
/ crazy. HimmeI p
The Pearlhunter followed in silence.
/ He did not ask how the other knew
/ the Blue Moon was IN the bank, know
/ ing what river men were when drink
/ had loosed their tongues. After days
| and weeks at the clam rakes ard the
: mucky watts. with little more than IN
occasional grunt between them, three
fingers of squirrel whisky would SET
their tongues bobbing Ike a cork In
suck hole
Louie Solomon carried three rowers
in his long skin all hardy river men
that had been with him for years.