The Holbrook news., 1921-03-04

Second. He had no stoniach fol
 going into court.
 Third. "Queerin' " his game" What
 did he mean by his game? He couldn't
 have meant the Blue Moon, for he
 didn't know the Pearlhunter knew he
 had 1t. His game. That tense scene
 at the fence the evening before flashed
 up clear as the river bed under the jack light: girl with a basket frightened eyes; yellow curl that rose and fell upon a startled bosom. "Tll stay where 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 baffiing coolness he en- countered. And yet he couldn't afford to give up his plans, or spoil them by 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 Pearlhunter's fingers frightened on the bar. He breathed deep. Those questions His life through, they had haunted him. And the man before him knew the answer. His face set hard.
 Answer or not, as you please" he said; but I'll not bolt the Flatwoods. was expectin' to ask about my-fa- ther."
 The other whipped curious look at him.
 "Your fatherl" 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 Galahad notions about the women-angels and white lilies, and all that rot. He crossed my path once too often. and for the last time. seven years ago. He's in hell now. And your mother"
 The fist that stabbed out of the win dow fell almost short, landing with a snap instead of crash, like lash that can reach only so far. It stung the man on the point of the cheek and shot his head back.
 He staggered and threw up his hand to his face. His other hand involun- tarily dropped toward his hip. Well for him that it stopped before 1t got there. The Pearlhunter had snatched the revolver from under his blouse and held it just below the window ledge.
 The man on the outside backed away, his face stung to flame by the blow. He felt for his knife; seemed to remember where he bad left it-be- tween the ribs of a man. Anyhow, it would have been as useless as the re- volver. Noise precluded the use of the one; walls and bars the other.
 "I'd kill you" he retorted finally, his tones steady, though strained, like the current that plays across the top of whirlpool, "only haven't time. There's a flock of yellow curls and devilish trim pair of ankles waitin' for me down the road"
 He had so framed the taunt as to re- fleet on the girl his very thought dis honored. Without another word he turned and walked away.
 The Pearlhunter seriously debated whether to shoot him dead and trust to fate for the rest The revolver crawled up oyer the window sill. He grasped one of the bars to steady his hand. A start of surprise came to his face. The revolver went back below the window sill. The bar was loose.
 It was almost unbelievable. but 1t was so. For some reason or other 1t had not been fixed very firmly in it's auger hole sockets. There was play a heartening amount of it-between the upper and lower auger holes. His blood missed beat; then leaped the higher.
 He Jammed the bar into the lower socket. The bottom of the hole was soft The rain had probablysrotted it. He damned the bar again and the wood gave. He put all his strength to it. Each effort drove the bar little Geep- CT; gave it a little more play at the top. If he could only drive it far enough so that the top would clear He was working like a wild man.
 Bearing Gown with all his strength, | exertfon opened the cuts and scratches | on his neck md breast until they bIed | afresh. He damned the bar down | again; bore upon it with all his | rotated 1t again and again. Less than half an inch still held at the | top.
 His exertlOns brought the sweat out | upon his face. Another effort; tre- mendous; to the last ounce of his power.
 His hands were like fire-but the bar cleared. He could move it tiny mite to the side of the upper anger hole. The clearance was ever so little but it cleared. Bracing his knee against the wall and grasping the case ment with hisleft hand for anchorage, he bent ahd worked and twisted the bar outward. At last. by final su- preme heave, it cleared the upper log. There remained only to lift it out of the lower auger hole.
 The Pearlhunter dropped back pant ing and mOpped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. The effort had been 
 minute to get his breath; another spent in listening; and he worked the end a little freer; lifted out the bar; crawled outside; put it back into place again. feeling about with his fingers to make sure there were no scars on the wood or bits of chips scraped loose, and stole away under the trees.
 It would probably be quite impossi- ble for the city-bred to appreciate fully' the feelings of the Pearlhunter at find- Ing the breath of the open woods once
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