The Mena weekly star., 1921-12-08
Cbe Blue Moon A Tdle of the FQtDOOdS
lcontinued From a Previous Issue
BY DAVID ANDERSON
Copyright by Bobbs-M Merrill Col

 at Fallen Rock--a new one beside the one that was almost new. There were orchids upon them both. A man and a maid had together hunted the woods for them. Only such as they could have found so many. Only to her fav- orites does nature show the way to her treasures.
 The stanch old Boss and hard-faced Bull Masterson were back at their vats and clam rakes. Billy's grand mother was staying at the cabin of the three gables a few days for com pany.
 The Pearlhunter came from the vile lage in the still evening Along the dim, slim path through the woods he came, against the face of the sunset The swing and spring of a master of men was in his stride. for he carried in his pocket a telegram addressed to a man with name at last, to David Wulf Warbrltton. The telegram told of two fortunes awaiting down the river, of houses and lands, and advis- Ing that Judge Eskrldge was on his way.
 Near the turn of the path he stopped and stood listening The song of q thrush was charming the silence Only, the song carried a certain delicious, elusive witchery that no bird throat ever knew. He stole along the path, stopped and stood with barred head.
 Upon the fiat rock at the pool stood the Wild Rose, the tears running down her face, her lips and throat alive with the magic of song. A lady cardinal perched upon her shoulder. A king cardinal fidgeted and twitched his crest on an overhanging twig that almost brushed her hair. pair of shy thrushes fluttered and fitted in reach of her hand. Other birds walked up and down nearby branches, or darted down for a hurried peck ut the crumbs she had scattered over the rock.
 The tears drowned the blue; the song ceased. The birds fluttered away one by one. The girl bowed her head and stood with clasped hands, gazing down at the quiet water.
 The mans step reused her. She turned, and her hands unclasped as if to reach toward him-but instantly clasped themselves again. He turned from the path. stepped out on the rock and came to her side. A moment her eyes met his, and then went back to the placid water, and she stood crying softly.
 She turned back to him after time, a poor little half-drowned smile strug- gled out and brought suggestion of the dimples back.
 q had to tell them 1" she said
 Tt was wonderful 1" he answered very softly, as if his voice might dis turb the spell of the music before the echoes had finished carrying 1t to the rest of the woods.
 The leaves hung motionless. as if waiting for the song to start again. The tinkie of the rifle where the wa ter walked up at the lower edge of the pool came out of the silence.
 "The telegram came," he went on after long time. Tt says"-he hesitssed. as If pondering the next words before giving them speech, as If half dreading to give them speech that Judge Eskridge Is coming for you"
 The words strangely carried the girls thoughts back to a mother driven forth to die in loneliness and poverty; to grave on a hill overlooking the river where the hand of a friend had laid her; to a great, silent house; to a stern old man relenting in his last hours
 T shan't go back with him." she said. Some day I'll go back to the grave on the hill but not-now."
 The man stood weighing the words in his slow way.
 q shan't either" He paused a mo msnt; went on. I'm going to tear down the old cabin at Fallen Rock, clear out the underbrush, lay out grounds, and build a house. Why should leave the Flatwoods7 All that care for in the world is here my father, my mother, and-you."
 The last word came hard for him. The girl lifted q hurried, shy half glance to his face; dropped her eyes again to the quiet water.
 "The Blue Moon" he went on. zig somehow-well, 1t oughtnt to pass from hand to hand for iust-money Mother spent her life for 1t. I now know why" There came a pause. "rn never need that five thousand dollars and maybe Louie Solomon's widow does. I've arranged with the sheriff to send her the draft and I've kept the pearl"
 The girl softly clasped her hands together and looked up at him with beaming eyes.
 And maybe I'll get to see it. after allp "'e'
 T think maybe you willw
 He reached into the pocket of his blouse. drew ont the small velvet hox raised the lid. lifted the girls hand and laid the Blue Moon in her palm The sunset, the green of the leavee the glory of silver-edged cloud float. ing across the sky-the wonderfu, gem caught them all, and lay laughing them up into her face.
 "WIld Rose" Her eyes lef, ina pearl and rose to his face. What she saw there brought little catch to he,