The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1921-01-06


You mustn't let Daddy see 1t. He
viii go wild II you do. used TO keep
Il stuck behind the picture, but II
worked out into sight one day, and he
drove the knife through IL before 1
could get IL away from him. II he
ever finds the man Il belongs to he'll
serve him the same way, I'm afraid.
Sometimes think that's why he
baunts the woods-to see IL he can find
him. There, you can see where the
knife went through"
She had been unwrapping fold Of
paper as she talked. The sight of it's
contents surprised a low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. II was a red
| mask.
The Pearlhunter fingered the bit
Of stiff cloth lying across the girls
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiously. The
red mask The slit of the knife near
an eye hOle-no man. in the Flatwoods
better able to read the story It told !;
none better able to piece together the
fragments Of that seven-year-old trag.
edy.
Up through the eye holes there
seemed TO glow pair OF eyes-blue
like blue ice; eyes that glow black
when reused. He knew what they
hooked like when the blue turned to
black.
Suddenly, without warning. a deep
gToan set the silence ashiver. The
girl erammed the packet back behind
the books; the Pearlhunter whlrled.
The Wild Man had risen from his
chair and stood peering toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With a step
that was ghostiy nolseIess Ne crossed
the floor Quite clese he came his
dulled senses seeming TO need the
stimulus of close contact. dis bouy
hands and long arms were quivering /;
his hollow face twitching pltlfully.
Hes never like this" the gin
whispered.
The young man glanced at her and
stood still. The thin hands fluttered
over his face and head. Even their
llghtest touch was heavy with q
strength that must have been prodig.
lOus-as If the fires of his malady kim
died a force In him more than human
Some impulse Of compassion must
have reached the heart of the Pearl
hunter. for he stretched his long arm
forth and laid 1t abont the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
of the gray giant upon him. 1t might
have been the one thing the stricken
man craved in his dumb way--the
touch OF his kind; the prop Of mans
arm.
The situation embarrassed the Pearl
hunter. II was like winning the COO
fidence Of a little child, and then ROt
knowing what to do with 1t.
The girl was quick to see his embar.
rassment. and, much as q mother
might coax a child away 9rem some
one she imagined IL was annSying, she
led the old man back To hts chair
then. leaving him, she hurried across
the room TO the book case.
Il never saw him so restless betnre,"
she said, as she passed by. "He seems
to like you, though" she continued
while finding the book she wanted.
Strange. too. for he's cross usually,
even TO the doctor. Won't you excuse
me till quiet hlmf"
Before he could reply she had found
the book and hurried back to the chair,
Opening ii, she laid II upon the old
mans knees. He bent his head and
felt over the oren page with his hand,
but the weird eyes could no longer 70
solve the frozen magic Of the wOrds
He fidgeted In his chair and the boob
slid to the floor.
The picture was too distressing, Rnd
the Pearihunter turned his face
away. From where he stood he had
an almost unobstructed view into the
east room, the girls room, and before
he realized II HIS eyes had strayed
past the curtains. Amusement heic
them there moment In spite OF him
The room. in striking contrast to what
he had seen OF the rest OF the house
was almost bare Of furniture "a car
petless floor; the rudest OF bJds; q
broken chair, and little else.
He heard her walking across the
floor and turned away half guiltily
She had her hand upon the curtained
S0trance of the west room, and he no
ticsed that It was carpeted. and was
otherwise furnished quite II keeping
with the room in which he stood, Ger.
tainly in very decided contrast TO tbs
roo1n unon thp east
But he had no time to reflect on al
these things. for the girl reappeared
in a moment carrying a cello, which
she placed between the did mans
knees. She put the bow In his right
hand and lifted his left to the strings
He laid his cheek down upon the In
strument; grew quiet. The falterina
bow tried to wake the strings, but In
vain. The old mans body seemed to
shrink together. His chin dropped
down upon his breast But the next
instant ne sat upright and rigid; bis
wide eyes, CROPPING around, found the
PearIhunter, and he started to rise.
grappled up. strained up, as II by
power outside himself.
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