The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-02-03

restless pain.
"Wild Rosei"
She almost dropped the cup she was
wiping. That call was not inspired by
pain. No pain I'm the world could have
wrung IL from him. She hurried back
into the room. He had risen and was
standing near a window, q look on his
face that made her half afraid of him,
his eyes like a blade half drawn. He
had heard a step. How he heard it
sensed it-only the hunted know.
The girl sprang to his side, her eyes
followed the motion Of his hand, and
her lips turned white. A man was COM
ing up the path-the nan both dread
ed most TO see.
Handsome, jaunty, debonair, smooth
faced except for the aggressive mus.
tache slightly shot with gray, the no
torious bandit swung along up the
walk. The ~Pearlhunter stood crouched
forward. His hand dropped to his hip,
closed over the butt Of the revolver,
then slowly Enclosed. He was taking
his arm out of the sling when the girl
caught him, shook him, dragged him
back.
"Quick" she cried, pushing him
across the floor, my rooml Behind
the curtains !"
At the door he hung back, his head
still over his shoulder.
81 reckon | must hide !" he muttered,
still glaring back toward the window.
But not there! The kitchen?"
mo, my room. It's safest"
She pushed him behind the curtains.
But IL he comes INF"
"He won't!"
He caught a glimpse OF her-white.
hard as the face of the hills, and the
blue in her eyes like bright steel
touched with flame.
A quick glance at the tiny slit be-
tween the curtains behind which she
knew the Pearlhunter was standing, a
very positive and vigorous shake of
her finger that said palmer than words
to stay there and she rose and walked
with a firm step to the door. A mar
row inch she opened II and with her
left hand held 1t so. with her right
shoulder propped against it In such a
way that her right side and arm were
concealed.
The man on the outside of the door
drew back a step, and. with a sweep
ing bow-too sweeping, even for the
Flatwoods-his hat came off and his
handsome face put on Its most affable
smile.
"And how is my wood fairy this aft
ernoonT'
framed In the narrow opening, changed
not a shade.
Nothing so disconcerts a man as to
have his advances met with silence.
Some Of the lines and wrinkles that
did duty for the smile left the bold
face Of the renegade.
1T was so very lonesome in the vii
lage, with the men all hunting that
desperate, that thought I'd WALK out
and spend the afternoon with you. and
talk over with you some very charm.
Ing plans / have formed. You have
what | believe to be a wonderful voice.
While, to my great regret, you have
never sung for me. yet, as / have
passed back and forth through the
woods In my business of looking up
timber options. I have sometimes
heard you sing. You undoubtedly have
a great voice. Now. I am rich. with
no n to spend my money IN. What
better could I do with II than give to
the world a great singer? If you will
20 with me, you shall have the best
training the world affords"
He put n foot up on the doorstep.
his face beaming-if such q face can
beam. The Pearlhunter stiffened In
his place behind the curtain. The girl
never changed a hairs breadth in the
narrow opening between the cheek of
the door and the jamb. Her cold ST.
ience was apparently too much even
for the bold man that faced her.
"Aret't you going to invite me IMP
"My father Is away this afternoon.
can not invite you in"
1t was the first word she had spok-
en-a word cold and hard enough
but the brazen intruder seemed to teke
encouragement from II.
Then peemit me to invite myself"
He advanced a step. laid his hand TO
the door. pushed lightly. The narrow
slit between cheek and jamb widened
not a hair.
The passions Of q Prussian noble
were behind that face outside, They
began 10 break through It's thin We
neer Of politeness. He put his hat back
Q but still kept his hand on the
door.
II might choose to come In"
The girl made no answer neither
did she suffer the door Il yield. The
last vestige Of the smile left the mans
face.
Il might demand to come ih'--some-
thing close kin 10 a snarl slipped into
his voice--"to search this cabin for
that notorious desperate. the Red
Mask. the murderer Of Louie Solo
mon.v
'sihe Red Mask is not IN this cab
I'M"
The answer came slowly. and there
..-.o .x.nfio~ .n...boctu s,,r 49,