Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1921-03-25

was torn, ner DOQy bruised, ner nanuS
gradually driven together behind her
back; a hot wild face near her own.
A step creaked the plank at the door.
Her assailant whirled at the sound and
she sank painting against the wall.
Just inside the door, his body
crouched forward, his lips tight drawn,
stood the tall form of the Pearlhunt-
er.
Things happened so fast in the next
instant that words are too slow to
keep up with them. 1t was man to
man, and an even draw. The two
shots came so close together that the
hills out through the open door caught
but one echo But the shot from the door
struck first-a scant little mite OF an
instant first-and Jared the aim OF
the other a trifle high. The shot from
the corner merely clipped q bandage
at the top of the Pearlhunter's shoul-
der, drew Il little welt on the skin,
and whistled harmlessly away into the
night. The bullet from the door evil
IDENTIFY found the core Of the target.
The Red Mask bent backward. The
revolver dropped to his side. He tried
to raise 1t again; seemed surprised
that he couldn't. he laughed oddly
and swore; stared round toward the
girl; gasped and choked. The revolver
slipped from his fingers. He groped
with his hands, as If searching the
air for it; staggered, caught himsei1'
tottered, pitched heavily to the hoor.
The girl edged out Of the corner
past his body and threw herself upon
the form of the old man. The PEARL
hunter eased down the hammer of his
revolver, thrust 1t back into his pock-
ct, and stopped beside her. AT the
touch of his hand, she raised her head
and knelt stroking the still face and
crying softly. The Pearlhunter opened
the old mans coat and felt over his
heart.
Hes alive"
She laid her face down close and
spoke his name-the only name she
knew. There was no response.
"Help me lift him to the couch"
the man said.
They had the old man on the couch,
and the girl had run for water, when
the sheriff, who had been far out
stripped by the younger man, dashed
into the cabin. All three worked over
him. The Pearlhunter chafed one
wrist, the sheriff the other, while the
girl bathed his face. washed the blood
out of his hair, and strove to staunch
its flow by binding up his head In cold
cloths.
Suddenly, without any warning signs
of returning consciousness, the old
man plucked his hand away from the
Pearlhunter and rubbed 1t over his
face, His eyes came open, but they
were not the same eyes. And his face
was free from twitching. The girl
stared down upon him In wonder. The
Pearlhunter stopped low and marveled
at the startling transformation. Mel
ther knew, nor even suspected. until
the doctor explained it days later, that
the blows of the revolver butt had
loosened the tiny bit of skull that had
so long shackled his brain-loosened
it at the expense Of far worse hurt
but undoubtedly loosened 1t. They
only knew that the eyes were free from
the vacant stare; that his face was
calm with the light Of reason.
He felt again over his face. seemed
astonished at the beard. His eyes
calmly gazed up at the girl and stud.
led her long time.
"You couldn't be Dotty?"
His voice was queer, hollow, quaver.
ing. like some sound from another
world, so long had it gone unused.
"Oh, Daddy"
She threw her arms around him and
dropped her head on his breast. He
sat stroking her hair, finally raised
her, looked hard at her, rubbed his
eyes and looked again.
"You must be Dotty. But you've
changed so since morning"
The girl seemed unable to tell him
She strove for words, but none came
The Pearlhunter drew nearer.
"You've been-sick long time. sir,
he said. Seven years. And you're
Just getting well again"
The puzzled eyes, suddenly wakenet
into a world new and strange, turned
toward him.
81 haven't the pleasure Of your &C
ouaintance," he said with the statel!
politeness Of day long gone. ma!
! ask"
"Tm-Im-"
He hesitated, flushed. The girl
calm again, came to the rescue.
"He's the Pearlhunter, Daddy. He!
been-good to me-since you've beer
sick"
The old man reached out his hand
II seemed heavy for him. The Pearl
hunter grasped it. He was startled II
find 1t cold. He glanced hastily int
the old mans face. A pallor wa
spreading over 1t that was unmistak
able-the momentary return to con
sciousness was but the gleam that, a
the end of gray day, sometimes flare
out between sundown and dark. III
said nothing of it to the girl, who wa
happily busy again with the water ant
bandages.
The sheriff had left the couch ant
was squatted over the body of th'
fallen bandit. The Pearlhunter hap
pened to glance that way. The sheriff
beckoned to him.
"This feller amt dead yet" he said
l.. Il iaix,al !. La,