The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-02-10

smile. but 1t had to retreat, DealeH
back by stronger foe. Her lips drew
together; her chin quivered; she
bowed her head and buried her face
in her arms.
What had he Gone! Had she mis-
understood him. The Pearlhunter
inwardly cursed his clumsiness. he
found his hard hand stealing toward
her hair. How helpless she was-and
he had hurt her. His fingers strayed
over the soft locks and smoothed them.
It seemed a long time to the Pearl
hunter before she raised her face. He
half dreaded to see her eyes: but-a
desperate glance-no reproach In
them. He had not been misunderr
stood.
81 don't know how / am to go on
Her throat and neck and face famed
crimson at the admission. II can't
leave to go out to service; and all the
furniture that can be spared 1 have
Sold"
"Only your own" he blurted out,
rather imprudently, as he reflected aft
erward, for how was she to know that
he had glanced into her room?
81 didn't wish Daddy to miss any
thing"
The unselfishness of her act seemed
not to have entered her mind, but 1t
was not lost on the Pearlhunter.
1.-THE storekeeper has been so good
TO me. and trusted me for so many
things. I'm afraid to think hcw .nIch
owe him. But he is old, and his wife
has been i'll. 1t mortifies me to have
to ask him for more credit, but can't
let Daddy starve. Money used to come
to us before he got--hurt. But
found out afterward that 1t always
came addressed simply to Box %. Not
even the postmaster knows Daddy
name. Neither-do--Iw
Her voice fell very low. The PEARL
hunter pitied her, for he knew what
it was like not to know sDaddy's
name"
"The doctor says" she went on,
chat the bullet broke piece of skull,
so that it presses on the brain. He
thinks a great surgeon he knows might
be able to raise that little piece of
skull and made Daddy well. And that's
what hurts me worst of all-that /
can't have it DONE"
She stopped; turned her head away.
There came into the mans level eyes
a look that the hard men of the river
had learned to know.
'Listenl" he said "You mist trust
me. You must let me help you. You
already know the story of the Blue
Moon. Such find always brings the
pearl buyers. They flock to it like
vuitures to a carcass. They'll soon
be here maybe tomorrow. I'll sell the
pearl, and you shall send for that sur
geon.'
Like one waking from a dream to
find the dream come true-she turned
slowly and raised her face to his. The
full significance of his offer, the big
generosity Of it, the immense fact of
it, escaped her in the first moments.
Only mere detail of it reached her.
'T-we-couldn't ever pay you back. ("
1t was on his tongue to say he didn't
expect to be paid back--that he didn't
want to be paid back, but glance at
her somehow made such an answer i'm
possible. The book case gave him an
inspiration.
"You could let me read these books"
s'Why, you could do that anyway
She looked at him in curious sur
prise. Not knowing the hope that was
slowly waking in her, he misinterpret-
ed the look. lie avoided her eyes.
His generosity had overreached his
| tact. Such an offer couldn't be made
to a girl in the same way 1t could be
made to a man. His eye roved the
room in desperation. 1t lighted final
ly on the cello still leaning against the
old mans chair.
'You can teach me singin' lessons =
He said it good deal as man
might consent to surgical operation,
with the chances dead against him.
'That wouldn't be worth-money,' :
she said. THAT would just be fun, II
things were so could"
The Pearlhunter picked up his hat
from the table, stood fumbling it and
thinking intently. 1t went against the
grain of him to give up till the last
lick was struck. Something she had
said a few minutes before happened
| into his thoughts.
"When your father is well, therell
be more money coming to Box %. He
can pay me back then himself"
He said 1t slowly-like man laying
his last card on the table, and the odds
against him.
But the effect was utterly opposite
to what he had dreaded. Her eyes
sneang to his face, and there was
| something in them he had not seen
there before. He knew in that In
stant that she had not misunderstood
him. With a freedom from which the
high moment look even the tiniest
semblance of holiness, she stepped to-