Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-01-22

foot; TOOK his thumbs out of his vest
pockets The easy smile leit his face;
the real man came out-a wildcat,
fanged and clayed.
IN uncork 55lis rottan old jug he
growled, IF you'n boIE the Fle55yoods
and stop queerln my game"
His lips snapped tight. His cards
were on the table The Pearlhunter
pondered them in his deliberate way
and cast up the sum total of their ex-
act value
First. There would be no mob
Otherwise he would have trusted to
that. The meeting behind the Mud
Hen had tizzled.
Second He had no stomach for
going into court.
Third. "Queerin' his game" What
did he mean by his game? He couldn't
have meant the Blue Moon. for he
didn't know the Pearlhunter knew he
had It. His game. That tense scene
at the fence the evening before flashed
up clear as the river bed under the
jack light: girl with basket;
frightened eyes; yellow curl that rose
and fell upon startled bosom.
'I'll stay where I am" he answered,
crisp and cold THE law put me in;
the law cain get me out"
The other shrugged his shoulders,
furious at the battling GOODNESS he en-
countered. And yet he couldn't afford
TO give up his plans, or spoil them by
any untimely show of his real feel
ings. The easy smile came back.
Those questions you were expect
ing to ask-I might answer them TO
boot"
The Pearlhunters fingers frightened
on the bar. He breatheu deep. Those
questions His life through, they had
haunted him And the man before him
knew the answer His face set hard
Answer or not, as you please" he
said "but I'll not bolt the Flatwoods
/ was expectin' to ask about my--fa-
Their"
The other whipped a curious look at
him.
Your fo+herw he snarled. The
scOwl on his face became it better than
the smile. "As like you as two peas;
with the same lot of fool. Sir Galahad
notions about the women-angels and
white lilies, and all that rot. He
crossed my path once too often, and
for the last time, seven years ago. He's
in hell now. And your mother"
The fist that stabbed out of the win
dow IN almost short, landing with a
SNAP instead of a crash, like lash that
can reach only so far. 1t ing the
man on the point of the cheek and shot
his head back.
He staggered and threw up his hand
TO his face His other hand involun-
tarily dropped toward his hip. Well
for him that If stopped before II got
there. The Pearlhunter has snatched
tie revolver from under his blouse and
hello # just below the window ledge.
The man on the outside backed
away, his face stung to fame by the
blow. He felt for his knife; seemed
to remember where he had left it-be-
tween the ribs of a man. Anyhow, Il
would have been as useless as the e.
volver. Noise precluded the use IF
the one; walls and bars the other.
I'D kill you" he retorted finally, his
tones steady though strained, like the
current tina, plays across the top of
whirlpool, "only haven't time. There's
a flock of yellow curls and devlish
trim pair of ankles waitin' for me
down the road"
He had so framed the taunt as to re-
feet on the girl his very thought dis
honored. Without another word he
turned and walked away.
The Pearpunter seriously debated
whether TO shoot him dead and trust
70 fate for the rest. The revolver
crawled up over the window sill he
grasped one of the bars 10 steady his
hand. 4 start Ct surprise came TO his
face The revolver went back below
the window sill. The bar was loose.
II was almost unbelievable, but It
was so. For so=se reason or other Il
had not been fixed very firmly in its
anger hole sockets. There was play
heartening amount Of it--between
the upper and lower auger holes. His
blood missed a beat; hen leaped the
higher.
He Iammed the bar into the lower
socket The bottom Of the hole was
soft. The rain had probably rotted t.
He damned the bar again and the wood
gaze. He put all his strength TO It.
Each effort drove the bar little deep
er; gave It little more play at the
top If he could only drive It far
enough so that the top would clear He
was working like wild man.
Bearing down with all his strength.
he rotated the bar. The tremendous
exertion opened the cuts and scratches
on his neck and breast until they Died
afresh He jammed the ba down
again; bore upon It with all mis-
strength; rotated it again and again
Less than half an inch still held al The
top
His9aEertlons brought tFaa sweat out
upon HE fas-. ABother effort: tree
mendoa, to the last ounce OF his
I power.
IT'S hands we're IKE fre-but stbe