The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-01-20

strings that held 1t and whipped then
into a knot. Then the girl stepped
back. The man crawled through the
window-with extreme care not To
scar the ground outside.
1t is past all knowing how her hands
happened to get into bis. He bent his
head and laid his face upon them
suffered them TO slip out of his fingers
at last; and turned away.
He was gone on the lnstant-gone
as a shadow goes-never knowing
that for long and long the dull window
framed a white face listening for
some sound of him to come back out
of the night.
The ~woodcraft of the P~earlhunter
was profound. 1t was about all life
had taught him, but II had taught him
that. With the logical precision OF a
sehoolmaster passing from one step Of
a problem to another. IT led him
straight 10 the trail OF the man he had
beer following a short time before
which, of course, look him in the d.
rection Of Fallen Rock. The Tsan he
followed had doubtless gone back to
the village by this time. This prob
ability he had already estimated and
set down In his reckoning at Its
proper value. But he had another pur-
pose in turning his steps toward Fall
en- Rock. He was deliberately going
back to the cabin.
With every caution to leave no trail,
he picked his way through the woods
to the edge Of the bluffs, stole over
and down toward the cabin. The first
glance at the black bulk Of It. squat
ted in the deep gloom under the up
standing ROCKS, brought him to in
slant pause. There was a light with
in. He crOuched down in the bushes
to consider what this unexpected cir
cumstance meant before yenturing an
other step.
No sound came from the cabin. The
night was intensely still. Not an oar
stirred the river. The waterfall alone
fretted the silence. The ~Pearlhunter
fiattened himself in the weeds and
bushes and foot by foot worked his
way until he was able at last 20 bring
his face level with the tiny opening.
With his eye close, the chink afforded
a tolerably clear view Of the interior
OF the cabin. He barely restrained a
cry at what he saw.
STOPPED over the small, hair-covered
trunk, his hat off, stood the Red Mask.
He had pried open the lid and had
laid the contents of the trunk out
with seeming care I'm rather neat
heaps upon the floor. In his hand he
held the picture Of the Iron-Gray-
Woman.
The Pearlhunter's gorge rose at see
ing his mothers picture in such hands,
and his breast burned to dash into the
cabin and settle his score with the
sacrilegious wretch once and for all.
But 1t was not his to do as he pleased
that night. His activities for the mo-
ment were limited to keeping his eye
fast to the chink.
The nan by the trunk Strengthened,
carried the picture TO the candle and
stood looking long upon it. He laid 1t
to his lips. again and again, as If he
would drink up the beautiful face
from the card. He pressed the picture
to his bosom; held 1t again to the
candle and whispered to 1t in tones
that did not carry to the ear of tho
amazed listener. He strobe up and
down the room and there was on his
face a look that no man had probably
ever seen there before, and probably
would " see again.
After long moments he reused him
self, unbuttoned his vest, and put the
picture carefully away IN 81 inner
pocket. The watcher outside the wall
WINGED; his lips drew together in a
tense line. But there was much to be
seen just then. The man inside had
risen, crossed the floor. put the things
back In the trunk, closed the lid and
picked up his hat. Next moment the