The Mena weekly star., 1921-10-06
Obe Blue Moon A 7dle Of the F0tDOOdS
{ 1''7'se6Iinued From Previous lssue)
 CHAPTER XII.
BY DAVID AKDfRSoA
s: s;'s'ss sii sss ;opvright by Bobbs-Merrill Col
Box Twenty-Three.

&sE<EIed the uLhe Iotih VA ehc sAAA N ,r among the bushes that lined the .a.4 where it looped east, enclosing sh1 1iftle pocket of level woods where ; m rabin stood. He saw her stop ], ........s:sly. She stood listening mo- usnt; came flying back.
 7'o the question on his face she an- kxVered by closing the door and mo f.onfr him into the main room and to 4H4 window by the sewing table. A 1.nsl1 boy came whistling up the path.
 .<Ifs the grandson of the good old sforekeeper I told you about, -sne 1nispered.
 1shpv both laughed as she pushed Et<s toward the curtains, laughed fh.noh if irked the man no little to go i4tfo hiding at the sound of every foot efcr-in a girls room at that while she stood guard.
 Ask him about the hunt today" he whispered. And above all, ask him H he met a man."
 She nodded and pulled the curtains eIose. The next moment she had 0roaed the door.
 Well, Billy Glad to see you. Come rfxft in.'
 Billy did come in. But Billy wasn't ereaking. Through the little gap in fhe curtain the Pearlhunter could see fin, standing just inside the door. Billy ms by no means prepossessfng roungster-ba thin skinned, <ery decidedly pigeon-toed. His sharp fIffle face was elaborately and pic taresquely freckled. There were <reckles enough for big face, and H11y's face was small, so small that some of the freckles had to stand up edgeways to find room. But his eyes. iu the midst of their speckled sur xoundings, looked out sharp and bright From under his frazzled straw hat. They were very busy just then in talk ing down, one by one, every feature of he room, from wall to wall, from car pet to loft joists.
 The girl closed the door, put an arm ebout the slim little mite under the fagged hat and led him to the big easy xhair-the stricken old mans chair near the middle of the room; brought he smaller rocking chair from her Sewing table and sat down by him
 The little fellow tried to lean back in the big chair It was far too deep. He sat up straight, swinging his feet. and continued his methodical survey of the room.
 How in the world did you ever find your way, Billy. out here in the woods?''
 The sharp little eyes looked his companion over-coolly; tiny shade contemptuously.
 'Huhl That wusn't nothin'." His voice was thin and sharp like his face: high like the peaked crown of his rusty hat.
 'Did your grandpa send youY'
 "Uh-huhi I brung y'u a letter. Gran'pa tends t tn post office now. The or postmaster had a stroke night b'fore last an hain't knowed nothin' since. So gran'pa tends to it." He unbuttoned the bosom of his waist, drew out letter and handed if over.
 Air you Box 23?" 'T--yes-I guess so," was fhe etartled answer as she took the letter
 Huh That's funny name-fer a girl"
 But she was too busy with the let ter to notice the remark. It was ad- dressed fin a very bold and legible hand: Box g, Buckeye, Ind. The postmark she could not be sure of. It appeared to be vincennes, but some of the letters were too dull to read with certainty.
 'Ts that your r'volverY'
 There was not much chance to read letters-or do anything else-with a youngster like that in the house.
 "Yes. Have they found that man that escaped from Jail last nightY
 "Nawl An I hope they don't. met that timber buyin' feller on the way down here" He came near the girls chair. If they's anybody hate. it's him. Gran'pa says"-he leant nearer and spoke low--''he kills peo- plei Gee but I wus skeered when I saw him a-comin' down tn roadl He wus awful mad, an a-swearin' to his self. He slashed at me with a switch. But I ducked. an cut dirt, an shinned over tn fence. When I looked back he was a-goin' on toward town, an l streaked it through tn woods lickety- split"
 The very information she had been about to venture forth into the woods to acquire.
 How is your grandma today?"
 "Oh, she's well ag'in. She cooks lots of things now. She fried me some screw-cakes yisterd'y."
 He was gone-'lickety-split."
 The girl closed the door. laughing softly, and turned toward the curtains. The Pearlhunter was just coming through them. Tt couldn't have turned out better" he said. "The dark. one stroke more, and things will take a turn"
 That strokel" She was very thoughtful. her eyes searching the side of his face toward her. You speak of 1t lightly; but so you spoke of that dreadful fight with the mob"
 He sat still long time.
 T don't know why I shouldn't tell you.' he said at last. "The only req son l didn't was to save you the thought of it. But girl like you-rd ask no better backin' in tight place"
 Her face lighted.
 "Tben why mt take ma vrsth vou5s