The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1921-05-14
By DAVID ANDERSON


struck again and again until the vast
frame dropped. shrank together. the
knife fell from his fingers, his knees
gave way and he sank groaning to the
fioor-writhed, Strengthened and lay
still.
The revolver was foul with blood
and gray hair. The murderer noticed
it, hastily wiped it away on corner
OF the fallen mans coat, thrust 1t back
into his pocket and raced the girl.
The spell was broken. She started
as If from a nightmare and sprang
back of the chair. Like a man pressed
for time he dashed after her. With
the chair between them, she managed
for bare moment to keep beyond his
hands, He kicked the chair out Of
the way. She darted toward the
Kitchen door, probably with the hope
of escaping to the woods, but he was
too close to her. She whirled toward
the door of the bedroom. The turn
was fatal. His hands reached her and
drove her back into the corner of the
room at the head of the couch.
She fought as only woman fights
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life itself. Since time began the earth
has staged that struggle. Her dress
was torn, her body bruised, her hands
gradually driven together behind her
back; hot wild face near her own.
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 80 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 frst-and Jared the aim Of
the other q trifie high. The shot from
the corner merely clipped a bandage
at the top of the Pearlhunter's shoul-
der. drew q little welt ON the skin.
and whistled harmlessly away into the
night. The bullet from the door evi-
IDENTIFY found the core of the target.
The Red Mask bent backward. The
revolver dropped to his side. He tried
to raise II 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 II searching the
air for It; staggered. caught himself.
tottered. pitched heavily to the floor.
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
heapt.
Hes alivep'
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 it 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. N'ei-
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 a far worse hurt.
but undoubtedly loosened it. 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 a long time.
You couldn't be Dotty?'
His voice was queer, hollow, quaver-
ing. like some sound from another
world, so long had 1t 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
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