The Little River news., 1921-01-01

hell on cussin'."
 Did he wear fancy vest?"
 "You know him?'
 "I've seen him."
 The pearl buyer took off his hat and wiped his sleeve across his brow.
 T tell him I'm tonight campin' here. He say mebbe he come down undt giff me chance to get it back, my $23."
 The Pearlhunters eyes were still drawn and thoughtful, though he made no comment, but led the way back to the front of the cabin, as though he believed his companion had merely come up the hill for drink at the spring and would now go back to his skin. It completely deceived Louie Sol omon, for all his craftiness. But, of course, he had no means of knowing the message the Boss had shouted up from the boat the night before.
 The Pearlhunter stepped inside the door and picked up his broom. Out of the little end of his eye he saw the Jew watching him. He made a swipe with the broom as if to go on with his sweeping. It was a. close grapple of wits. But the lure of the pearl was too much for Louie Solomon. He had to come to 1t at last; and he had to come square. Taking off his hat, he looked back over his shoulder and again drew his sleeve across his brow.
 "Tm hearin' you picked up a blue one."
 The Pearlhunter leaned his broom against the table and came out upon the door step.
 "Who was telling youY'
 "Oh, dey talk. You sell himr'
 If get my price,.
 "How much you want it?"
 Five thousand"
 The little Jew almost fell over. His fat hands punched the air full of ex- clamation points.
 Five t'ousan'! Himmel! You pearl fishers iss all alike-all crazy" That's my price,"
 He stepped back inside the door and reached for his broom. The other hopped across the door sill and caught his arm.
 E "Himmel! Let it go dot broom! I look at your pearl. You should jump in d'e boat, undt we look him over at d'e bank. But knew he turn out like d'e rest-wort' mebbe five hundred i; mebbe no. You pearl fishers iss all crazy. Himmel"
 The Pearlhunter followed in silence. He did not ask how the other knew the Blue Moon was in the bank, know ing what river men were when drink had loOsed their tongues. After days and weeks at the clam rakes and the mucky vats. with little more than an occasional grunt between them, three fingers of squirrel" whisky would set their tongues bobbing like cork in a suck hole.
 Louie Solomon carried three rowers in his long skiff. all hardy river men that had been with him for years. Each man wore heavy six-shooter in plain sight at his belt. Some said that he paid these men fancy wages, and that he employed them as much for their ability with the revolver as for their skill at the oars.
 It was far past noon when the white skiff drew up to the wharf. A crowd, mostly river men, was there to meet it-and more coming. It seemed ev- erybody In Buckeye knew what was going on. In front of the Mud Hen the little Jew paused, rolled his furry tongue, and jerked his hand toward the door. The Pearlhunter shook his head.
 "wait till we get back from the bank"
 The Jew stabbed the air with his ex- pressive hands.
 "Himmell It's on met"
 Bat the Pearlhunter was far tot wise to fall for that trick.
 Thanks" he said. "But business first"
 He strode on toward the bank. The Jew trotted along beside him. Tine crowd followed.
 The old banker invited them back into his private office and shut the door. It was the first time the Pearl hunter had ever been farther in bank than the lobby, and only once in his life that far. The solid and substan tial luxury of the place was a reve lation to him, even matter of intense curiosity. But the cumulative effect of 1t was to give him courage, to make him feel he was somebody.
 It seemed to the Pearlhunter that the banker was gone long time when he went to bring the pearl from the safe. When he finally re-entered the private office the owner of the pearl saw why. He had hunted up some. where about the bank small box. a tiny jewel case, covered with green plush, and was carrying the pearl in it-a little thing, but very graceful and gracious. The act went to the heart of the Pearlhunter and immense ly increased his confidence and self respect, which was probably the very thing the wise old banker hoped it would do.
 Louie Solomon knew fresh water pearls. Probably there was no great