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

The forenoon was nearly gone when,
| through tie trees up the river, he
caught the bright CLINT OF the sun upon
! oar blades. Even at that distance he
knew the craft-Louie Solomon's long,
white six-oared skiff.
Broom in hand. the Peaflhunter was
making a prodlgious dust and clatter
among the chairs and boxes when the
pearl buyer, short and pudgy-Jew
from his shrewd eyes TO his fat feet
stepped before the door.
House cleaning, hain'dt it,"
"Oh, just digging myself out"
Standing his broom against the wall,
he stepped outside. He knew louie
solomon well-what pearl fisher did
not land Louie Solomon knew him.
Like two wrestlers on the mat the two
stood looking each other over-a man
that wanted to sell something; a man
that wanted TO buy it-with the odds
on the one that could put up the big
gest bluff. The world could be halved
just there
Cup by de shpring?"
"A gour -
The two ent around the west end
of the cabin md back to where the
spring boiled out from beneath the
foot of the cliffs. The jew dipped up
a gourdful and drank so deep that the
Pearlhunter knew 1t was no honest
thirst he quenched The bar of The
Mud Hen was famous along 5le Wa
bash.
"Hlmmel! Dot shprlngl Not once
pass Fallen Rock | don't shtop undt
drink i'm. I'm campin' here tonight,
I'm last night campin' here, but we
shtruck town late. undt got in mid de
Boss undt lot of pearl fishers. V'ndt
dis morning." He threw up his pudgy
hands. the Jews exclamation point
when words fail. Zach Himmel, de
headt! Undt poker! All poker play
ers vot 1 see, he's de schlick onez!"
THE BOss?"
BOSS He don't can see last night
de candle. Dot timber buyer. l don't
met him before. Pokerl From $23 he
| trim me"
The eyes of the Pearhunter drew
together.
Timber! What was he like?'
"Oh. so high like your shoulder" he
said. Light hair, Glue eyes-undt
hell on cussin'."
did he wear a fancy vest?"
you know him2"
1--WE seen him"
The pearl buyer took off his hat and
wiped his sleeve across his brow.
Il tell him I'm tonight campin' here.
He say mebGe he come down undt giff
me chance to get II back my S23."
The Pearlhunter's 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 a drink at the
spring and would now go back TO his
skiff. 1t completely deceived Louie Sol
onion, 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 swipe
with the broom as If to go on with his
sweeping 1t 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 10
come square. Taking off his hat, ne
looked back over his shoulder and
again drew his sleeve across his brow.
I'm 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 you?"
"Oh, dey talk. You sell him?"
IF get my price"
How much you wantit2"
Five thousand"
The little Jew almost fell over His
fat hands punched the air full Of ex-
, clamation points.
Five t'ousan'l Himmel! You pearl
fishers ISIS all alike-all crazy"
That's my price"
/ Il6 HLtRltQ bdIh AilSlQE LuE uOOT ana
reached for his broom The other
/ hoped across the door sill and caught
/ his arm.
"Himmel! Let 1t go dot broom /
| look at your pearl You should jump
in de boat. undt we look him over at
| de bank But l know he turn out like
DE rest-wort mebbe five hundred
mebbe no You pearl fishers ISIS all
/ era IT, Hlmmel r
ire PearlLunter followed in silence.
/ He did not ask how the other knew
4 he 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 watts. with little more than an
occasional grunt between them, three
fingers of squirrel" whisky would set
their tongues bobbing Like a cork In a
suck hoe.
Louie Solomon carried three rowers
in his long skiff. all hardy river men
that had been with him for years.