The Ordway new era., 1921-02-11
CHAPTER ~.
The Girl with a Basket.

The Girl With a Basket.
Il was June outside. June-it
slipped down out of the cool dells and
dingies of the woods and soothed the
Pearlhunter's face. red with the stife
and reek ne had just left. He filed
his lungs with it-June-he tasted II
with his lips.
With half an eve on the door of the
Mud Hen. half an ear over his shouI-
der. he crossed to the bank.
what name?" inquired the old
banker. making out the receipt. after
having placed the pearl away in the
vault
The color set the tan on the young
ne had not foreSeen-that name
would be required; and he had none
pearl worth thousands. but no name
he would gladly have given the one
for the other.
What name?" repeated the banker.
looking over his glasses out through
the window.
''Pearl-hunter! the, other stam-
mered.
"Pearihunter-what?'
"Jusr-Pearlhunter--
"Pearlhunter Why. that's no
name"
'It's-it's all I have
earlhunter-well-i"
The banker had his mouth already
set to say something more-but he
didn't Instead. he took better look
at the tall young fellow on the other
side of the window. Dipping his pen
into the Ink well second time, al-
though 1t was already overloaded to
the dripping point. he went on filling
out the receipt.
"Just bring this with you when you
want your pearl. Mr.-Pear'hunter"
@And il lose itr'
'-Then-welI-just bring your face.
Yes, that will do-your face. reck-
on you won't lose it"
The old fellow chuckled as If he
bad surprised himself making a joke.
1t usually puts a man in a good hu-
NOR to discover that he has made a
Joke. The banker stood rubbing his
bony hands together while the Pearl
hunter walked out.
What next? The Pearlhunter
stood on the sidewalk outside of the
bank door and debated that very
question: a question In two parts
first. whether to go back to Fallen
Rock: second, whether TO make an
other try after the Boss. He finally
decided In favor of the Boss. The
thought drew his eyes toward the
Mud Hen across the street. The Man
in-the-Fancy-Vest was standing just
inside tie door.
At the moment, a Young woman
with a basket on her arm came out of
e grocery a block up the street and
walked rapidiy toward the saloon.
The man just inside the door appar-
eitly WAS watching for her. She
seemed to know thar he would be
thereto dread that he would be-to
Judge by the way she hurried past.
The man stepped out on the sidewalk
as the girl came opposite. and tried
to stop her He even stepped in
front of her She turned out around
him and. with bare word or two liz
response to his efforts to engage her
81 talk. hurried rapidly on.
de stood looking after her till she
WAS a block or more down the street
road would be the better word.
since the river road formed the one
street of the village-and then deIib-
erateIy followed.
All thoughts Of the cabin at Fallen
Rock. Of the Boss sprawled over a
table at the Mud Hen. instantly fed
the mind of the Pearlhunter. His
somewhat passive face livened: into
his slow eyes came quickened inter-
est. He hardly knew why he followed.
He simply found himself walking af-
Ter them.
The river road. as it follows along
nnder the brow of the cliffs below
Buckeye. makes many turns. The
( girl and her pursuer were walking
mt when the PearIhunter peeped ont
Z ef6nnd Z tuEn and looked after them.
~ d11en& dt sach times as the wind
~ teeA ~ him. hs ~