The Ordway new era., 1921-02-18

will go wild If you do. ! used TO keep
1t stuck behind the picture. but
worked out into sight one day, and ne
drove the knife through II before )
could get It away from him. IL ne
ever finds the man 1t belongs to neil
serve him the same way. I'm afraid
Sometimes think that's why ne
haunts the woods-to see II he can nno
him. There. you can see where tne
knife went through"
She had been unwrapping a fold OF
paper as she talked. The sight OF ih
contents surprised low exclamation
from the Pearlhunter. II was a REQ
mask.
The Pearlhunter fingered the Dill
of stiff cloth lying across the giris
palm with such quick eagerness that
her eyes sought his face curiously. The
red mask The slit of the knife near
an eye hole-no man in the Flatwoods
better able to read the story II told'
none better able to piece together the
fragments of that seven-year-oid trag'
edy.
Up through the eye holes there
seemed to glow a pair of eyes-biue,
like blue ice; eyes that glow black
when reused. He knew what they
looked like when the blue turned to
black.
Suddenly. without warning. deep
groan set the silence ashiver. The
girl crammed the packet back behind
the books; the Pearlhunter whirled.
The Wild Man had risen from his
chair and stood peering toward him
with wide, weird eyes. With step
that was ghostly noiseless he crossed
the floor. Quite close he came, his
duled senses seeming to need the
stimulus of close contact. His bony
hands and long arms were quivering;
his hollow face twitching pltifully.
Hes never like this" the girl
whispered.
The young man glanced at her and
stood still. The thin hands fluttered
over his face and head. Even their
lightest touch was heavy with a
strength that must have been prodig-
ious-as if the fires of his malady kim
died n force in him more than human.
Some impulse of compassion must
have reached the heart of the Pearl
hunter, for he stretched his long arm
forth and laid 1t about the old mans
shoulders. Instantly he felt the weight
of the gray giant upon him. 1t might
have been the one thing the stricken
man craved in his dumb way-the
touch of his kind the prop of mans
arm.
The situation embarrassed the Pearl
hunter. 1t was like winning the con-
fidence of little child, and then not
knowing what to do with 1t.
The girl was quick to see his embar-
rassment, and, much as mother
might coax child away from some
one she imagined 1t was annoying, she
led the old man back to his chair
then. leaving him, she hurried across
the room to the book case.
II never saw him SO restless before
she said, as she passed by. "He seems
to like you, though" she continued
while finding the book she wanted
"Strange, too, for he's cross usually
even to the doctor. Won't you excuse
me till / quiet him?"
Before he could reply she had fount
the book and hurried back to the chair
Opening it, she laid it upon the ole
mans knees. He bent his head ant
felt over the oren page with his hand
but the weird eyes could no longer re
solve the frozen magic of the words
He fidgeted in his chair and the bool
slid to the floor.
The picture was too distressing ant
the Pearlhunter turned his fac,
away. From where he stood he hat
an almost unobstrueed view into tn,
east room, the girls room, and befor,
he realized it his eyes had strayet
past the curtains. AmaZement helt
them there moment in spite of him
The room, in striking contrast to wha
he had seen of the rest of the house
was almost bare of furniture-a car
petless floor; the rudest of beds;
broken chair, and little else.
He heard her walking across tn
floor and turned away half gultily
She had her hand upon the curtaine,
ticed that 1t was carpeted. and wa
otherwise furnished quite in keeping
with the room in which he Stood Ger
tainly in very decided contrast to tn
room upon the east.
But he had no time to reflect on al
these things. for the girl reappeare
in moment carrying n cello. whic
she placed between the old man
knees. She put the bow in his righ
hand and lifted his left to the strings
He laid his cheek down upon the In
strument; grew quiet. The falterin
bow tried to wake the strings. but Il
vain. The old mans body seemed t
shrink together. His chin droppe
down upon his breast. But the mex
instant he sat upright and rigid; hi