The state herald., 1921-03-18

beat the pocket Of fiis vest. "liImmel!
De pearl! De Blue Aloon!" Ills eyes
grew vacant; flared up again. mine
Gott! Rachel! Rachelw
His mouth quivered open so wide
that his beard rumpled upon his breast,
and the blood welled out over his chin.
His eyes bulged; the smeared fingers
ceased clnwlng at the knife; he gasped
twice; and dropped back-dcad.
The Pearlhunter picked up the bit
of scarlet cloth that had fallen from
the dead mans hand. It Is surprising
how fnst man cnn think when he has
TO. The mystery OF the arm thrust In
at the cabin door across the moonlight
cleared. The finding Of IL red mnsk be-
side the body would identify the muir
derer to nny man In the Wnbnsh coun.
try; the finding OF another, upon n
search Of the cabin. would be deemed
sufficient proof that the tenant Of the
cabin was the murderer.
But why hnd the bandit planned to
lay the theft of the Jewel on him? II
was not his way. He took his toll at
the pistols point and galloped nway.
Why had he changed his methods nowi
He had laid his pnns well, though
they hadn't worked out quite ns he ey.
pected. The killing of Louie Solomon
had been an accident, forced on him by
the fact that the little Jew, In his
struggles. had chnnced to claw the
mask OF and had recognized him. 9th
erwise he would have merely choked
him into unconsclousness. taken the
pearl and left the mask behind to com
plete the tangle he was weaving
around another man. He had probably
intended taking the pearl some time
that night, leaving his mask behind,
and afterwnrd. when the hue and cry
was raised. suggest search Of the
cabin. His chance hnd come sooner
than he had expected. OF course, he
could not have foreseen that the man
| he wished to fix the crime upon would
be the first to find the body.
II was not lost on the Pearlhunter
that he had undoubtedly crowded the
murderer close. else why had he left
the knife? But why all these elaborate
plans against him? Was 1t some an
Client grudge he bore his blood? Did
he wish somebody to die In his place
to deceive an outraged world into
thinking the Red Mask was settled for
good and all. and so give him chance
to start over again? Was II because
he was not yet ready to leave the Flat
woods? II was probably for all these
reasons. But with the last, there
flashed across the young mans mind
that scene nt the fence. II stung him
like lash.
Even though the evidence secreted In
the cabin was now In ashes. by that
dead body was the most dangerous
place in the world for him just then.
Hardly five seconds had passed since
the Inst gasp OF Louie Solomon, so fast
does man think under such II stress,
when the Pearlhunter threw the mask
down by the body nnd turned to steal
back up the hill.
"Up with emf
He whirled; stared; slowly raised
his hands. It's one thing to face odds;
quite another to face certain death.
Behind the three black muzzles poklng
out through the bushes glOwered the
truculent. bearded faces Of Louie Solo
mons three rowers.
Grim rs the three Fates. they stalked
toward him. Two OF them kept him
covered. while the third pucked the
revolver from his pocket and dropped
II into his own. After that he bent
over the body of his master; touched
his face; lifted hand laid II across
his breast. He picked up the red masl;
and snnrled around nj the Others. The
others growlcd; swore: and the Pearl
hunter fnncied the revolvers pointed
at him n little strnightcr. u little more
vindictIycly. II was not the first time
these three had fnced the Red Mask.
lie had long been their particular
nightmare. II was the first time they
had seen him with his mask on, and
with empty hands.
The one knceling by the body
seemed to be the leader. He felt care.
fully inside the pocket where the pearl
hnd been pinned. searched the other
pockets: felt carefully over the cloth
Ing. He rose after the fruitlcss search
and faced the Pearlhunter.
"Where iss III"
The Pcarlhunter shook his head.
With n snarlcd word Of Ylddish.
doubtless n curse, and flourish or
his clcnchcd hand that came uncom'
fortnbly close To the young mans
face, the Jew began TO search him;
pockets: hens; wnist'bnnd; socks
even his hatband. ears and hair. or
course the search again proved fruit
less. The Jew drew his revolver.
cooked It. md thrust II into the Pearl
hunters face.
"Whcrc iss it?'
The bearded lips were drawn 50
tense That the yellow teeth were bnre.
The Pcarlhun'cr knew the yellow