The Holbrook news., 1921-03-25

her lips turned white A man was com ing up the path-the man both dread ed most to see.
 Handsome, jaunty, debonair. smooth faced except for the aggressive mus tache slightly shot with gray, the mo- torious bandit swung along up the walk. The Pearlhunter stood crouched forward. His hand dropped to his hip. closed over the butt of the revolver, then slowly unclosed. He was taking his arm out of the sling when the girl caught him, shook him, dragged him back.
 Quick !' she cried, pushing him across the floor, My room! Behind the curtains!"
 At the door he hung back. his head still over his shoulder.
 T reckon must hide p he muttered, still glaring back toward the window But not there! The kitchen?"
 NO, my room. It's safest"
 She pushed him behind the curtains.
 "But if he comes in?"
 "He won'tI"
 He caught a glimpse of her-white, hard as the face of the hills, and the blue in her eyes like bright steel touched with flame
 A quick glance at the tiny slit be- tween the curtains behind which she knew the Pearlhunter was standing, a very positive and vigorous shake of her finger that said plainer than words to stay there; and she rose and walked ayv,, row inch she opened it and with her left hand held it so, with her right shoulder propped against it in such a way that her right side and arm were concealed.
 The man on the outside of the door drew back a step. and, with a sweep ing bow-toO sweeping, even for the Flatwoods- hat came off and his handsome face put on its most affable smile.
 And how is my wood fairy this aft ernoon?"
 The girl made no reply. Her face. framed in the narrow opening, changed not a shade.
 Nothing so disconcerts a man as to have. his advances met with silence. Some of the lines and wrinkles that did duty for the smile left the bold face of the renegade
 "It was so very lonesome in the viii lage. with the men all hunting that desperadO, that thought I'd walk out and spend the afternoon with you, and talk over with you some very charm ing plans I have formed. You have what believe to be a wonderful voice. While, to my great regret, you have never sung for me, yet, as I have passed back and forth through the woods in my business of looking up heard you sing. You undoubtedly have great voice. Now, am rich, with no one to spend my money on. What better could I do with 1t than give to the world a great singer? If you will go with me, you shall have the best training the world affords"
 He put one foot up on the doorstep, his face beaming-if such face can beam. The Pearlhunter stiffened in his place behind the curtain. The girl never changed a hairs breadth in the narrow opening between the cheek of the door and the jamb Her cold si- fence was apparently too much even for the bold man that faced her.
 Aren't you going to invite me in?"
 My father Is away this afternoon. I can not invite you in.'
 It was the first word she had spok- en-a word cold and hard enough; but the brazen intruder seemed to take encouragement from it.
 "Then permit me to invite myself"
 He advanced a step laid his hand to the door, pushed lightly. The narrow slit between cheek and jamb widened not a hair.
 The passions of Prussian noble were behind that face outside. They began to break through it's thin ve- neer of politeness. He put his hat back on, but still kept his hand on the door.
 ''I might choose to come in."
 The girl made no answer; neither did she suffer the door to yield. The last vestige of the smile left the mans face.
 q might demand to come in"-some- thing close kin to snar slipped into his voice-''to search this cabin for that notorious desperado, the Red Mask, the murderer of Louie Solo mOn.'
 'The Red Mask is not in this cab in"
 The answer came slowly, and there was peculiar emphasis upon the word "in," doubtless unconscious. To the listener behind the curtains. it was as if she had said: Mot in the cabin, just in front of it."
 The pressure on the door increased. The Pearlhunter saw the girl brace her body against 1t. The door began to give tiny mite at first-an inch two inches
 He could stand it no longer. He was in the very act of sweeping the curtains aside when the girls right arm. the one hid behind the door. dropped to her side. Her hand went into the folds of her dress. When it came out it held the revolver he had cleaned and put in order the night be- fore. She cooked the weapon and leaped back. The door flew open. The man on the step barely saved himself from sprawling in upon the floor by clutching the door jamb. When he re- gained his balance, he was gazing into the muzzle of a very steady and de pendable looking siX-gun. At first