Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1921-03-25
SIIiiIfIiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIllIlIlIlIIIlIl
CHAPTER xIll-Continued.

jumped. There was nothing else 10
do. He was still floundering about
on the inner margin Of the pool be-
hind the falls when the Pearlhunter
landed lightly beside him, almost up
on him. The passage was dark-dark
as the inside of pistol barrel. 1t
was a very reassuring fact. 1t meant
that there was no candle burning far
ther ahead in the cave. He was in
time. Making sure of that very i'm
portant fact, he thrust the revolver
into the holster pocket at his hip,
grasped the sheriff by the collar and
hurried up the passage.
BY the same subtle instinct that had
served him the night before, he knew
when he reached the point at which
the passage widened into the cave.
There he loosed the sheriff's collar and
struck a match. The sheriff caught
his breath and stared. The horse, the
candle in the Granny, the saddle and
spurs, the feed-all just, as 1t had
been described to him.
81 never knew there was anything
like this under Fallen Rock"
you're probably the third man that
ever did know 1t. Pick your steps
across those slivers of shale there and
get into that pocket behind the hay.
Hurry! We mustn't show much light.
He's due arr minute"
The one mstch served. So urgently
did the Pearlhunter consider the need
of haste that before 1t was gone they
were crowded we'll back in the pocket
behind the hay.
1.-The instant you're convinced I'm
not the Red Mask, nudge me, and I'll
give your revolver back. And I
needn't tell you that when the time
comes to act. we've got to act quick"
The two men had stood in the pock-
et for what must have been half an
hour, and the throb Of the Pearlhunt-
er's wound was becoming almost un-
bearable, when the horse grew sud-
denly quiet The Pearlhunter sank
low in the cover and pulled the sheriff
down beside him. A match scraped
a sputtering flame hunted the candle
in the Granny; the cave, the horse,
the jaunty form Of the man they await
ed sprang out of the dark.
He came straight to the horse; the
one friend absolutely true to him in
all his dangerous world; the one
friend who still regarded him as a
gentleman. The horse reached out his
nose to meet him; rubbed his shoulder
with his head. A moment the man
gave to the caress, then hurried to
the corn sack, laid three ears upon
the rock, and turned to the hay.
Now was the critical instant. If they
escaped his glance now But ne
was totally unsuspecting. Without
raising his eyes as far as the pocket
he grabbed up q handful or two of the
brightest straws and turned back to
the horse.
"Short rations tonight, Rocket; and
I'll make your toilet while you eat"
He took down from near where the
saddle hung curry comb and brush
from another Of the numerous cram
MES OF the cave and proceeded. with
surprising skill and Quickness, to
groom the horse. The task completed
he laid back the brush and curry
comb, and; lifting the feet Of the horse
examined them one by one. nail by
nail, afterward running his hands
down the horses limbs and lingering
over each joint, finally summing up
the inspection by listening with no
little care to the animals breathing.
It was the work of q master. The in
spection over, he took the saddle down
from the wall, threw it on the horse
drew the girrhs. hung the bride on the
horn. unstrapped his spurs from the
back of the saddle and buckled them
to his heels.
81 wish l knew" he muttered. half
to himself, apparently half to his
dumb companion, as he waited for the
animal to finish his supper. whether
that Pearlhunter has left. 1t looks
like he had. And yet, that's not like
his breed-to cut out. Still, there's
always a chance" He seemed to
mediate: flung up his head with q
bitter grimace and toss of his hand
Chance he growled. whats life
without it's chance! Life! Huh! A
game Of chance-with the cards
stacked, and the DEVILS deal! Rocket
you'll carry double tonight. Yellow
curls, eyes like bluebells and ankles
=! But high headed-she came dev
Ilish nigh shootin' me this afternoon
But the harder to tame, the better
worth tamin'."
The Pearlhunter was writhing bacl
in the pocket, his face like the roci
he crouched against; but the sheriff
hadn't nudged him.
The Red Mask looked down at the
fast disappearing provender before
the horse, walked back and fortf
across the cave a time or two, turned
and stood for q moment or two fun
bling behind the oak root where i
had been tied.
THAT sheriff" He straightened
threw up his head and laughed bolster
ously. He couldn't find lost ele
phant, let alone wonderful, wee lit
tie drop Of distilled Ittchery lik
this"
From the dry clay and shale hacl
of the oak root he had drawn forth
small plush box. With the word this
he blew the dust off, and pushed il
the catch. The lid flipped up. On III
tiny cushion ;ay the Blue Moo
twinkling in the candlclight, not ur