Cleveland County herald., 1921-01-20

II dlllt dIOOPcO, bllIuAA lOECDlCAB bhO knife fell from his fingers, his knees gave way and he sank grooming to the fioor-writhed, strengthened and lay still.
 The revolver was foul with blood and gray hair The murderer noticed of the fallen mans coat, thrust it back into his pocket and raced the girl.
 The spell was broken. She started as If from nightmare and sprang back of the chair. Like man pressed for time, he dashed after her. With the chair between them, she managed for bare moment to keep beyond his hands. He kicked the chair out of the way. She darted toward the kitchen door, probably with the hope of escaping to the woods, but he was too close to her. She whirled toward the door of the bedroom. The turn was fatal. His hands reached her and drove her back into the corner of the room at the head of the couch
 She fought as only woman fights flor a stake infinitely higher than life itself Since time began the earth has staged that struggle. Her dress was torn, her body bruised, her hands gradually driven together behind her back; a hot wild face near her own. A step creaked the plank at the door. Her assailant whir1ed at the sound and she sank panting against the wall.
 1HCf fnSifn tho door crouched forward, his lips tight drawn, stood the tall form of the Pearlhunt- CT.
 Things happened so fast in the next instant that words are too slow to keep up with them. It was man to man, and an even draw. The two shots came so close together that the hills out through the open door caught but one echo. But the shot from the door struck first-a scant little mite of an instant first-and jared the aim of the other trifle high. The shot from the corner merely clipped a bandage at the top of the Pearlhunter's shoul- der, drew a little welt on the skin, and Whistled harmlessly away into the night. The bullet from the door evi- dently found the core of the target. The Red Mask bent backward The revolver dropped to his side. He tried to raise it again; seemed surprised that he couldn't He laughed oddly, and swore; stared round toward the girl; gasped and ehoked. The revolver slipped from his fingers. He gr0ped with his hands, as if searching the air for it; staggered, caught himself, tottered, pitched heavily to the floor.
 The girl edged out of the corner past his body and threw herself upon the form of the old man. The Pearl hunter eased down the hammer of his revolver, thrust it back into his pock- ct, and stopped beside her. At the touch of his hand, she raised her head and knelt stroking the still face and crying softly. The Pearlhunter opened the old mans coat and felt over his heart.
 He's alivew
 She laid her face down close and spoke his name-the only name she knew. There was no response.
 Help me lift him to the couch," the man said.
 They had the old man on the couch, and the girl had run for water, when the sheriff, who had been far out stripped by the younger man, dashed into the cabin. All three worked over him. The Pearlhunter chafed one wrist, the sheriff the other, while the girl bathed his face, washed the blood out of his hair and strove to staunch its flow by binding up his head in cold cloths.
 Suddenly without any warning signs of returning consciousness, the old man plucked his hand away from the Pearlhunter and rubbed it over his face. His eyes came open, but they were not the same eyes. And his face was free from twitching. The girl stared down upon him in wonder. The Pearlhunter stopped low and marveled at the startling transformation. Nei ther knew, nor even suspected, until the doctor explained it days later, that the blows of the revolver butt had loosened the tiny bit of skull that had so long shackled his brain--loosened it at the expense of a far worse hurt but undoubtedly Ioosened it. They only knew that the eyes were free from the vacant stare; that his face was calm with the light of reason.
 He felt again over his face, seemed astonished at the beard. His eyes calmly gazed up at the girl and stud jed her long time.
 You couldn't be Dotty?"
 His voice was queer, hollow, quaver- ing, like some sound from another world, so long had it gone unused.
 "0h, Daddy"
 She threw her arms around him and dropped her head on his breast. He sat stroking her hair, finally raised her, looked hard at her, rubbed his eyes and looked again.
 "You must be Dotty. But you've changed so since morning."
 The girl seemed rnahle to toll him