The Holbrook news., 1921-02-11
CHAPTER vI-continued.

A form plotted the moonlight upon the floor with a living spIotch of shad ow. An arm came in at the door; a hand fumbIed behind the easement That was all No face appeared. A moment or two, and the arm disap- peared: the splOtch of shadow slid of the square of moonlight; the soft foot falls slipped away around the east end of the cabin and untitled into silence
 Very softly the Pearlhunter rose to his feet. The light outside was far too bright to risk venturing forth. It would have betrayed him instantly. He glanced around the cabin. The moon had, passed by the east window. so that 1t was in the shadow. He stole across the floor and peeped out through a broken pane.
 A man was picking his way up the bluff He seemed in no great hurry. nor in the least disturbed. At the top Of the bluff he stopped and looked back. Tn his brief instant of pause be fore striding away into the woods the moon picked him out clear as day. It was the Afan-In-theaFancy-Vest.
 There was no more sleep for the PearIhunter. He left the window. went to the cabin door and felt behind Che easement where the hand had groped. His fingers came in contact with tiny bundle wedged between Che logs and the door frame. He drew lt forth and unrolled it in the moon- fight, deeminG 1t imprudent to light Che candle. Even before the moon beams fell upon the thine he knew by a certain disquieting premonition what it would prove to be-a red mask
 He felt along the wall to the chink above the table and poked his fingers between it and the logs, where he had concealed the packet the evening they moved into the cabin. It was still there He drew 1t forth and compared It with the other. They were almost identical. and of pattern wI1h the one he had seen that afternoon at the diree- -gabIed cabin.
 Tie sat down by the table and dropped his chin in his palm What did il mean? What must if mean this last one? He knew the meaning Of tiie first-drOpped by chance. He ii;ni a very plausible surInise as to the story of the other the one with the knife thrust through 1t at the three eabied cabin. But this one-this .asi one7
 The man wanted to hide that bl. or cloth right there. But why? The Pearl Eunter raked his brain for the answer Why? He must have been ignorant fhat the other was hidden behind the cIink. or why should he have taken such pains to hide this one? He was probably ignorant Of the fart that hr Sad dropped the other one in the cab l1 that night; possibly did not know where he had lost 1t. Ii was even con ceivahle that the loss Of it may have accustomed him no small anxiety. IT he did not know that he had dropped the other mask in the cabin. he prob ably was unaware that the I'earIhunt- er knew him. The young man sat still long time over thar thought
 That ne could with such apparen. readiness supply himself with another mask after the first was lost suggested nearby rendezvous. undoubtedly somewhere in fife FlatwOOds-a ren- bczvous. or q confederate. But that e''s unlike him--to have confed- l srase He was known fn work alone Aud his horse-he would not likely al- | soN himself 10 get far from it. He | wouldn'i dare ride it into the village | stactet the famous thoroughbred of | lht Red Musk. was well known. And | horse can not be easily disguised
 tut always. no matter where his | thought strayed like man lost iD | gIe woods and traveiing in circle. he invariably came back to the starting | pHint-the question Why did he hide | Sle mask in the cab,n2 One thing was certain. He didn't hide it without a purpose.
 He seemed to feel some intangible. | AdefinabIe force for evil forming i tbsnt him-like sD. Ger webs across the |