The Mena weekly star., 1921-09-08

for the last time. seven years ago. he's In hell now. And your mother-'
 The fist that stabbed out of the win dow fell almost short. landing with snap Instead of a crash, like lash that can reach only so far. It stung the man on the point of the cheek and shot his head back.
 He staggered and threw up his hand to his face. Ills other hand involun- tarily dropped toward his hip. Well for him that 1t stopped before 1t got there. The Pearlhunter had snatched the revolver from under his blouse and held 1t just below the window ledge.
 The man on the outside backed away, his face stung to flame by the blow He felt for his knife; seemed to remember where he had left it--be- tween the ribs of man. Anyhow, 1t would have been as useless as the re- voiver. Noise precluded the use of the one; walls and bars the other.
 "rd kill you" he retorted finally, his tones steady, though strained, like the current that plays across the top of a whirlpool, "only haven't time. There's a flock of yellow curls and a devilish trim pair of ankles waitin' for me down the road"
 He had so framed the taunt as to re- fleet on the girl his very thought dis honored. Without another word he turned and walked away.
 The Pearlhunter seriously debated whether to shoot him dead and trust to fate for the rest The revolver crawled up over the window sill. He grasped one of the bars to steady his hand. A start of surprise came to his face. The revolver went back below the window sill The bar was loose.
 It was almost unbelievable but it was so. For some reason or other 1t had not been fixed very firmly in its auger hole sockets. There was play heartening amount of it--betwsen the upper and lower auger holes. His blood missed beat; then leapsd the higher.
 He damned the bar into the lower socket The bottom of the hole was soft. The rain had probably routed it. He damned the bar again and the wood gave. He put all his strength to it. Bach effort drove the bar little deep CT; gave 1t little more play at the top. If he could only drive 1t far enough so that the top would clear He was working like a wild man.
 Bearing down with all his strength, he rotated the bar. The tremendous exertion opened the cuts and scratches on his neck and breast until they bled afresh. He damned the bar down again; bore upon 1t with all his strength; rotated 1t again and again. Less than half an inch still held at the top
 His exertions brought the sweat out upon his face. Another effort; tre- mendous; to the last ounce of his power.
 Ills hands were like fire--but the bar cleared. He could move 1t a tiny mite to the side of the upper auger hole. The clearance was ever so little but 1t cleared. Bracing his knee against the wall and grasping the case ment with his left hand for anchorage, he bent and worked and twisted the bar outward. At last, by a final su- preme heave. 1t cleared the upper log. There remained only to lift 1t out of the lower auger hole.
 The Pearlhunter dropped back pant Ing and mOpped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. The effort had been tremendous.
 A minute to get his breath another spent in lisoening; and he worked the loosened end little freer; lifted out the bar; crawled outside; put 1t back into place again feeling about with hls fingers to make sure there were no scars on the wood or bits of chips scraped loose, and stole away under the trees.
 It would probably be quite impossi- ble for the city-bred to appreciate fully the feelings of the Pearlhunter at find ing the breath of the open woods once more upon his face. The trees were like comrades In arms. The rough bark that covered their stout hearts actually felt friendly and good to his hands es he darted like a shadow from one to the other on his way out of the Iail yard and up the side of the bluff.
 We'll knowing there would be eyes on his trail in the morning. he dared not go directly to where his mlsgivIngs urged him. The sheriff he did not fear To the sheriff he was still the notori- ,us Red Mask. To the mob that was 'ure to gather he would be the Red flask. Ills escape, with lock and bolt would nfystify both mob 1 md sheriff They would ascribe 1t to he dread powers with which popular | ancy had invested his name.
 But in the rabble that would curse md elamor about the old jail there would be one pair of eyes that the oosened bar would not escape; pair 'f eyes that would find 1t as sure as he morning came, and read the riddle II glance. And they would be eyes | sapable of finding trail--and follow ng it. Much as 1t went against him. Therefore. he turned his steps east in- stead of west and plunged in among the clumped underbrush that grew along the top of the cllff.
 Crossing the river road was the problem. Choosing a place where the grass came close 10 the track on each | side a short distance above where the path leaves it at the turn. he leaned