The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-03-10
CHAPTER vIII-continued.


stiffened in the gloom; his fingers
gripped the revolver butt.
"You might get Bull Masterson," he
said, "and wait across there on the
lower point of Alpine island. But
don't do anything unless the mob
starts. don't know much law, but
do know the law couldn't hurt you for
rescuing a sheriff's prisoner from a
mob"
claw! Lawl" The Boss growled.
.sWhen know they've ketched tn
wrong man"
He would have grumbled still
further, but the Pearlhunter urged
him to go. With a last whispered
word, the sturdy old fellow stole
away in the gloom. half reluctant still,
as though he felt he was disgracing
himself not to stay and fight-some-
body.
The Pearlhunter strained his ears
for sounds farther up the street. par
ticularly for any loud talk or excite
ment back of the Mud Hen.
1t was the hour just after nightfall,
when village streets are most likely
to be deSerted-the hour when
loungers go home to supper. Not
sound out of the ordinary rode the
air.
At the moment, a door opened on
the back porch Of the sheriffs house.
A square of light picked out the rough
boards The sheriff appeared with a
flat basket in the hollow of his arm.
A wOman's hand pulled back the mus
lin curtains at a side window ard held
a candle close to the pane to light him
across the Jail yard.
The Pearlhunter lounged down on
the broken chair. A moment later a
key, scraping unbelievably loud on the
dull silence of the Jail, hunted its way
into the lock. The heavy outer door
whined back. A match scraped; the
sputtering flame was laid to the stub
of candle; an arm held it through
the bars Of the inner door.
"0h, you're awake! 1t was so quiet
ia here 1 thought mebbe y'u might be
asleep"
With the air of man dog tired the
Pearlhunter dragged himself up off the
chair, shambled out into the hall and
took the stub of candle from the sher-
ifs hand.
The sheriff fumbled three or four
dishes and tin cup of black coffee out
of the fiat basket and held them close
to the bars. He stood well back, TAX
ing quite evident pains to keep his re-
volver butt out of reach. He did not
know there was a very dependable
weapon already on the other side OF
the bars. He made no move to unlock
the door or to enter the cell.
None of this escaped the Pearlhunt-
er. The chance to use his stove leg
was as good as gone, or rather, it was
not going to come. Once he considered
the desperate move Of drawing his re
volver and forcing the sheriff to open
the door. But the sheriff was known
to be a brave man. He might fight.
and If he did, one or the other of them
would be killed. The Pearlhunter dis
missed the plan.
9Th woman didn't know there'd be
company tonight" the sheriff muttered
as he held the dishes within reach of
the arm thrust through the bars. I'm
afeared you'll be skimped little. But
we'll try an cook up a-plenty in the
morning"
He closed the door and turned the
key IN the lock. The Pearlhunter
watched him until he had crossed the
square of light shining out from the
kitchen and re-entered the house, until
the door closed and the muslin cur
tains fell back into place at the side
window. Then he laid the stove leg
by. His chance was gone.
The revolver tucked under his
waistband at the flank of his back
and hidden by his blouse seemed to
have a personality. Its friendly pres
ence helped his appetite, though, for
that matter, 1t was already keen
enough, as he had eaten nothing since
morning. He could have eaten three
such suppers as the sheriff provided.
The friendly revolver; the thought
of grizzled old river man, doubtless
at that moment rowing hard up the
river, took some of the smart out of his
cuts and bruises. His left eye was
swelling shut. He winked 1t timber
and stood wondering whether to blow
out the candle or leave 1t burn while
finally blew It out, and went back to
the west window.
A sound caught his ear; steps COM
ing down the river road. He listened.
The steps turned In at the Jail yard ;
came around to the west window. A
face appeared between the bars.
Enough light fell from the stars to re-
veal its identity-the suave, handsome
face of the man he least expected to
see there.
The Pearlhunter came close to the
window. The other backed step
away.
PLEASED to find you in" he sneered.
The Pearlhunter passed by the taunt
I'm silence. 1t seemed to irritate the
other that his shot had missed.
"Just thought I'd call around at your
-ah--your boarding place this evening
and talk over little matter of bust
ness--a sort of proposition-a-ah-
bargain" he drawled.
The man on the inside of the bars
made no answer. His face was as
Stolid as if he hadn't heard. Neither
was the other rluch on talk. He shot
straight and taiked the same way.
Half petulantly he shifted to his other