The Arvada enterprise., 1921-02-10
~ DAVID ANDERSON


Observation-Disclosures
was the other much On talk. He shot
straight and talked the same way.
Half petulantiy be shifted to his ether
foot: took his thumbs out Of his vest
pocketA The easy smile left his lace:
the real man came out-a wildcat
fanged and clawed.
"I'll uncork this rotten old Jug" he
growIed, III you'll bolt the Flatwoods
and stop queerin' my game"
His lips snapped light. His cards
were on the table. The Pearihunter
pondered them In his deliberate way
and cast up the sum total Of their ex-
act value.
First. There would be no mob
Otherwise he would have trusted to
that. The meeting behind the Mud
Hen had nxxled.
Second. He had NO stomach for
going into court.
Third. 'Queerin' his game" What
did he mean BY bis gamer He couldn't
have meant the Blue Moon, for be
didn't know the Psarihunter knew be
had It. His game. That tense scene
at the fence the evening before flashed
up clear ~ the river bed under the
JACK light: . girl with . basket
frightened eyes; yellow curl that rose
and fell upon q startled bosom.
It'll stay where I am" he answered.
crisp and cold. The law put me In;
the law can get me out"
The other shrugged his shoulders,
furious at the banning coolness he en-
countered. And yet he couldn't afford
to give up his plans. or spoil them BY
any untimely show Of bis real feel
inga. The easy smile came back.
Those questions you were expect.
Ing to ask-I might answer then. to
boot"
The Pearihunters fingers frightened
on the bar. He brsathed deep. Those
questions! His life through. they had
haunted him. And the man before him
knew the answer. His face net hard.
"Answer or not, a. you please" he
said; hut ri not bolt the Flatwoods.
I was expectin' to ask about my-fa-
ther."
The other whipped q curious look at
him.
"Your fatherw he snaried. The
scowl on his face became II better than
the smile. 'As like you a. two peas;
with the same lot Of fool, Sir 0alahad
notions about the women-anGels and
white lilies, and all that rot- He
e9ossed my path once too often. and
for the last time. seven yearv ago. He's
In hell now. And your mother"
The nst that stabbed out Of the win
dow fell almost short. landing with .
snap instead Of crash. like lash that
can reach only ~ far. II stung the
man on the point Of the cheek and shot
his head back.
He staggered and threw up bis hand
to his face. His other hand involun-
tartly dropped toward his hip. Well
for him that II stopped before II got
there. The Pearlhunter had snatched
the revolver from under his blouse and
held II Just below the window ledge.
The man on the outside backed
away, his face stunE to flame By the
blow. He felt for his knife: seemed
to remember where he had left it--bs-
tween the ribs Of q man. Anyhow. II
would have bccn as useless az the re-
volver. Noise precluded the use Of
the one; walls and bars the other.
I'D kill you" he retorted finally. bis
tones steady. though strained. like the
current that plays across the top Of a
whirlpool. "only l haven't time. There's
= flock Of yellow curls and deSilish
trim pair Of ankles waitin' for me
down the road"
lie had so frnmed the taunt ~ to re-
feet 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
cruwled up over the window sill. He
graspcd one OF the bars to steady his
hnnd. A start Of surprise came to his
face. The revolver went hack below
the window sill. The bar wns lOOsr.
II was almost unbelievable. hut II
WIN NJ. roI stUlt ttuSSNl ~ uttct u
had not bcen fixed very firmly In Its
aueef hole SocketA There was play
heartening amount Of it-between
the upper and lower Ruger holes. His
hlood missed beat; then ieapsh the
higher.
Tie Jammed the bar into the lower
socket. The bottom Of the hole was
soft. The rain had probably rotted Il.
lie Jammcd the hnr again and the wood
gave. He put all his strength to T..
Each effort drove the bar little deep.
cr; gave II little more play nj the
top. II he could only drive Il far
enough SO that the top would clear He
was working like n wild man.
Bearing down with all hts strength.
he rotated the bar. The tremendous
cxcrtion opened the cuts aud scratches
IN his neck and breast until they bleti
afrrsh. He Jammed the bar Down
again; bore upon II with all his
strength: rotated II again and aEAIn.
Less than half an inch still held At the
top.