Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-01-07

1 upon ner BOSOM. IL was an GA RIBBON.
old and worn. He studied her dress
1t had been many a day sAnce it was
new. He recalled the ole mans coat
and his shoes. They were as old as
hers. He glanced around the cabin !;
stole a quick look touArd the east
was slow--in some thsngs-but some
how he always managed to arrive in
/ time
wild Rose.'
Her eyes jumped to his. She let him
see how much the name pleased her.
you've just said mighty big thing
! to me. You've said you trust me.
That's big thing for a girl to say to
a man. The Almighty alone knows
whether I'll do to trust. Now, don't
think hard of what I'm about to say.
And / wish I knew some nice way to
say it. But / don't know any way only
just to say it. Don't you need help
money, I mean?'
A succession of emotions fitted
across the girls face-pleasure at the
name; bewilderment as he talked on );
and at the last, smile. The man
watched the smile. 1t was a brave
smile, but it had to retreat, beaten
back by stronger foe. Her lips drew
together; her chin Quivered; she
bowed her head and buried her face
! in her arms.
What had he done Had she mis-
understood him. The Pearlhunter
inwardly cursed his clumsiness. He
found his hard hand stealing toward
4 her hair. How helpless she waS-and
he had hurt her. His fingers strayed
over the soft locks and smoothed them.
1T seemed a long time to the Pearl.
hunter before she raised her face. He
! half dreaded to see her eyes; but-a
desperate glance--no reproach in
them. He had not been misunder-
stood.
II don't know how / am to go on
Her throat and neck and face famed
crimson at the admission. II can't
leave to go out to service; and all the
furniture that can be spared have
sold.'
"Only your own" he blurted out
rather imprudently, as he reflected aft
erward, for how was she to know that
| he had glanced into her room?
II didn't wish Daddy to miss any
thing
The unselfshness of her act seemed
not to have entered her mind, bus it
was not lost on the Pearlhunter
1.-THE storekeeper has been so good
TO me, and trusted me for so many
| things. Pm afraid to think bow ,ach
/ owe him. But he is old, and his wife
has been i'll. 1t mortifies me to have
to- ask him for more credit, but can't
let Daddy starye. Money used TO come
to us before he got-hurt But
found out afterward that it always
came. addressed simply to Box %. Not
even the postmaster knows Daddys
name. Neither-do-Iw
Her voice fell very low. The Pearl
hunter pitied her, for he knew what
it was like not to know "Daddy's
name.'
1.-THE doctor says" she went on.
s'that the bullet broke piece of skull.
so that it presses on the brain. He
thinks a great surgeon he knows might
be able to raise that little piece of
skull and made Daddy well. And that's
what hurts me worst of all-that j
can't have it done
She stopped; turned her head away.
There came into the mans level eyes
sklook that the hard men of the river
had learned to know.
.sListen'!" he said. "You mist trust
me. You must let me help You. You
already know the story of the Blue
Moon. Such find always brings the
pearl buyers They flock to 1t like
vultures to a carcass. They'll soon
be here-maybe tomorrow. I'll sell the
pearl, and you shall send for that sur
geon."
Like one waking from dream to
] find the dream come true-she turned
slowly and raised her face to his. The
/ full significance of his offer, the big
generosity of it, the immense fact of
| it. escaped her in the first moments.
Only mere detail of it reached her.
/ 'I-we-c couldn't ever pay you back"
! 1t was on his tongue to say he didn't
expect to be paid back-that he didn't
want to be paid back. but glance at
| her. somehow made such an answer i'm
possible. The book case gave him an
inspiration.
"You could let me read these books"
why you could do that anyway"
She looked at him in curious sur
prise Not knowing the hope that was
slowly waking in her, he misinterpret-
ed the look. He avoided her eyes.
His generosity had overreached his
tact. Such an offer couldn't be made
to a girl in the same way it could be
made to man. His eye roved the.
room in desperation. It lighted final
ly on the cello still leaning against the
old mans chair.
"You can teach me sirrsin' lessons =
He said it a good deal as man
might consent to surgical operation.
with the chances dead against him.
THAT wouldn't be worth-money,'
she said. "That would just be fun, If
things were so could"
The PearIhunter picked up his hat
from the table, stood fumbling it and
thinking intently. 1t went against the
grain of him to give up till the last
lick was struck Something she had
said a few minutes before happened