The Holbrook news., 1921-02-25

uidl SuISeu up 10 ms eyes u0O SlTuCh
 out a splinter of fire. He turned to
 the man on the horse.
 Sheriff, if you'n stick my gun back
 and cut my hands loose, I'll rope you
 the real Red Mask"
 It was an unwise thing to say. He
 knew it the moment he'd said it. It
 was unlike him. The man leaning in apparent carelessness against the
 hitch rack was probably quite un- aware that he was suspected. It
 might prove a costly mistake to let him know that he was. Besides. 1t was extremely unlikely that he would have the pearl still on him. With the pearl gone. the proof would be gone. The Pearlhunter's usual slow caution should have brought good many con alterations to his mind before he said that. But a rope around a mans neck makes a prodigious difference in the look of things. One cannot help won dering what would have been the out come had the sheriff needed the re i quest and cut loose the hands of his prisoner. Things would have hap pened-and they would have hap pened fast.
 The sheriff laughed; hard, raspy laugh. A good many things in that laugh: the jangle of handcuffs; the grate of keys in stiff locks-but never a mite of mirth.
 Hes roped now"
 Hes not" was the Pearlhunter's incautiOus answer, but he's handy"
 He had purposely raised his voice. But the man for whose ear 1t was in- tended never shifted his position; never changed. even in the slightest, his easy smile. He did slip his hand down the front of his frock coat and loosen it against his side. but that was all
 The sheriff swore; turned slowly in his saddle and glanced the, crowd over. Ladies an gentlemen" he said, rais- ing his voice. ''as I said before. this man Is entitled to q trial. an a trial he'll git. He'll hang-but it'll be the law that hangs i'm, an not you. I ad- wise you to break up this damn fool ishness an go home."
 It could be seen with half an eye that the sheriff was in no humor to stand any back talk. The crowd didn't try it; they Obeyed-many sullenly. some grumbling openly. A few stayed. The man leaning against the hitch rack went back to the Mud Hen.
 The village of Buckeye struggles for a quarter of a mile along the river road. The road Is bigger institution than the town. It formed the prihci- pal street The village lookup, or jail, stood in plain sight a short way to the west on the north side of the road.
 The sheriff dismounted. picked up the slit and trampled blouse. threw 1t about the shoulders of his prisoner and united the severed rope end still knotted about his neck. With a nut tion toward the jail with his revolver. The Pearlhunter, still with bound hands. his shirt so tattered that it left him half-naked from his waist up, the blood upon his face and body fast stiffening into clots, obeyed the com mand.
 Inside the lookup the sheriff cut his hands loose, and immediately stepped outside and locked the door. seeming prisoner's hands were free Turning back to his prisoner he pointed out his house and told him he would bring over some supper later on.
 The Buckeye lookup was a two- story. rectangular structure of heavy logs. There were two cells. with a hallway between, on the first floor, and the same arrangement above. The Pearlhunter was the only prisoner, so he had free range of both lower cells. The barred gate opening to the stair leading to the upper floor was heavily padlocked. The door of the jail faced south-faced the river road Each cell had one window; the window of the one looking east. the window of the other looking west. These win dows were both rather larger than might have been expected. Each con- tained a single sash. with the four bars to each window. set in auger holes in the logs at the top and bot tom. The sash was hinged at the side so as to swing in.
 The Pearlhunter opened the sash at the west window and swung it back | as far as it would go Through the | bars he could look out under the cool. | calm trees in the jail yard The river road wound dusty and dry toward the | sundown; wound to the first curve | and hid itself in the hills; wound on | to that sharp turn at the rim of the | deep woods by the low fence. And | there the path began. the dim slim path worn by wonderful feet; the path | that led to girl with eyes like the | placid sky at the bottom of the | spring; eyes that trusted" him. that | would look for him. What would they | be like when he didn't come; when the word reached her that he was the | Red Mask? He thought of that bit of scarlet cloth behind the books. with the knife thrust near an eyehole. What If he should never have the chance to set himself right-if he should die without the chance? What would the eyes be like then?
 The thought distressed him we'll nigh past bearing. He winced as though 1t had been q blade that him. The crinkle of paper in his tattered blouse caught his atten- tlon. He drew the paper forth-the draft In the fast failing light he