Show J f 1 9 th Le e 1 By- By DAVID i t ANDE ANDERSON ti I 1 rf I I BI Blue ue M Moon oon 1 J t a 1 c S c 3 c cA A Tale of the Flatwoods 1 by the tb 1 Ii Bobbi Comais r f i M j 4 t- t a 11 o 0 UP WITH EM EMI I Ne er Synopsis Never having known his father fathe and living with his hison mother on a It houseboat on the Wabash river the the only name he has learns has learns from her a It pa past part t of the story of at her sad life He lie meets a It young girl whom he mentally christens the Wild Rose She eludes him before be before before be- be fore he be can make her acquaintance acquaint acquaint- ance ante A vacant cabin on the shore has attracted the attention of the ailing woman and they move Into it Their first meal Is isE E ls l's Interrupted by the the Man Fancy Vest strikes j 0 him Gunplay threatens The Thet ii i trl t mother dramatically drives the thet rl t Intruder away way away She says he Is i J. J the Other Man whom she has S not seen for 20 years They find r a red mask to h dropped by the Other f 1 Man That night lc finds the Blue Moon a great r j freshwater pearl Ills mother m li t dies without revealing his fathers father's fathers father's fathers father's fa fa- ther's name and theOther the theOther ti Other Man meet In the village I a a. pistol fight Is narrowly averted believes him to be beI bethe Y I the the Red Mask criminal Pearl Pearl- hunter rescues Wild Rose from the Other Man and meets Wild WildMan Man her father He is a man of culture crazed from concussion of the brain the result of an at attack attack attack at- at tack by som someone one wearing a red mask Nobody knows his identity Identity Iden Iden- he is known at the post office of ot- flee fice simply as Box 23 Pearl- Pearl hunter proposes that he sell the Blue Moon and send for a suri surgeon sur sur- r- r i geon to operate Wild Rose agrees sells the J. J Blue Moon for to Louie SoloI Solomon Solo Solo- P I mon mOD b 0 CHAPTER VII VII i 9 J I The Face In the tho Draft raft The banker brought back the plush case and set I it t down on the table The 1 Jew took o out t his check book and becan began began be be- gan can to write The he nev never r could remember remember remember re re- member the thoughts that came over him at that high moment of his life lite For all he could recall there were no clear thoughts at all just all Just a loosening of ot th the throat a a relaxing of ot the muscles as if Ir he had dropped a load under which he had been straining He didn't know It but the old banker was watching him The old embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing embar embar- rassing question what question what name to write In the check check brought brought him back out of time the haze hare He lie noticed that the i Jews Jew's ha hand d trembled as he wrote It Iti I i was an odd trifle to notice b but t It was the one thing he be could afterward clearl clearly rec recall lI The check dIeck made out to er was In his fingers ers Five thousand thousand thousand thou thou- sand dollars dollars In in words and big plain figureS I It was was was' the first check chck he had ever over ow the owned ned the ft first t one ohe he be had ever seen seen He lie was still r reading it Ung 1 over o It when time the banker grasped his lu hand 1 The l he banker shaking hands with him I This was his day May I have the money on this Why Wh I my y dear dear bo boy bov the banker answered answered answered an an- laughl laughing g. g and slapping him on oI the shoulder er there Isn't that much cash In bank That as as n i new new one one on on the Pearl Pearl- hunter He Be had supposed a bank hadIn had hadIn In Its vaults unlimited loads of ot mone money k ti will I do do lm You can gran nn draw part of It it and deS deS' deposit deposit de de- de- de S' S posit the re rest t to yo your credit credit All of which was wasa was a f foreign t lan language Y to the I didn't want ant to use ue any of ot thea the a money he finally managed to say sav I dont don't e expect pct to spend nd a cent fent of It for you you know know small small matters I 1 expectS expect f S to leave lea it rl right ht here till I 1 can spend I It J for something well well big a I Just wanted to slims show pit 11 to a frIend a-frIend friend You show your our jour friend time the check The banker stole tole a n glance at nt Solom Solomon n gloating s op openly n y o er over the gem sein now that the deal was closed Jio loo s. s he continued theres there s a bettor better safer he was about to say ay but didn't nay ay than that Why not deposit the check heck and take out a draft raft a Draft Drat What's that thaU A The old oid ba banker ker reached reached his his' fingers 1 up rp through his hair and studied the them m m. m h before rore- rore him Sitting down at his desk he wrote rapidly for a n moment Z 9 lE This Is a 8 draft dran he said handing over over the slip he had been writing on and end taking the check In exchange It ItIs L Is 16 as good as gold anywhere at any f bank ban Ie any time Show it to your friend and I suggest that you after- after rl nerd 1 bring It hack back to the bank and deposit It r t will then give Y you you youa u ua a a. a. a r check book find show you how to to use it It t y The s read the paper over over with with curious Interest t put It In Inthe iny In y th the hl big fOt formidable envelope the banket banker bank bank- er et g gave gP P him liln forthe for tor the pt purpose and n buttoned but hut ton toned d It way away tn In n an Inside n pocket of ot his blouse J 1 i v 4 The little Jew had by this time put put the hue Rlue Moon back In the plush cas put the case In his vest Sest pocket and pinned up the pocket Nc HImmel he be grunted turning aw away awny ay f from om the table Yoh You Yo pearl fishers fish ers Iss all aU crazy Id I'd gUt gift It to yo you a atoU toU nn more mores more i V. V got L ce f dots dot's more as anybody got Itt it t yet ret from Louie Solomon r i L lie He chuckled all the way tu to the door 1 A A small crowd waited outside Non Nobody Nobody No- No n CS body knows bow how news leaks out out out-In In a t email town Not a man but knew knew how Sh f r t Pi cilk 1 c f i 4 vr much the pearl had brought One of ot the crowd a a. lanky one-eyed one fisherman fisherman fisherman fisher fisher- man sidled up to the Yu got got it It didn't yu The wail wag too slow and the little Jew answered for tor him Course he got It What chance a pore devil pearl buyer got mit de whole town against 1 That statement or one like lIlee It was what the crowd had been waiting for The tension was over o The finding and selling of the famous fatuous gem the most valuable pearl vearl ever er hIsted along the Wabash was now Flatwoods history Flatwoods history The Ihl one one eyed eyed fisherman chucked his hat lint up In the air and jelled yelled yelled-a a lust lusty cheer In which the crowd joined One would c have thought that each man there had hud sold a Blue Moon Moon or or found one The felt a good deal as the crowd seemed to feel feel u a loosening of pi the tension For that matter the fat little buyer buyer- seemed to feel teel something something some some- thing g of ot the same snore relief Caught up Inthe Inthe in inthe the crowd both buyer bujer and seller were swept across the road and Into the expectant ex ex- door of or the Mud lud Hen lIen The had just twenty-five twenty dollars and twenty seven seven cents In ala his hors pocket He had counted It that mornIng mornIng morn- morn Ing lag while waiting for tor Louie Solomon to come It was the last cent after atter payIng payIng paying pay- pay Ing his mothers mother's funeral expenses expense He lIe bUlon bill bUl billon billon threw a worn pocket-worn twenty twenty-d twenty dollar on the bar and motioned to the crowd said No Make It good whisky whisks he squirrel goes this ro round t d. d He couldn't have made a better speech for the occasion The Time crowd cheered The little Jew said something something some some- thing but It couldn't be heard The bartender set out a n long row of glasses glass s. s The river men grew suddenly quiet with the gurgle of the thc filling Each man picked up a glass and stood waiting until every other man was served The crowd was too occupied occupied occupied pied to notice It but the knees were fairly shaking under him his face set and pale lIe He was about to do the Hardest thing he had ever tackled In his life even harder than mentioning m money ney to the Wild Rose He lIe picked up his glass glass- r set It tt down- down pu pushed hed it back Water for mine l. l To a man the crowd whirled and stared Louie Solomon sw swore swore re i r Vot iss IssI I he said You make It foolishness t No was the slow aD answer answer aDert ert Tin rm off ot this for tor keeps H B 1 H 11 I growled the one-eyed one fisherman fisher fisher- when wIlen man did yu quit Yesterday Yesterday about about sundown I He raised his glass and clinked with Louie Solomon t Solomon tU aristocratic bourbon bour hour bon against the Flatwoods spring spring and and drank the celebration on of ot his great day clay In a glass of ot water The others were j too busy just then or cared too little to press the point or take the trouble to wonder just what and what all he meant by yesterday yesterday about about sundown nd n. n Louie Solomon set his glass down with a bang I Dot dondt bottom bottoni bot bot- torn toni yet It vas al all sonke l u up in mine Ine I II j fl I y 4 I 1 I k Make ft It Good Whisk Whisky He e Said th ro f ready Fill em up a agin ln allhands all allhands h hands dis ou one Iss on Louie i Where Is Iss mine thine friendt pt trim from me ine twenty tree dollar lIa Louie asked feeling his vest pocket as he lie hl had d done n probably a score score of ot times since crossing the street Oh Ob he went up the Yellow branch this afternoon to look at s sOme timber options the bartender answered Tell he come by de camp gill gift me chance to git It back my twenty tree dollar donar Ill tell him when he comes omes In The bartender wiped bar The was already out on the sidewalk w were lere the Jew soon joined him and they walked together down dow n to the white skiff skill The three rowers were still sUII in their places glum as their employer employer em em- was voluble s 1 i 4 n 44 t. t t It Ita a waS v well ell en toward evening when the they pulled up to the landing at which th tile the houseboat lay Louie gave careful directions where to build the time fire and followed ol owed the up through the underbrush beyond the strip of or open rib shore ore and to the cabin tapping every few steps the pocket where the pearl lay lIe He went straight to the spring You should eat supper mit me ha It IU he saId the dripping gourd poised In his Ms hand Sure Sine But Im I'm not much on that that that- friend of friend of yours I 1 think Ill I'll leave lea before before be be- fore he comes The had for tor some time been debating with himself whether or or not to warn Solomon of the dangerous danger danger- ous character of ot the man that was corn com ing The one consideration that kept him from speaking was the fact that he had no proof proof certain certain knowledge but no proof He lIe decided not to speak yet You no like him The Time Jew laughed easily hung bung the the- gourd back backon on the stick and and stood looking out over o the landscape spreading away ny under the genial sunshine I Vot Yot V t you jou ou do n now w t The question caught aught the time unawares He lIe too loo was gazing out over the landscape but absorbed In hi things of ot which h th the pl placid Id little Jew Jew- had lied not the re know h he answered slowly slowly slow slow- ly y as If feeling for tor each word Tho Thought m maybe y eld Id I'd go to school School I The rhe Jew ridiculed the word with his bis hands I know Imo ready a-ready men could be prof professors unfit dey got noting I go by school no not more as two weeks for mine life look at ne me IDe t I i The did look at him him him- faced hard hard faced red red nosed nosed yellowish teeth p 11 t potty protuberance swung to the Front front of ot his waistline It looked like two weeks wn wasted ted Why you dont don't buy timber You cnn an shoot it dis waterfall Into a flume fiume unit unlit run a mill yet The made no answer The little Jew talked on i You tou can buy It de Flatwoods aready aready aready a- a ready yet jet et If you handle right your money woney He walked back around tb the end of ot the cabin The tollow followed Veil Yell you co come e long ven yen ven you jou get ready it In He lie went on OD down the slope through the bus bushes es toward his skiff the Pearl- Pearl In at the cabin door Alone at last he did dh the very thing that nine men men out of ot ten would have done t took ok the draft out of ot his pocket and fingered It over the over the concrete and tangible evidence of ot a great day won He lIe had seen It t born at midnight had seen it drive In through the gates of ot and dawn dawn and n now nV V It was Vas forever his He spelled out the magic words Five rive thousand a wavy line no hundredths dollars He said each bold boM figure over overto to xo himself Slowly a face grew alive among the words and figures a 8 face framed In yellow hair eyes that laughed They had laughed for him he be had made them laugh The rhe draft would make snake theta them laugh again And sI she e should send for that at sur sur- geon The sound of groaning came In at atthe atthe atthe the cabin door oo from from the bushes down the hill hIlI The face was gone from the draft draft He thrust it back In tn his pocket and md stepped out Into time tIle yard jard His Ills first thought was that the little Jew none none too sure sure footed footed among the rocks had stumbled and h hurt rt himself The groan groan came again He sprang Into the bushes boshes The Jew had hurt himself elf A look so 0 wild and terrible I the be lad Iad never seen upon the time face of or a man He had fallen upon his back with on ono arm cramped under him The other arm was free but he seemed unable amiable to rise With his free tree freehand freehand hand he lie was clawing cli desperately desperate at athis athis athis his bosom hosom and the fingers of ot the hand baud were muss mussed with lIh blood The leaped t down the bill hill and and bent over ever him It was then he saw what the bloody hand was cawin clawing at the at-the the handle of ff a u knife hilt deep dep In his breast The raised him and the oth other r hand came lUne free It clutched a bit of ot cloth of ot flaming dam flam Wing ing In red red red-a a red mask The Jew Tew opened his eyes ejes recognized the man bearing him up Dot timber buyer bujer the lie gasped out of ot othis his flooded Hooded chest He lIe choke me me me-I I tear off oft de mask mask mask-he he shtick me The stricken Jew dropped the mask and beat the pocket of his vest 1 De pearl De Blue Moon HU III eyes eyeR grew vacant flared up agu n Mine Gott Rachel 1 I Rache Rachel IU Ills mouth quivered erod erod open oIlen so fIO o wide that t Ills his heard beard rumpled upon his breast bt and the blood welled out over o his chin Ills His eyes bulged the smeared J fingers ceased clawing a at the knife he gasped twice and dropped bock back dead The picked up the bit bitof of scarlet cloth that had fallen from the dead mans man's hand It Is surprising how fast tast a man can think when he has hasto hasto to Ito The The mystery of ot the arm thrust In at the cabin door across th ll cleared The finding of ot a n red mask beside beside beside be be- side time the body would Identify the time mur derer to any moan man in n the Wabash country country coun coun- try the finding of ot another upon a search of the time cabin would be deemed sufficient proof that the tenant or the cabin was as the murderer But why had the bandit bandit planned to toS 0 L s rL Lio t S J 4 oa s t b lay the theft of ot the jewel on him 1 It was not his way He took |