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Show at3vliL of the TvxiMoabs iSffiyiD JSNDER SWJS COPYaiGHT BY THE BODB5-MERR1LL CORRSjlY SYNOPSIS. CIIArmn I. Never having known hit kthtr, an J living Willi till mother on n .houMboat on the Wubasli river, "The Perlhuntw"-tho only nam he has-jtearni has-jtearni from her a part ot the atory of iher aid life. The recital la Interrupted by it fearful lit of coughing and he hurrlet lahora to seek a root that afforde rolloC returning with the root, he meeta a young girl whom he mentally chrlateni the "Wild noia " She elude him before he can make her acquaintance. ! CHAPTER II. -A vacant cabin on the lihora has attracted the attenUon nf the railing woman, and they move Into It. irhelr flrat meal Ii Interrupted by n ittrangtr who reaents their presence. The I 'youth drive the man from their home I llli pretence has strangely affected the I mother. That night the youth flnda with. In a mussel the largest pearl that ha been found on the rlter, the "Illue Moon." Returning exultant to the cabin, lie discovers dis-covers his mother dead, ah having succumbed suc-cumbed while endeavoring to leave at message reeallng the secret of his parentage. CHAPTER, lit. At the village of Fallen 'lock, to which he takes the gem for sufe keeping, the "Pcnrlhunter" meets the stranger who had disturbed his mother In their cabin, and Insults him. They (part aa bitter enemies. CHAPTER IV. - In the village the "Pearlhunter" tees the girl who hud attracted at-tracted his attention In the woods. She Is annoyed by the stranger, and the "Pearlhunter" rescues her from hla unwelcome un-welcome intentions. He accompanies her to her home. CHAPTER V. At the house ho meeta the father of his "Wild Rose," known to the locality as the "Wild Man," mentally Irresponsible as the result of a wound received re-ceived from a man wearing a red mask, a notorious desperado. The youth declares de-clares his Intention of devoting the money he Is to get for the pearl to paying pay-ing for a surgical operation which will restore the old man's reason. H glff you t'reo t'ousnn'." The banker started. Hut tho Pearlhunter Pearl-hunter snld: "It it ain't worth more than thnt, I might ns well go down to Mud Haul and fish for bullheads." Louie Solomon swore n stiff little run of w lint tho Flntwoods calls "keen cussln'." Ills eyes stuck out; he stormed back and forth across tho floor n time or two, muttering to himself him-self In Yiddish, u language In which he doubtless swore more comfortably. It was the "squirrel" whisky. Louie knew better, too. Rut the tcmpcBt was soon over. lie stopped at tho corner of tho table, his faco smoothed serene as a garden nnd llko a garde, tJM better for the torm. . Z "Louie, I many times say to mine-self, mine-self, Louie, you got It too much big hearted to bo a pearl buyer yet. Too much soft-hearted you got It. Hardhearted Hard-hearted a pearl buyer should be. You glff too high, undt you sell too low. Misses Solomon, sho die In d'o poor-house poor-house yet, haln'dt It? I glff you four t'ousanV The Pcnrlhunter glanced across the table at tho bnnker. "I reckon you might as well put It back In the safe," ho said. "He knows my price, and he don't seem to want to do business." The bahker picked up tho little plush case, snnpped the lid down, and started for tho door. Taking tho pearl from the room wns llko putting the light out. Tho Jew's face whs n study. Ho drew his slccvo across his brow. "Bring It back," ho cried. "Illmmel I You pearl fishers Iss all crazy, I gift It de the t'ousan'." CHAPTER VII. The Face In the Draft. Tho banker brought back tho plush case and set It down on tho table. The Jew took out his check book and began be-gan to write, Tho Pearlhunter never could remember re-member the thoughts that came over him nt that high moment of his life. For all he could recall, there were no clear thoughts at all Just a loosening of the throat; a relaxing of the muscles, as It he tint dropped n load under which he had been straining. Ho didn't know It, but the old banker was watching him. Tho old, embarrassing embar-rassing question vthat name to write In tho check brought him back out of tho tin 7.0. He noticed Hint the Jew's hand trembled as he wrote. It wns nn odd trifle to notice, but It wns the one thing ho could afterward clearly recnll. The check, mado out to "Pearlhunter," "Pearlhunt-er," wns In his lingers I Flvo thousand thou-sand jlollnrs In words, nnd big plain figures I It uns tho first check ho had ever owned tho first one he hnd ever seen. He wns still reading It, puz-r.tlng puz-r.tlng over It, when tho bnnker grasped his hand. Tho banker shaking hands with him I This was his day I "May I havo tho money on this?" "Why, my dear hoy," tho banker nn-swered, nn-swered, laughing, and slapping him on the shoulder. "hcre Isn't thnt much i ensh In tho bank." Thnt wni n new ono on the Tenrl-hunter. Tenrl-hunter. He had siippoed n bank had In Iti vaults unlimited loads of money. "What will I dor "You can draw part of It, nnd deposit de-posit the rest to jour credit." All of which wns n foreign language to tho Pcnrlhunter. "I didn't wnnt to no nny of the money," ho finally mnnnged to sny. "I don't expect to spend n cent of It for you know small mnttcrs. I expect to leave It right here till I can spend It for something well big. I Just wanted to show it to n friend." "You might show your friend the check." The bnnker stole n glnnce nt Solomon gloating openly over tho gom, now that the deal was closed. "No," ho continued, "there a better" safer, ho wns about to sny, but didn't "way than thnt. Why not deposit tho check nnd tnko out a drnftl" "Draft7 What's thntr Tho old bnnker renched his fingers up through his hnlr nnd studied the mnn beforo him. Sitting down nt his desk, ho wroto rnpldly for n moment. "This Is n draft," ho said, handing over the slip he hnd been writing on nnd Inking the check in exchange. "It Is ns good ns gold anywhere, nt any bank, nny time. Show It to your friend, nnd I suggest that you nfler-ward nfler-ward bring It bnck to tho bank nnd deposit It. I will then glo you n check book nnd show you how to use It." The. Pcnrlhunter rend tho paper over with curious Interest, put It In tho big, formldnblo envelope tho hanker hank-er goto him for tho purpose, nnd buttoned but-toned It nwny In an inside pocket of his blouse. Tho llttlo Jew had by this time put the nine Moon back In the plush ense, put the case In his vest pocket, and pinned up tho pocket, "Illmmcll" ho grunted, turning nwny from tho table. "Yon pearl fibers fib-ers Iss nil cmzy. I'd glff It to you n t'ousnn' more." "I cot my nrlce." "Undt dot's more ns nnbody got It yet from I.oulo Solomon." He chuckled all the way to the door. A stnnll crowd waited outside. Nobody No-body knows how news lenks out in n small town. Not n man but knew how much tho pearl had brought. One of the crowd, n lanky, one-eyed fisherman, fisher-man, sidled up to tho Pcnrlhunter. "Y'u got It, didn't 'u?" Tho Pearlhunter wns too slow, nnd the llttlo Jew answered for him. "Courso ho got It. What chnnco n poro devil pearl buyer got mlt d'o wholo town against 'Iml" Thnt statement, or ono llko it, was whnt the crowd had been waiting fof. Tho tension was over. The finding nnd selling of the famous gem, the most valuable pearl ever "h'lstcd" along the Wabash, was now history Flatwoods history. The one-eyed fisherman chucked hU hat up in the air and yelled a lusty cheer, In which the crowd joined. One would have thought that each man there had sold a Dlue Mood or found one. The Pearlhunter felt n good deal a the crowd seemed to feel a looscnfng ot tho tension. For that matter, the fat little buyer seemed to feel something some-thing of tho snmo relief. Caught up In the crowd, both buyer and seller were swept across tho road and Into tho ex pectant door of tho Mud Hen. Tho Pearlhunter had Just twenty-five dollars and twenty-seven cents In his pocket. He hnd counted It that morn-'ns morn-'ns while wnlttng for Louie Solomon to come. It was tho last cent after paying pay-ing his mother's funeral expenses. Ho threw n pocket-worn twenty-dollar bill on the bar and motioned to tho crowd. "Make it good whisky," ho said. "No 'squirrel' goes this round." Ho couldn't have made a better speech for the occasion. The crowd cheered. Tho little Jew snld something, some-thing, but It couldn't be heard. The bartender set out a long row of glasses. Tho river men grew suddenly quiet with the gurgle of tho filling. I'ach man picked up n glass and stood waiting until every other man wns served. Tho crowd was too occupied occu-pied to notice It, but the Pearlhunter's knees were fairly shaking under him ; his face set and pale. He was about to do tho hardest thing ho had over tackled in his life, even harder than mentioning money to tho Wild Hose. Ho picked up ids glass; set It down pushed it back. "Water for mlnol" To a man, tho crowd whirled nnd stared. Louie Solomon swore. "Vot Issl" ho said. "You make It foolishness?" "No," wns tho slow nnswer. "I'm off this for keeps." "H 1 1" growled tho one-eyed fisherman. fisher-man. "Slnce't when did y'u quit?" "Yesterdny nbout sundown." Jfc) raljcd his glass' npd linked jvlth Louie Solomon the aristocratic boni H hot) against the Flatwoods spring and H drank tho celebration nf his great day H In n glass ot water. The others wern H too busy Just then, or cared too little, H to prexs the point, or take the trouble H to wonder Just whnt nnd whnt nil he H meant by "yesterday about sundown." H Louie Solomon set his glass down H with n hang. H "Illmmel! Dot don'dt slit ruck hot- M torn yet. It vns all soaked up In mlno jH throat n-rrndy. Fill 'cm up ag'ln, nil H hnnds round t, Undt dls ono Iss on H Louto. H "Wlicro Iss mine friendt vot trim H from mo twenty-free dollar?" Louto H asked, feeling his vest pocket, as he H hnd dono probnbly a scoro of times H since crossing tho street. H "Oh, ho went up the Yellow branch H this afternoon to look at some timber jH options," tho bartender nnswered. H "Tell Mm mebbo ho como by d'o camp H t'nlght undt gilt mo chance to git It H back my twenty-free dollar." H "I'll tell htm when ho comes In." H The bartender wiped off the bnr. The H Pearlhunter wns nlrendy out on tho H shlewnlk, where the Jew soon Joined H hhn, and they walked together down to jH the white skiff. The three rowers were jH still In their plncox, glum ns their em- H pluyer wns wiluhlc. H It wns well toward evening when H thoy pulled -up to the landing nt which jH the houseboat lay. I.011I0 gavo careful IH directions whera to build tho lire, and jH followed the Pearlhunter up through H I ho underbrush beyond tho strip of IH open Nkore, nnd to the cublu, tapping, H oory few steps, the pocket where the H penrl lay. Ho went straight to tho H "You vhoiild eat supper mlt me, isH lmliiMt It?" he snld, the dripping 1 gnurd poised In his hnnd. H "Sure. Hut I'm not much on that H friend of ours. I think I'll lenvo bo- H fore he comvs." H The Pearlhunter hnd for Komo tlino H been debating with himself whether H or not to warn Solomon of the danger- H ous character of the man thnt was com- H lug. Tho one consideration Hint kept H him from opeaklng wns the tact that H he hnd no proof certnlu knowledge, H hut no proof. Ho decided not to speak H "You no like him?" Tho Jew H laughed easily, hung the gourd buck 'f on tlio stick nnd stood looking out over H the landscape spreading away under fH the genial sunshine. SH "Vot jou do now?" tl The question cntight tho Pearlhunter jH unawares. He, too, was gazing nut H oor the laudscnpe, but absorbed In JH things of which tho ptncld llttlo Jew iB bin) lint the remotest Inkling. IkfH "1 hardly know," ho nnswered slow- jH ly, ns If feeling for each word. IbsH 'Thought innjlio I'd go to school." H "School I" The .lew ridiculed tho JH word with his hnnds. "I know n-rcady H men could bo professors, undt dcy got jil noflng. I go by school not moro ns '(H two weeks for mlno life, undt look at! HiH Isssssssl The Pearlhunter did look nt htm jH hard-faced, red-nosed, yellowish teeth, iB n potty protuberance swung to the tH front of his wnlstllno. It looked like H two weeks wonted. IH "Why jou don't buy limber? You IH can shoot It dls waterfall Into a flume H undt run 11 mill yet." H The Pearlhunter made no answer. H The llttlo Jew talked on. H "You can buy It d'e Flatwoods n- H ready yet, If you handle right your M money." Ho wnlked bnck around tho H end of tho cabin. Tho Pearlhunter IsH followed. "Veil, you como 'long en U you get ready, haln'dt It?" M He went on down the slope, through H tho bushes toward his skiff; the Pearl- H hunter turned In nt the cabin door. 'H - Alone at last, he did the very thing M thnt nine men out of ten would havo H done; took the draft out of his pocket M and fingered It over the concrete nnd iH tangible evidence of a great day won. H He had seen It born at midnight; had H seen It drive In through the gates ot H dawn and now It wns forever his. Hu H epclled out the magic words: Five JH thousand, a wavy line, no hundredths, H dollars. He snld each bold figure over M to himself. Slowly n face grew aUve M among tho words and llgurcs; a faco B framed in yellow hair; eyes that B laughed. They had laughed for him. rssssssl ho had made them laugh. Tho draft HJ would maku ihem laugh again. And BVJ tomorrow sho should send for that stir- BJ Tho sound of groaning came In at HHl tho cnbln door from the bushes down HH tho hill. Tho faco was gono from tho , HH draft. He thrust-It back In his pocket .HH nnd stepped out Into tho yard. HU ifflVJ flr.st thought was that tho llttlo Jew, 'liH nono too surefooted among tho rock.s, HH hnd stumbled nnd hurt himself. ',HBJ The groan came again. lie sprang Vsfl into tho bushes. The Jew had hurt isssssl himself. A look so wild and terrlblu ;HJ tho Pearlhunter had never seen upon jHfl tho face of n man. He had fallen upon iHB his back, with one arm cramped under cflVJ him. The other nrm was free, but be sbsssbI seemed unnblo to rise. With hla freo IB.H hand ho was clawing desperately at lH his bosom, and tho fingers of the hand 'H were mussed with blood. essssl Tho Pearlhunter leaped down tho VIH hill and bent over him. It was then VHJ ho saw what tho bloody hand was '.HH clawing nt the hnndlo of n knife, hilt IBS deep In his breast. The Pearlhunter IwaVJ raised him, nnd tho other hand enmo jflVJ free. It clutched a bit of cloth of flam- .vBS tng red a red mask. ?H Tho Jew opened his eyes, recognized 'flU tho man bearing htm up. IwAl "Dot timber buyer," he gasped out of iflS his flooded chest. 'Ho choice me I BHl aiaBasassaiaaBsipMHM.sa.sBi..(a.iMsis.aiBiBiBiBiaiasasssaaSMBsiBsssissiaKSt ( BVB (To Be Continued) H aa (HU |