The Syracuse and Lake Wawasee Journal, Volume 14, Number 10, Syracuse, Kosciusko County, 7 July 1921 — Page 3

BIufEKOON' ABiLE OF THE TBAVID ASDBBSQM 1 jF5\ *# Z 'H'W x, nW - ~ TrvMßiygK ®w||F COPYB-IGHT BY THE BbftßS-FEBRJLL COMPANY

The girl started. Tier hands clutched <'t'.ch other. She knew it was not to have his wounds dressed that he rsked. Short as tier acquaintance with him had been. she knew it was tot that. It was no light reason that had driven him to ask such a privilege. It gripped her. shook her. hut strangely enough did not frighten her. “I’ll trust you.” Not often in a man’s life does he hear such gracious words. Nature Is rot lavish of such gifts. The shouli l <’ers of the Pcarihutner lifted. The droop left his head. «■ • “May I come now? The flight is going. The moon will be up in another two hours.” “Yes!” She stood farther back in the gloom. lie slipped lightly in over the sill “!’!ea?e draw the blind before you llgnt the candle.” he directed. He saw her arm reach U P along the casement. 'Die blind came down, within tctiehiirg distance of each other they stood in pitch darkness: a man .••nd a woman--a Lone —wrapped in the 0 silent secrecy of the deep woods. He heard her quick breath. His heart bent up into his throat. Her gar- ■ rient.s brushed against -him. He heard 1 er slippered feet feeling their way Lvross the floor. There came the'guarded scrape of P. match. A sputtering, tardy dame ■was laid to the wick of a,candie on a small stand in the corner under a mirror. The wick caught; smoldered; hared to full strength. The wonder <;f her hair and throat and arms sprang out of the night. Site laid the burnt match upon the candlestick and

pr w J .2/011 ?W1» Up i >1 Ml “Forgive Me That I Come Before You Like—This.”

turned. A gasp broke from her at the sight of him —battered, hatless; bruised and bloody. “Forgive me that I come before you like—this,” lie stammered. An impulsive step brought her to his side. V “Forgive me I” she reseated, her voice still a-quiver; her fa|e pity-ten-dered. “You must let me dress your hurts,” lie shaded the candle with his body while she raised the curtain over the Poor and slipped out to the kitchen. File was back before he could have believed it. carrying a basin of cold water and some strips of muslin, all ‘ of which she had managed to get to--1 er in the deep dark. Flawing a chair near the candle, she made him sit down—a quite obvious necessity, if she was to reach his. • d. But she didn’t stop with washing 11 e clots out of his’hair and bindin:: up the scalp wound. The cuts and I raises on his face and chest came in lor their share. When her ministrations were over he was another man. All unsuspecting, the girl did other tilings for him that night besides wash pg bis wounds. Nothing can so ) ea man as the ministry of a good ’’ woman’s hands. IF never leaves him quite as it found him. He can rfever gain be quite the same. His life out Jf» will be a grain the Qner for it. So great is the grace of nature that no man is denied that touch. Once to every man it comes—to recreate; to l.iake him new; to call him up to his .higher self. It came that night to the J’earlhunter. The girl seemed to lose all fear of hijui; to forget that he was in her bed‘i oom in the secret night. She even funded a contented smile of satisfaction as he rose and stretched himself. He fumbled in his tattered blouse and drew forth the draft. ( “Have you a pen and ink?”‘he asked, ibis voice, his manner, again the voice* itind manner of the alert, keen woodsman. Wondering, she opened the drawer |<>f the small stand under the mirror . jand placed pen and ink before him. ijle picked up the pen, awkwardly—a fish spear, an oar, dr a six-gun fitted 'llls hand better—dipped It in the Ink; jlaUI the draft upon the stand; squared

j himself; and after no small pains suc- ' needed in writing the word “’’eailhutiter” across the back, [t was quite evidently a relief when the unaccustomed task .was over. He laid the pen down as if glad to be quit of it and handed the draft to the girl. “It means that I have five thousand dollars in the bank," he said, “and anybody that takes this draft there with my”—he hesitated—“name across the back can get the mo. ey. The pinker sa.d so.” Her face showed how lit fie she guessed what his words were leading up to. It was mme time before he went on. “I'm askin’ you to keep it.” Ke said. “And if anything should happen to me, I’m askin' yon to keep the money. too." The girl caught his tattered sleeve. “No! No!" she said. ff Don’t say—that !” He looked down at the hand on his xsleeve: picked it up: held it an instant; suffered her to take it away. “1 know who killed Louie Solomon." he said slowly. “I know who has the Blue Moon —absolute knowledge,. but no proof. lie’ll’be on my trail tomorrow; and his eyes are the most dangerous eyes in the Flatwoods He’d ask nothing bettei than a chatice to kill me. Ami lam anvTtmns gam? now." i I! Is marvelous how a woman's intn'tion will drive nr the.very heart of a matter that pttzt.l. ■ men. Site saw at a tlash what Had escaped the wits of tin- whole village. “You mean the—the —timber buyer, ’’ she said. “1 mean the Hr her buyef,” he answered. with aqu k look at her. “His eyes see everything. You must destroy these bloody rags, ami you must rake the yard in the morning. Rake the east-yard first, ami then the west. I’m not aiming to ’eave any tracks, but it’s so dark I can’t make sure.” lie " was talking rapidly. “I’m not expectin’ to leave the Flatwoods, ami—you. tyiJ?s.s they crowd nir herd : not Nill I’ve run him down and found my proof? But the odds are against me. If anythin.- should happen. I want you to have this money. And the minute/ you hear they’ve got me. you rpust go straight to ’be sh-riff. Don’t risk the woods another hfrtr. Ptit yourself under his protection, and toll him why;' have the money transferred to you t and—send for that surgeon.” Ti e tears beat their way up into the girl’s eyes in spite of her, and ran down her cheeks. Her head bent low. ’’ It was the one thing he knew not how to face. His hard life hadn’t taught him that. The tears- hurt him. What bad caused them? Maybe it was just a woman’s way. Maybe he had done wrong to come to her with his cuts i and blood and danger. She raised her face after a time. He drew a long breath ; dropped his hand to his sidet stared in astonishment. She was smiling—smiling through the tears —and the dimples were back. The ways of wofttan —utterly beyond him, and past finding out! She smoothed ! the draft out in her hands and was looking tit him over it. * “I wonder if l ought to take it.” she mused to herself, as much as to him.* He took the paper but of her hands., folded it ami wiili a masterful airthrust it under a fold of the loose garment across her bosom. “I haven't a soul Ln the world to leave it to but—you.” His. slow eyes loft her face and i stared hard at the basin of red water. I Stepping over to the stand, he stooped -■ ami snuffed the candle. The huge i shadow of him filled the room. Turn--1 ing away, after lie had the candle again' at full flame. bls eyes came back to the thoughtful face of his’companion. “That revolver 1 saw yesterday on the mantel —is it loaded?” “I think so.” She looked up in curious half surprise. as if the question had brought her thoughts back from afar. “May I see it?” “Why—yes—” He shaded the candle again while she flitted the curtain over the door; paused a moment to listen to the heavy breathing-of the sleeper in the west room; crossed to the mantel over the fireplace and brought him the revolver. Several minutes the man spared to its inspection: testing the action of Hie hammer, cylinder revolution and trigger pull; replacing the 'somewhat corroded caps on the tubes with new ones; even packing fresh grains of powder into the tubes where he thought necessary. “Do you kn<v how it use it?” he asked, looking up from his inspection. “I’ve shot lots of squirrels with it, sometimes clear in the treetops,” she answered. “And once I killed a hawk that pestered the chickens.” A grin puckered his eyes for a moment, then his brows lowered. Another question, a hard one. had to be asked, that set him raking over his slflii stock of words for ways to ask it. “Do girls—l mean —have you got any f place about you your dress—to carry it?” She was looking at him, her eyes frank and wide —eyes that had no need to narrow. “I haven’t,” she answered; ‘‘but I can make one." “1 advise you te.” He laid the revolver on the stand and turned back to her.. The time had

come- to go, and they both, knew it. For a while they stood silent. Once his hand reached toward her, but he drew it back. “Will you be ready to raise the blind when I blow put the candle?" he said at last. She went to the window and the next moment the room was in darkness. Two, fluttering spots of white In the gloom roiled up the blind found the strings that h< !d it a:: I whipped them into a knot. Tlt-.m the girl stepped hack. I’he man crawled through the window —with extreme care not to scar the ground mnsde. It is past all knowintr how her hands happened to tret into Ms. He bent fits head and laid hi- face upon them; suffered them to s’M out of his lingers at last ; and turned away. He was cone on rhe ins*:int- —gone as a. shadow goes- never knowing that for long and hmg the dull window framed a white lace lisle >ing for some sound of him to come back but of the night. The wood, raff of the I’enrllmnter was profound. It was about all life had taugh; bimi hit: it Imd latight him that. With Hie legwa! precision of a schix •master p?s! nt: from o'ne step of a problem to at.mker it let) him straight 'tmthe tr.n-.l of.the man t:e had been following a snort time before — which, of course. ti.ni in the direction of [•’alien Reek. The man be followed hat! doulill. ss gene back to the village ’>y -b's Hum This probability he had already es! limited and sei down' m Ms at its propel value Hat !'e had atinther purpose m tn. iitnc his steps toward Fa!ln Rock. He was delflmrateb to'Mg r-aek to the cabin. •- ‘ With every cautM’.' to leave no trait, lie picked his way tl,rough the woo ls to 11.e edge of the bit:..’ , stole over and down toward the cabin. The first . glance at the b’flik bull;of it. squatted in the deep gloom the ups'taml’ng rocks, brought him to instant pause. There was a light within. He crouched down in fie" M.mhes :o consider wiiut this unex; e.-.ed circumstance meant before venturing another Step. No som::l came from the ea' In. The .light was Intensely still. Not an car stirred the river. The waterfall alone fretted the sT tice. The Pearlhunter flattened himself in the weeds and bushes ami foot by foot worked h's way un’ll he v.as : i tr at !;-. -t to bring his fift-e level with the tiny opening. With his eye c!-.we, ■lie chiak afforded :l tolerably ciear view of the interior ■ of the cabin. He barely restrained a cry at what he saw. Stooped over the small, hsur-envered trunk, his hat off. stood the Red Me.sk. He hud pried open lid and had laid the contents of the trunk out with seeming care in rather neat heaps'upon the floor. In his ’mind he held the picture of the Iron-Gray-Woman. Tile I’earlhunter’s gorge rose at seeing his mother’s picture in such hands, and his-breastjuri ed to dash into the cabin and settle his score with the sacrilegious wretch once ami for all. BuX it was not his to do as he p'eased that night. His activities for the moment were limited to keeping his eye fast to the chink. , i Tlie man by rhe trunk straightened, carried the picture to the candle and ,

'/ H—- ® ? ■ Us ■ft Jr:

’ LAKE WAWABEJS AND SYRACUSE JOURNAL,

stood looking long upon It. He laid It to bis lips, aga’n and agttin. as if he would <’-r:nk up the beautiful face from the card. He pressed the picture to his bosom: he’d It again to the cgml’c and whispered to it in tones that <l:d not carry- to the ear of tl’e amazed listener. He strode up and down rhe room: ar>d there was on Lis free a look that no man had probably ever seen there before, and probably would never see again. ’ After long moments be .reused himself. un!:u: tom«! !’s vest, and put the picture catefulh away in t*n inner pocket. The watcher outside the wall winced; his lips drew together in a tense line. But there was much to be seen just then. The turn inside had risen, crossed the floor, put the things back hi the trunk, closed the lid and picked up h’s bat. Next moment the candle was blown out. Th? Pearlhunter barely had time to creep into the fringe of weeds when the cabin door ope-ed and softly <-hwed_ With a hri:!: stop that indicated he had flung off the.-pel! of the. past, the notorious renegade walked around the west end of the cabin, past the spring, am! straight to the tiny poo] under the watetfall. when- H e Pearllnmter. who had stolen along the m rth wall of the e::Mn had his second asti iim’ing Surprise since coming down the bluff. Jumping lightly from rock to rock in the shallow water of the pool, the bandit apt roar-bed tl.e < ataract, the third leap landing him upon the flat top of’a rock almost within the very wash of the failing water. Pajtsitig an instant to pul! his hat tight and turn, up the collar of his coat, he sprang straight into the thin blade of the falls. His leap must have carfled him completely through •to the other side. It was the first the Pearlhunter knew, or even suspected, that there was an open space beyond. So completely did the falling water hide everything back of It that probably the man who had just leaped and the man who watched him were the only two who knew there was anythin” back of it. The Pearlhunter stretched himself flat under cover of a clump of sprouts growing jhout an old white oak stump, and kept h|s eyes fixed on the waterfall. Time goes slowly to one who watches ami waits. It was probably not m?re than ten mintues. though it seemed far lunger, when, without so much as a diverted fleck of spray in warning, the watermill flung forth upon the flat-topped lock a lithe and active figure that sprung lightiv to shore over rhe two Intervening stones. Paus’ng on the brink of the pool barelyjjong enough to snake his coat by the lapels and to knock his hat against his hand, he Immediately set -out along the blufes- toward the vil-‘ luge, as unconcerned as if he had not .fust pulled off about the most sensational stunt ever seen by a Flatwoodsman. The Pearlhunter slipped out of the cover and softly followed; trailed him up the bluffs, through the corner of the woods and out to the river road where It angles north through the cut in the cliffs; listened at the fence, near where the path crossed it. till tlie receding steps were- well on their’ way to tlie village, CHAPTER X. The Candle in the Cranny. All tlie way back to Fallen Rock the Pearlhunter pondered the scene he had gazed on through the chink in the cabin wall: the man’s transfigured face; his actions with the picture —that above all —the picture. It puzzled him. angered hirtu That such a man should have her picture; his mother’s —w’ih the darkly beautiful face and wonderful eyes—warm agtiinst his breast I It was another reason why he should hunt him down. The Pearlhunter was as brave as the woods make, them but it is no discredit to his manhood to say that his blood ran a little faster as he. stepped down off the rock into the .water and waded through the falls. Every inch of the way had to be felt out with his fingers before his feet could be trusted to follow. The roar of the falls had dulled a little when suddenly a. sound came out of the dark just ahead—a sound like a garment rubbing against some rough surface. The Pearll.unter stepped to one side of the passage and flattened '•himself against the wall. Out of the dead silence the sound came again. A grin loosened his face. The very sound he had half expected—a horse contentedly munching Ids hay. The Pearlhunter came out from against the wall and inched his ’way deeper into tlie blackness of jthe pass-

age. It abruptly widened until he was ! no longer able to reach from one wall to the other with his arms. Though denied th*' use of his eye». he knew that the passage broadly expanded just there and became a cave. He stood tn the very entrance of ft. The next step—there was no help for it—light! Desperate and dangerous first spark, and tlie cave might spring to life. Still, it was better than to stumble over a sleeping man; or walk into a knife. With his revolver balanced, his face to the open cave, he reached Ms left Band along the wail to the farthest stretch of his arm. bringing his body ns far as possible from tlie light, and with his fingers fumbled out a spot suitably smooth and dry—far there must by no failure. Tlie match scraped A tiny fltune leaped away from the rock. It lighted up the place surprisingly. Th? cave wits not large—hardly twice rite size of an ordinary room. 1 Tiie firs: swift glance showed him that —except for the horse —it was empty. , The stub*of a candle caught his eye. stuck by its own tallow to tin outstanding stool of shale just beyond the > mouth of the passage. He crossed the I passage and held the match to the ■ wick, in the better light lie stuJie*! I the place more closely. The cave could not have been far below the ground, for an oak root, had . found its way through the wail. It I was to tliis that the horse was tied. For a moment he was strongly i tempted to stay where lie was till his i prey returned the following night and , then rid the Flatwoods of him. and trust what evidence he already had to prove his case. But a better plan had been forming | ever since he came jnio the cave, ami j there was much yet to be done; though ' the eave would have imide a good hid- j ing place during Hie coming day—al- | ways provided tie bandidt did not chance to return before liis time Selecting a spot that he Judged to be I about right for the take-off. he leaped !

ti(r - / lih T I tail I, -j sfc il 7/® WrtW r ’ 1 He Leaped at the Falls . . . and Landed on the Flat Rock.

at the falls, and, half to his surprise, landed on the flat rock outside. It was like breaking through the crust of creation into a new world. Marveling at the ‘small amount of water that had clung to him. he sprang over the two intervening rocks to the shore. He hurried around to the front of the cabin, raised the latezi, entered and closed the door. Snatching up some cold biscuits and strips of fried bacon, he hurriedly made six sandwiches and stuffed them into his pockets. Resting at the spring long enough to eat two of his sandwiches? lie drained a gourd of water, crossed the branch below the fails and hurried away up the bluffs into the deep woods. A mile and more north of the waterfall, Wolf Run bends west to double and twist and loop through a tangle of hills and gulches known as F< x Den, the wildest and most inaccessible district of the Flatwoods. Tlie Pearlhunfer had heard of the place. He resolved to take his chances there. The spot was no great distance above the three-gabled .cabin.

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Away up Mie I are front of a cliff bl* eve light' -’ on Hu icmffb • f what :\o- ,•> <I- ft «♦ the r-eh. W-df Run washed agninst n narrow ledge at the very foot of this cliff. He spread himself i’utr ivnirst tie free of the r*:cl: and strained from crevice to *•;evil e. It vas a -w t.isk. but all ta l-s have ai, *nd — either at the I <>ttc!ii or :>t the top. The I’eaflliuntcr’s •s’ finally end.‘l at the top. It had to’ The strata '.mt.rd apart half the he!- lit of a mm. leaving a wtde-onen scar in the “m-e of Hie It was perhaps ten f< et th ep. and seenied to be <•’••',•’ at Hie back hy the dipping tore: her of the t’vo i-iraia. Ri'liT' b”cl- :>s- -’:••• wlth’n the o-'en-ine as fln> cnir.-c-’ni! strain would cot '’Oi-taMy a’’ow he drtp'.c l his battered Iv-'d r.r.i:n ills arm r.» sleep the res* of ihe night away. The I’*:’rlhunter waba.l wit!’ the woods. His limbs- -mil bn'asi and shoulders were so sore that he was b- ’f g’:id for tl.e ••’•••• n’ace to tie in. !i’-e a fe.x* in his lutrn.w. while the hounds heat up ?[-,e wo >ds at fault. Lack of wa'et was the greatest draw’ ack. Thirst was already heginn’T"j to annoy h'm. He rook out his snnd'viches ami ate two inure of them, saving the other two until later in the day. Tl.e salty bacon m.-ide the water more ti'mpHnt’ still, lie drew back a little spm<e from the brink of the Ivd-mu of s'tfin of it. The sound of it still tempted him. Voices reached him suddenly, breaking upon the silence from around a sharp turn of the gorge down stream. He drew his face back from the brink of the ledee and lay list<>ning. It was far too risky to look His ears imide out three of th'-m—three tongues, all going at top speed, a sure sign that eyes and ears were not as busy as they m’iglit have been. Opposite the cliff where the fugitive lay. the steps stopped. “What’s that hole up there?" It was a gruff am! heavy voice that asked, thick still >* ith the flare of temper that had not yet cooled. “Wolf den. more'ii likely." answered one of the others. “If we wns up th’ bluff cross there furninst the hole, we could see in.” ■suggested a voice. The other vcices grunted: and the Pearlliunter heard them hopping back across Hie stream, heard them clawing their way thr<mgi|l Hie tangled underbrush up the opposite bluff. The scar in which he lay dipped slightly toward rhe rear. He rolled back as far as possible, so as to have the protection afforded by the slightly higher edge; stretched himself on his right side; and waited for them to come into view. (TO BE CONTINUED) Unappreciated. A man once acted as a peacemaker between a friend and his wife, and Just to show 'now little they cared,, neither of them attended his funeral. —Richmond Times-Dis)>ui«-ii.

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BANK STATEMENT Nui'.ibttr .‘>vs S. L. •<!•’ H'u. I* rsMriit J. P. UU.it:, Vice Pie.ld,nt W. rt, .sell, i’asi«icr Sol M lle*. A.'sisiaitt (’Ashler Repot t cf tlie coadit on <•( Hie f lffte < R.-iiik of Syramsc, a stat. i.;:iiK al R., •■ n c, Dp I ' Indian.t.f at the close of its busin- ss on Vg » — t • KHSOUIU ,-’S Loans and Di-000016. s3B<J,£>fi.'.S9 Wctdiafts 7C..-t.i 1.01..1s ■< other Bonds ;:nd Securities.. Due from Banks uniT’ , T. use Comp .11.e5... 25.525 47 Cash on h;tnu iZ.'-ii. J Cash items. 11.7 fin •. 1 ; L .. •. P* ... V-'. <>,711.73 .uler'st P.iici 7,„<!5.:1 Total Rt sources $! 75,15;.5fi » Capital S’.ocl --pt.id in Surplus lii.iiOo..at .Ixchru.gc, bi.--coui.ts tiu.i *Hieie.-* i),9f>8.53 .tcmand '..'’pts, $112,916.53 Demand C’t 7 s, $2 otiis gayaw*. 25,1't0f1.C0 Totgi Liabi'iJes $155.1 A.- . State of Im in i.i, Koyciusi.o County, SS: ~ \,. M. Self. Ua’hier of tie State Bank of Syi aetise, no sidi-mnl' swecr * hat the atmve stutewnt I . true, W. M. S On T er. Subscribe*! aruLsv orn to ’ tore me ihis ’’h <!■>” of Jii’v, 1921. GCo. L. N inder-, NoLiry Public (SEAL) My commission * pires , Ward 11. 192:1. 4 ——o ' GTR’S (;F kDM'V! TEATIO'i Notice is hereby r iven that t’ ■> HnHersisfiicd has been aprc’ntcd by the Clerk of the Kosc’u'’ Ci”cv :+ C'ovrt n th« St.’ita of Indiana, Administrator of ihe • si to 'B Marv Caroline Musser, 5 -te of Kosciusko County, de* re--*.-* d. S r ’d estate is supposed to be solvent. Minnie A. Aitlerd, 21, 1921,. Administralr Butt & Xanders, Attys. (83)

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