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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1921. * Uf>e BLUE MOON Jl Tale of the Flatwoods By DAVID ANDERSON (Copyright by the Bobbi-Merrill Company) CHAVTER IV. ln the village the "Pearlhunter” sees the girl who had at tracted his attention in the woods. She is' annoyed by the stranger, and the "Peurlhunter” rescues her from his un welcome attentions. He accompanies her to her home. CHAPTER V.—At the house he meets the father of his "Wild Rose,” known to the locality as the “Wild Man,” mentally Irresponsible as the result of a wound re ceived from a man wearing a red mask, a notorious desperado. The youth de clsVes his Intention of devoting the money he is to get for the pearl to pay ing for a surgical operation which will restore the old man's reason. "He’s all that —and more.” She glanced across the fence and op the road. He fancied a slight shiver lifted her shoulders. “Miss—Miss—l don't know your name!” Two roguish little points pinched up the girl's eyes. The two dimples played hide-and-seek with the corners of her mouth —artless as the flicking wings of a Lady Cardinal. “A little bit ago you called me —" “The Wild Rose," he finished. “I like—that!” she stammered, ■“ever so much better than any—other name," Again that slow smile broke across the face of the Pearlhunter. He knew lie ought to say something—but what? “Well, Miss—Wild Rose—” he final ly ventured, with no Idea of what else he was going to say. “Leave off the Miss, please." It was a timely rescue. “Miss seems, well —so —dignified for the woods. And you are —V He shifted the basket to the other arm and stood gazing up and down the ragged fence row. i, ‘’They call me the —the —Pearlhunt- er,” he stammered after a time. ,The girl seemed to ponder the word. She was fast losing her first distrust, Just as any other creature of the woods loses It when convinced no dan ger threatens. “I knew —that,” she answered. "The storekeeper pointed you out to day when yon went to the bank. I mean your—other name." The blood leaped to his face. The Innocent question staggered him. He stared past her Into the trees. “It’s all the name I have 1” She saw Instantly that she had hurt him. The pain that subdued the in her eyes was worth the hurt. She drew a step nearer. “The storekeeper told me the won derful story about your—Blue Moon," she went on hastily. In her voice a curious eagerness, doubtless due to a desire to turn his thoughts from a sub ject that quite evidently distressed him. V3e seemed not to know how to meet her eagerness —her desire to undo the mischief of her question. The girl could not know the ghosts her words had waked —the mystery of the hair covered trunk; that crimson scrawl on the tablecloth. “And is It like the moon—round — and Is It blue?” “Round as a marble; and blue —a faint little mite blue —like the full -nocn in a cold sky.” The Pearlhunter could talk, when he didn’t have to feel his way—when “The Storekeeper Said It Was Worth —Five Thousand Dollars." he spoke of things he knew. And he did know fresh-water pearls. “The storekeeper said it was worth —five thousand —dollars.” She ventured the word —a state ment In form; a question In Intent — as If half suspecting that the store keeper had exaggerated; anxious to Dope the story might be true, yet fear ing it mightn’t. “The storekeeper was right.” She unlaced her fingers, clapped her bands together softly. “Isn’t it wonderful?” she cried. "Why, you could buy the Flatwoods! And Wolf Run; and Fallen Rock; and every tree; and every bird’s nest would be yours 1 And you could keep the woodehoppers away forever." “Hardly that,” he answered, sud denly thoughtful. “But I know what I shall do." “Something splendid, I know." Another statement with the Intent of a question. He seemed to feel it called for a reply. "I don’t know that It’s splendid,” he said. “I'm going to buy some books; and then —” He hesitated. The girl dropped her eyes and stood toying with the bonnet strings around her arm. She did not mention that the storekeeper had told her the tragedy of the grave at Fallen Rock; of the mother who had died the very evening of success; whose eyes had not been permitted to rest on the faultless sheen of the Jewel for which she, too, had searched a life time. “And then—” she repeated, when It seemed he was not going on. A tiny breeze fell into the woods through the gap cut by the road, and stirred the leaves. There Is death as well as life In the woods. Death al ways; even In June. The breeze found a dead leaf among the living ones and shook It loose. It threat ened to light on the girl’s bright hair, but fluttered down past her face and fell at her feet. The breeze; the falling leaf —the woods, her woods, had whispered; and she heard. “Daddy I” she cried suddenly. ‘Tve left him too long.” Her voice had grown serious. She held out her hand for the basket The Pearlhunter passed It over and she turned away. It was an awkward parting and the Pearlhunter felt it, but he was a man of slow speech. His words had to be chipped by hand out of the rough, one at a time, as men of old fashioned their arrowheads. “Wild Rose I” She turned. The name had brought the dimples back. “May I walk along with you?” The words were past recall before he knew It. "The woods are as much yours as mine,” was her smiling answer. He never could remember Just how the basket managed to get from her arm to his as he walked away with her, the sole recollection that stood out in his memory being the fact that the path seemed to fly up and hit his feet before he quite had time to set them down. CHAPTER V. ■ Cabin of the Three Gable*. For some distance back from the river the Earthmaker scrambled the Flatwoods. Scrambled —that’s exact ly what seems to have happened to a strip along the north bank. A maze of gulch and cliff, of gully and bluff; all bearded thick with trees and dense underbrush; all alive with the teasing mystery of growing things. The path the girl traveled wound Itself, or rather unwound Itself, right through the heart of the hills, deep Into the mystery of the thick woods, Until It turned sharply and led up the east bank of AVolf run, the little stream In which the Pearlhunter had washed the elecampane roots. A short distance above the pool, so near that the Pearlhunter wondered he had not seen it before, a three gabled, one-story log cabin snugged back against the bluffs Just where they left the bank of the stream and curved to the east A step farther, a small plot of creek bottom had been cleared and fenced —what the Flatwoods called a “garden patch.” Back of the gar den, a stable hugged the bluff, but It was half hidden by rank weeds. The cabin was built of hewn logs, notched artistically at the corners. The roof projected well beyond the walls; the chimneys were of red brick; the doors and windows of a finish rather more pretentious than was common in the woods. There were three wings, expending at right an gles from a common center, making four rooms. In all, three along the front, with another, probably the kitchen, extending back from the cen tral room. AVhere the path left the stream to turn toward the door the girl paused and held out her hand for the basket Slowly the Pearlhunter passed It over. It was an awkward moment His eyes traveled past her to the tiny garden. He noticed that the fence around It was sagged and broken. The garden, however, appeured to be clean and well-kept. Aside from this —and the flowers —the place showed a very sad lack of care. The underbrush along the bluffs trembled slightly, but enough to at tract the woodsman’s eyes. Noiseless ly the swaying bushes parted —as noiseless as the unfolding of a flower —and In the narrow opening, framed by Its border of quaking leaves, there grew a face —sad and vacant, with pitiful eyes; unmistakably, though he had never seen It before, the gaunt, gray face of the AA'ild Man. Thd Pearlhunter glanced quickly at the girl, to find her eyes still fixed on her basket, and when he looked again at the bushes, the face was gone. As his gaze searched the under brush, a glimpse of a gray shadow flitted along under the cliff and dis appeared behind the cabin. He couldn’t leave her now—and yet, by what excuse could he stay? "You have a pretty place here,!’ he said, probably because he couldn’t think of anything else to say. “A pretty place—all so naturul; the woods are hardly disturbed a bit —but aren’t you—afraid?” “I haven’t been till —today.” She raised her eyes to his face. The store keeper’s story came to her mind; — the grave at Fallen Rocks; the lonely cabin to which be would have to re turn. And he had Just rendered her a service—the age-old service of man to woman. "Won’t you come up to the house?” The Pearlhunter little knew how that simple Invitation honored him. No other man had ever received It “T’d like to.” He said It so seriously that the girl laughed. Carrying the light basket between them they walked up what might be called, for want of better word to name It the front yard. There was not tike least necessity that two hands should be laid to that one light basket It Just happened, as do so many other pleasant things In tills delightfully un orderly world. At the door she stopped and faced him. A deep seriousness had filled up the dimples. “Mr.—Pearlhunter —” The slow eyes of the man found her face, and she paused. “You told me to leave off the Miss. Pm askin’ you to leave off the Mr.” The dimples came back, but only for a moment “ —Pearlhunter." The name came strange to her. “You will be the first man, except my father and the doc tor, that has crossed his door step In seven years.” Her voice fell very low. “You must not be surprised at what you see.” FTom behind the closed door of the cabin came a groan—not of physical pain, but one that seemed to mutter up out of a wracked soul. The girl dropped her side of the basket handle. “Daddy I” she cried; and dashed the door open. The Pearlhunter was a hard man to Jar out of his habitual calm, hut the sight that met him as he followed her across the door-step struck him rigid and staring. A huge Iron gray shell of a man rose slowly In the shadow the ( late af ternoon cast over the room. The light that fell In at the open door brought out the pathetic, nervous quiver of his face; the solemn vacancy of his pitiful eyes. It was the Wild Man. 9 The girl ran to him and put her arms about his shoulders. He seemed not to feel her touch. Slowly and noiselessly he approached the Pearl hunter. A leaf couldn’t have drifted across the floor more silently, or more Involuntarily. Some extraneous force seemed to drive him. The girl clung to him and tried to coax him, even drag him, back Into his chair. He seemed to be utterly unaware of her weight There was a His Yellow Eyes Never Left the Pearl hunter's Face. knife In his hand. His hollow eyes never left the Pearlhunter’s face. With all the girl’s assurance that he was harmless, that there was no danger, It took all the Pearlhunter’s resolution to abide the coming of that gaunt apparition. His breath came fast He set the basket down on the floor, dropped his hat beside it, and kept his eye on the knife. A pale fire burned away back In the Wild Man’s vacant eyes, and his beard writhed with the quiver of his features. He even raised his hands and ran them over the Penrlhunter’s face, as a blind man might In search ing for some recognizable feature. Apparently he did not find It. The pale fires died out of his eyes; his face quivered; his breast seemed to collapse; the tense silence shivered with a groan. The Inrush of strength that had seemed to dower his vast frame with Irresistible force fell from him as a mantle. He tottered as the girl led him, like a tired child, back to his chair. Her father 1 The daughter of the Wild Man! He stepped aside out of the open door and let the sun In. It streaked across the < floor and caught her where she stooped over the old man’s chain (Continued next week.) THE WINDER NEWS LEGAL ADS Letters of Administration. G. W. Malcorn has applied for per manent letters of administration ou the estate of It. C. Langford, deceased, and same will be passed on by Ordina ry C. W. Parker on first Monday in March. Application for Discharge. Dr. W. T. Randolph, guardian of Mary Lou Melton, has applied for dis charge from said guardianship and the same will be passed on by Ordinary O. W. Parker on first Monday in March. To Execute Titles. T. 11. Herrick, Trustee, Cook coun ty, 111, is cited to appear at Court of Ordinary, March 7th, to show cause why he should not he required to make titles to a certain tract of land, de scribed in petition on file in ordinary’s office to the heirs at law of K. P. Car penter, deceased, to-wit: Mrs. K. I’. Carpenter, Marvin 11. Carpenter, Kineh P. Karpenter and Philip Carpenter, in accordance with bond for titles held by heirs. Bankruptcy Proceedings. The creditors of Pirkle Jackson, du ly adjucated a bankrupt February 5, 1921, are notified that the first meeting of creditors will be held at the office of Referee at Lawreuceville, Ga., Feb. IS, 1921, ut 10 o'clock A. M.. where credi tors can present and prove their claims and examine bankrupt.—N. L. Hutch ins, Referee in Bankruptcy. Letters of Dismission. W. T. Hutchins and AY. M. Maxey, ad ministrators of Jackson Hutchins, de ceased, have applied to Ordinary C. AV. Parker for letters of dismission from said administration, having fully discharged said duties. Same will be passed on first Monday In March. Letters of Dismission. AY. W. Hosch, executor of the will of Mrs. Mary A. Smith, deceased, ap plies to Ordinary C. W. Parker for let ters of dismission from said executor ship, having fully discharged the duties of same. AA'ill be passed on first Mon day in March. Notice of Debtors and Creditors. All persons having demands against the estate of H. J. Garrison, are re quested to render in their demands to Moss E. Garrison according to law and 11 persons indebted to said estate are requested to make immediate payment. To Execute Titles. B. E. Patrick cites the administra tor and heirs and next of kin of H. J. Garrison, deceased, to appear at Ordi nary’s Court first Monday in March, to show eause why they should not ex ecute titles to land in said application. Letters of Administration. Mrs. Lou E. Langford, has applied for permanent letters of administra tion on the estate of B. C. Langford, deceased. Same will be heard by Or dinary C. AV. Parker on first Monday In March. Plan' fur Profit YOUR prosperity during 1921 depends upon growing your crops at the lowest cost per pound or bushel. This means that every acre must produce more pounds and more bushels. • • The crop yield is in proportion to the plant food supplied, so be sure you supply plenty of plant food. The increased yield from the liberal use of Swift’s Red Steer Fertilizers bring you a large profit. Buy now. Swift & Company (FERTILIZER WORKS) Atlanta, Ga. Charlotte, N. C. New Orleans, La. FOR SALE BY J. J. WILSON Winder, Georgia Classified Ads. Claims Adjusted Promptly ATHENS COLLECTING AGENCY Athens, Georgia 102 Shackelford Building—Phone 1297 Send us your claims today. Collected for reasonable commissions. AA'e cover Northeast Georgia. For Rough or dressed oldfLeld lum ber see Allen GufFin. 80-tf. WANTED —Men or women to take orders among friends and neighbors for the genuine guaranteed hosiery, full ine for men, women and children. Elim inates darning. AYe pay 75c an hour spare time or $35.00 a week for full time. Experience unnecessary. AA’rite International Stocking Mills, Norris town, Pa. Allen Guffin can supply you with rough or dressed lumber ut attractive prices. 30-tf. FOR SALE—2 horses; a bargain can be bought in these. See J. N. AVilliams AA’inder lit. 4, or Dr. C. S. AA'illiams. DRESS MAKING. For first class dress making and al teration work see Mrs. J. L, Moore, Bethlehem, Ga. 2t-pd. FOR SALE. —Some nice shouts for sale cheap.—See J. S. Craft. Good two-horse farm for rent, near town, good six room house, barn, gar uge, pasture with water. See Z. F. Jackson. tf. FOR SALE. Tariff free, Hartsville pure, long sta ple (lYi inches) cotton seed, $2.50 per bushel. —Dr. E. F. Saxon. 2t. HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE SALE. Ou account of pawing will sell fur niture of 13-room house, consisting of bed room, parlor and dining room suits, dressers, iron beds, kitchen tubles and safe. Majestic range, refrigerator, rugs, chairs, shades, tea wagon, vac uum cleauer, etc. —Mrs. It. O. Ross. HOTEL FOR RENT. Hotel with 20 rooms and two baths for rent March I.—II. L. ROGERS. There is MORE I*OAVER in THAT GOOD GULF GASOLINE aud SU PREME AUTO OIL To Remove Lead From Gunbarrele. Chemically pure and strong nitric acid will dissolve the lead in a gun barrel, and will not Injure the metal of the barrel unless the acid becomes diluted with a little water. To re move the acid, pour all of It out and wipe the gun dry with a rag soaked tn olive or cottonseed oIL Do not get the acid on the hands or clothes. If by chance this happens It should he washed off Immediately with water and then some weak alkali. SUBSCRIPTION: $1.50 A YEAR PROFESSIONAL CARDS RICHARD B. RUSSELL, JR. Attorueye-At-Law AVINDER, GA. Office in Carithers Building. Practice in All the Courts DR. J. H. MOORE Veterinary Surgeon Office over City Pharmacy Office Phone: 62J—Res. Phone 69 WINDER, GA. DR. CHARLES HAYES Athens, Ga. Specialty: Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat 511 Holman Building Office Hours : 9 to 12 A. M. 1 to 5 P. M. S. T. ROSS Physician and Surgeon Rooms 303-304 AA’iuder Bank Bldg. AA’inder, Ga. G. A. JOHNS Attorney at I.uw AVinder, Ga. Office Over Carithers Bank. Practice In All Courts. S. M. ST. JOHN Jeweler Watches, Clocks, Jewelry, Cut Glass and Silverware. Repair AA r ork Done Promptly Broad Street Winder,'Ga. W. L. DeLaPERRIERE Dental Surgery Fillings, Bridge and Plate Work Done in Most Scientific and Satisfactory AVay. DR. AV. L. MATHEWS Suite 410 AVinder National Bank Bldg. Office Hours: 10 to 12 A. M., and Ito 4 P. M. Residence Phone 213. Office Phone No. 13. E. R. HARRIS, M. D. Winder National Bank Building Winder, Ga. Office Hours: Winder: 8 :30 to 10 A. M.; 2 to 5 P. M. Bethlehem : 1 to 2 P. M. Phone: Office No. 154. Residence 174. W. H. QUARTERMAN Attorney at Law Prcatice In All Courts Commercial Law a Specialty DR. R. P. ADAMS General Practice Bethlehem, Georgia, Phones: Office 24. Residence 8 Dr. C. S. Williams DENTIST offices in the Winder National Bank Building. Rooms 3134114 Residence Phone 234—Office Phone 81 WINDER, GA. W. M. THOMA S Cleaning—Pressing—Altering I’hone 49—Jackson Street Winder, Georgia