The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-01-04

Setter. In reopening the ditch whicl
, served the homsteaders at Vale,
Head, Wykamp had built q new fun,
and surveyed a new lire, being con
seSsined thereto. he explained, by tn,
location Of the newly begun work
ings on the placer bar And, since
Settlers holding lay nearest the can
yon, it had been possible 70 run tn,
new ditch 40 that It served ever
acre in the colony save those within
tie Tennessean's fences.
II was Winifred who told me aboot
this, ann naturally her sympathies
were with the farmer. "It seems such
a needless piece Of injustice" she
said, in conclusion.
In all our talks I had been care
ful to ignore the very existence Of
such a person as Wykamp: but at
this time / ventured to suggest that
the injustice to Setter might be a bit
of personal animosity
She did not reply at once. There
was that in her face which betrayed
the struggle between Nsomanly reti-
cence and an overmastering desire
TO share her burdens with sym
pathizing listener In the end the
burden outweighed The conventions.
Il have suspected that, too" she
said. THAT is the reason why
have refused to teach an autumn
term. / must go away, Mr.. Halcott."
took this as a beginning of
confidence, and made it easy for her
by pretending not to understand.
at is because I am here that Mr..
Setter is made to suffer-" she ex-
planned. eHe was on good terms
with the company until--until-"
spare yourself, Miss Winnie: I
know what you would say. But you
are quite mistaken. The quarrel be-
tween Setter and the man who shall
be nameless between us does not
hinge upon your presence here"
Sh looked troubled May 1 ask you
to tell me what it does hinge upon?p
hardly knew how to answer her.
1t would be shameful to tell her
what was apparent to everyone elso
in the settlement; that Mans open
liaison with the engineer. grown
more flagraut since my Intellectual
attempt to break IL off, Macpherson
told me. was at the bottom of Sell
ter's feud with wyRamp And yet it
was no time to fence with dissimula-
tion.
Haven't you seen2" asked.
Jacob Setter is a plain man, and not
over-scrupulous, as we all know. But
he Is a father
Her eyes went wide in deeper
trouble and the shock OF il filled
them with quick tears.
81 have been very blind" she said.
at must be prevented will go to
Nan and tell her what she ought 20
know"
Pardon me- you must do nothing
Of the kind. She would not believe
you, and-she knows already"
There was Sewilderment in her
faltered rejoinder.
II don't understand. How can !
she know? Surely, he could not be !
base enough toto boast"
| cut in swiftly. "You very well
know he is base enough sor any
thing. He gave her his own version
long time ago, and knowing that
he had done so, / gave her the facts.
II was a blunder on my part, Miss
Winnie; well-meant, but blander,
nevertheless. She did not believe me;
and when she was finally convinced.
she used the Information against
you?"
Against me2 How could she do
that?"
IL was not altogether the weak
ness OF illness that sci the perspira-
tion thick on my forehead
May l speak as freely as your
brother might, Winifred2"
! have given you the right she
said; and her voice was low and tear
shaken.
FThen let me tell you what YOU
haven't suspected. You have come be-
tween Nancy Setter and the man
whom she really loves Il was to him
That she went with the miserable
story of what an unjust world calls
sour shame"
1t crushed her as feared IL would.
For long time she sat with her face
hidden in hsr hands, and her sobs
we're SO mOny dagger-thrusts for me.
When she lifted her eyes to mine
here was the light Of new pur-
bose in them.
Il must go away from here-at
'ncs, she said. 81 should have gone
It first. / would have gone, If had
lot been AFRAID
II know But you may trust An
'us. And it is for him that must
Head, Winifred. He knows the worst,
iow' and since he loves you the ver-
ict Of an uncharitable world is
iothing to him. Won't you give him
cave to speak to you, Winifred?"