The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-02-27
CHAPTER XII.
FOR RETTER OR WORSE.


FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
Macpherson's foreboding that the
strain and exposure of the trying
night would be too much for me was
as true as many another reluctant
prophecy. The following morning,
and for many mornings thereafter,
I was unable to leave my room or my
bed beneath the low-pitched rafters;
and Mrs. Setter and Winifred came
and went and ministered to me.
Macpherson came, also, like the loyal
friend that he was, sitting with me
night after night, after the days
hard work on the placer bar; and
when I was once more able to take
passing interest in the things that
are, he told me what had befallen.
1t came out by Titles while Angus
watched with me in the intervals
when sleep would not come for all
my wooings. Wykamp had not been
seriously injured in his narrow es-
cape; had ridden to his work
the following day, in fact, with his
head bandaged and a fierce frenzy OF
determination driving him. The
force on the dam had been doubled;
a night shift had been put on, and,
as Angus talked, could hear the
hum Of the dynamo in the electric
plant set up to furnish the light for
the night gang. AS result of all this
increased activity, the dam was near
ing completion, and the stock of the
land company was no longer drug
in the market.
AS for Macpherson, he had turned
miner as he had promised to. His
demand for water had been prompt
ly acceded to, and so far from prov
ing an obstructionist, the engineer
had allowed his own workmen to
build that portion of the miners
fume which delivered the water at
the placer-w orkings. More than that,
he had re-established the settlers
ditch, and had thereby quieted the
opposition of every farmer in the
colony save one. That one was
Setter. In reopening the ditch which
served the homsteaders at Valley
and surveyed new line, being con-
strained thereto, he explained, by the
location of the newly begun work
ings on the placer bar. And, since
Settlers holding lay nearest the can
yon, it had been possible to run the
new ditch so that it served every
acre in the colony save those within
the Tennessean's fences.
1t was Winifred who told me about
this, and 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
full to ignore the very existence of
such person as Wykamp; but at
this time I ventured to suggest that
the injustice to Setter might be bit
of personal animosity.
She did not reply at once. There
was that in her face which BETRAYED
the struggle between womanly 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. I must go away, Mr.. Halcott.''
I took this as a beginning of a
confidence, and made it easy for her
by pretending not to understand.
ut is because I am here that Mr..
Setter is made to suffer-" she ex-
planned. "He was on good terms
with the company until-until-
Spare yourself, Miss Winnie; l
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 I ask you
to tell me what it does hinge upon ?''
hardly knew how to answer her.
It would be shameful to tell her
what was apparent to everyone else
in the settlement; that Mans open
liaison with the engineer, grown
more fragrant since my Intellectual
attempt to break it off, Macpherson
told me, was at the bottom of Sell
ter's feud with Wykamp. And yet it
was no time to fence with dissimula-
ton.
"Haven't you SEEM" I asked.
"Jacob Setter is plain man, and not
prescriptions, as we all know. But
he is a father.'
Her eyes went wide in deeper
trouble and the shock of it filed
them with quick tears.
II have been very blind" she said.
1T must be prevented. I will go to
Nan and tell her what she ought to
know"
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