Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-05-12

let YOU go so far away. l loved you
too much for that! L couldn't do
1t. girl. I've tried, but you're all I've
got, and I'm selfish man, reckon"
No, no! You're mott" his daughter
cried impulsively. You're everything
that's good and dear. but you've lived
a different life from other men, and
you see things differently. 1t was
mean of me &c talk as did" She put
her arms around his neck and Rugged
him. But I'm very unhappy. dad"
Don't you aim to tell what started
this?' he said gently, caressing her
with his great, hard hand as softly as
n mother. But she shook her head,
and he continued, "I'll take the first
boat down to the mission and marry
your ma If you want me to-" !
-"That wouldn't do any good" said
she. WED better leave things as
they are" Then she drew away and
smiled at him bravely from the door.
Pm very bad to act this way.
Scuses."
He nodded, and she went out.
Necia was in a restless mood, and,
remembering that Alluna and the chill.
dren had gone berrying on the slopes
behind the Indian village. she turned
her way thither. All at once fear of
seeing Meade Burrell came upon her.
She wanted to think this out, TO find
where she stood, before he had word
with her. She had been led to observe
herself from strange angle and must
verify her vision, as it We're. What if
he had changed now that he was
| alone and had had time to think? II
| would kill her If she saw any differ.
ence in him, and she knew she would
be able 10 read it in his eyes.
AS she went through the main street
of the camp she saw Stark occupied
near the water front, where lie had
bought building lot. He spoke to her
as she was about to pass.
| Good morning, miss. Are you rest
ed from your trip?"
She answered that she was and
would have continued on her way, but
he stopped her.
i II don't want you to think that min
ing matter was my doing" he said.
Eve got nothing against you. Your
old man hasn't wasted any affection
on me, and can get along without
him, all right, but don't make trou-
bic for girls if can help it,
The girl believed that he meant what
he said. His words rang true, and he
spoke seriously. Moreover, Stark was
known already in the camp rs man
who did not go out of his way to make
friends or to render an accounting of
his deeds, so it was natural that when
he made her a show Of kindness Necia
should treat him with less GOODNESS
than might have been expected The
man had exercised an occult influence
, upon her from the time she first saw
him at Lees cabin, but it was toe
vague for definite feeling, ard she had
been too strongly swayed by Poleon
and her father in their attitude toward
, him to be conscious of 1t.
I'm going to build big dance hal
and saloon here" said Stark, showing
her the stakes that he had driven
LAS soon as the rush to the creek is
over III hire gang of men to get Out
n lot of house logs. I'll finish 1t in Q
! week and be open for the stampede"
ado you think this will be bis
!. town?" she asked.
Nobody can tell, but I'll take :
, chance. If it proves to be false
!, alarm I'll move on"
you've been in great many camps
l suppose"
!, He said that he had; that for twenty
years he had been on the frontier and
knew it from west Texas to the circle.
"I've never known anything except
this" She swept the points of the
). compass with her arm. And there /.
, so much beyond that ! want to know
! about. Oh, l feel so Ignorant! There il
n something now that perhaps you coult
q tell me, you have Travelled SO much"
!, Lets have it," said he, smiling a
her seriousness.
n She hesitated, at q loss for words
q finally hurting out what was in he
}, mind:
n My father is squaw man, MI
r Stark, and I've been raised to thinl
that such things are customary"
q "They are in all new countries" ht
assured her.
t But how are they regarded whel
1 civilization comes along?"
"Well, they aren't regarded, as ;
8 rule. Squaw men are pretty shiftless
t and people don't pay much attention
to them. l guess if they weren't the.
4 wouldn't be squaw men,"
n MY father isn't shiftless," she chal
Il lenged, at which lie remained silent
a refusing to go on record Isn't !;
Q half breed just us good as white:'
Look here" said he. What ar
2 you driving at?"
! Pm blood" she declared reck
lessly and want to know what peo
pie think of me. The men around her
', have never made Inc feel conscious o
. it, but
You're afraid of these new peopl
a who are coming, eh? Well, don't wor
~ about that, miss. 1t wouldn't maxi
. any difference to me or to any Of you
;, friends whether you We're red, white
: black OF yellow"
:: But it would make difference witt
some people," insisted the girl.
A vi, lechoA IL Woulu VIII eaSteil
: people. They look ut things kind o
funny. But We're not in the east.e
= That's what ! wanted to know
= Nice people back there wouldn't tol
crate girl like me for moment
would they?"
II He shrugged his shoulders. ~ CUES
:, f.you'd have hard time breaking II
% among the 'bontonners.' But what
. the use Of thinking about 1t? This I
your country, and these are your pee
: pie"
A morbid desire was upon her t
p track down this intangible racial dis
4 tinction, but she saw Runnion, whom
she could not bear, coming towar'
, them, so thanked Stark hurriedly ant
= went OH her way.
Been making friends with tina