Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-07-22
CHAPTER yI.-fContinued.)

CHAPTER XI.-(Continued.)
II suppose" said Zelda, who wa
thinking very hard, that n simply
has to have a mortgage; just as though
1t were measles or Group or scarlet fe'
YER"
ooh, mortgages aren't at all serious
not necessarily fatal-if you don
take old or expose yourself before it.
over"
How does one contract a mort.
gage?" sale Zelda.
Il caught mine at college," said Oh
I've. we LlcW our substance on edu-
cation. / just found 1t out recently
Mother has been carrying the burden
of 1t all by herself. The subject isa',
pleasant. Let us talk of something
else"
Where do you keep your mortgage
asked Zelda, half-seriously. How does
one get at the beast?"
Ours seems to be in a bank just al
present" answered Olive, evasively.
That sounds formidable. But it's
TOO bad that you have to move. Har-
rison street is the most charming
street in town. l can't think of you rs
living anywhere else except / nthis
pretty house."
You'll lave to. for me move almost
at once. as they say in stories."
Zelda's father continued to pay a
sum every month to her credit at the
bank, and money matters were rarely
or never mentioned between them. She
did not understand how anxious he was
to avoid n clash with Rodney Mer-
Ram over the management of her
property; and she did not appreciate
the smallness Of the sum he gave her
compared with the full amount her
property should have earned. Zelda
was spoken of in Mariona as an heir
ess, and 1t was the general belief that
she would have not only the property
left her by her mother, but the large
estate which Ezra Cameron had been
accommodating through many years.
There, too, were Mrs. Forrest and Rod
ney Merriam, Who were childless; both
were rich by local standards.
When, n afternoon a week later,
h decided to speak to her father
about Olives p~erplexity, she went to
his office in the Cameron Block and
made no effort to conceal the fact that
she had come on business. Fer father
was porting over his accounts as she
stood suddenly on the threshold o. the
private room.
Why. Zee. what brings you here 2"
he exclaimed.
Il came on an Grand" said Zelda. Il
don think your housekeeping IL well
done.' she added, glancing about tho
room.
1T serves me very WELL" said the
old man. Business is only to be CON
sidered as business"
II have just heard tina Olive Mer-
Ram INT her mother are in trouble
II. money trouble"
He looked at her quickly, n search-
ed her with his sharp eyes. The Mer-
Rams had been trading on Zelda's
friendship. he decided, and he smiled
to himself as he settled back in his
lchafr. Determined to thwart any quix-
otic plan that Zelda might broad in
their
II imagine that they have very lit
tle-very little,r he said.
II know nothing Of their AFFAIRS; but
I have just learned that they expect
to move, n when I asked Olive why,
she said they owed = debt they couldn't
pay. Do you happen to know what
this debt is?'. she asked.
Yes; ! hold the mortgage. It's In
the bank for collection
.tShe didn't tell me that you held it.
She said = bank had It. The money
Was borrowed to pay Olives way
through school. The debt 10 to you."
ITO me ~ trustee" he corrected.
rs It, then, something Of mine. faith
err"
your surmise IL quite correct. /
held. - trustee for you. several notes,
given by Mrs. Merriam. They're now
In default and in the bank for collec-
ton
I'm sorry / didn't know that ear
lier, father. I wish you had told me.
I have been seeing . good heal OF my
Cousin Olive. / like her Immensely:
have been 70 her house Familiarity, and
she has been to see me pretty often.
when she could get away from her
work. I didn't know, Of course, that
as@even remetely their creditor. The
situation isn't exactly comfortable
now tina ! know It"
''I'm sorry that the matter should
have risen: but there 10 no reason why
they should transfer their burdens ia
your shoulders. e
Il hope you understand that they
have never mentioned this subject OF
limited that they owed you or me. ]
only knew that the feel they mus,
leave the house. I fancy they are be-
ing pushed by the bank-to pay the
money ssSs
..rhe bank has. Of course. no alter
native In the matter. It's their bust
SueDt % coalect
.ssSkBMae thA;oWnsf o. the note doesn',
Wansse - thefpsqpae who made the
IL IL very bad business TO carry
overdue paper. New notes have to he
IN such cases