Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-10-07
Zelda Cameron
By
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
f cepydshs. 1904. by Tho Bobbs-MenM Co.
CHAPTER xxIV

CHAPTER XIV
II think I nave begun to live." said
Zelda then next afternoon.
She sat in the parlor at home. talk
ing to her Uncle Rodney.
Her father was out walking about
the neighborhood. He had not been
down. town since the crisis in his at
fairs, which had left him much broken.
Ho had beer disposed to accept his
brother-in laws kind offices warily at
lhrst, but Zelda had treasured him as
to her uncle's friendly Intentions, and
It was a relief to him to be able to shit
the responsibility Of adjusting his az
fairs to other shoulders.
To all intents and purposes nothing
had changed, and beyond the short
lived gossip of business men who knew
him personally, Ezra Dameron's losses
passed unnoticed. Olive, who was Eel
da's closest friend, never knew just
what had happened. Zelda merely told
her cousin that her father had conc
through some business trouble, but that
1t had all been Strengthened out again.
Mrs. Forrest knew even less than this;
there was, Rodney Merriam SAID, no
manner Of use in discussing the loss OF
Zelda's fortune with his sister, and
talking about family matters was "a
bore anyhow. Rodney was surprised
ut his own amiable acceptance OF the
situation: but it had resulted in nix
Ing him closer to Zelda's life; she was
dependent on him now as she might
e. have been otherwise; and as Tor
Ezra Cameron, he was a pitiful object.
whose punishment was doubtless ade-
Quate. 1t was possible for Rodney
Merriam to sit in the parlor OF the old
h0r1oa IN r,Hlot Io Io1 Han~ horo and
talk to Zelda with an ease and pleas
ure that he had not known since she
came home and went to her father in
stead Of going to live with her aunt or
with himself, which would have been
the sensible thing for her to do.
i think I have begun to live" re-
peated Zelda.
Il hope you are happy, Zee. To be
happy's the main thing. There Is moth
Ing else in h wide world that counts:
and / say 1t. whose life has been a fail
ure.' I
You shouldn't talk SO! You must
remember that I'm letting you be good
to me, kinder and more helpful han
any n ever was before to anybody,
Just because you said you couldn't be
happy any other way"
Yes; I'm going to lead a different
life." he said. ironically. 1T doesn't
pay to cherish the viper Of enmity in
ones bosom. But I suppose there's a
certain fun In hating people. even
though you never get a chance to even
up with them"
You stu have . little lingering pa
ganism in you. But it's disappearing.
Olive tells me that you and Captain
Pollock have quite hit It off. He ought
IN hnyA BALLAD Il, n 81 49, -.
hght for the ~snubbings you gave him."
Bah! I'm q little absent-minded.
that's all" But Merriam smiled when
he remembered Pollock. by the way,
l've accepted his invitation for tc-mor-
row afternoon to drive out to the post
site with him. I believe you are asked:
And Olive and Norris? Which wing
Of our family 10 Pollock trying to break
into. will you kindly tell me? He has
shown you rather marked attention, 1t
seems to me-"
You areaauite likely to have . niece
In the army. Ia1ancy5 that It's all ar
ranged: Of course. It's been Olive ali
the TINA She hasn't told me yet-but
b doesn't have to tell mel"
II rained the next day and Pollock
to h members OF his party
that the excursion would be postponed.
Zelda hoped that Olive would come IN |
b house. and when the bell rang
she thought II was her cousin and
called 70 the black Angeline. who still
acted - Polly's assistant. to bring Miss
directly up stairs. But It was
Norris Leighton whom the girl an
nounced.
"Tll b down In Z moment" she said.
hut she waited. sitting At the table.
she had no often pondered great
Rnd little matters during the veal. 4
o upon her face. consider
aany Things. The fact that her
mother and Morris father had once !
been lovers, AZ blurted out by her faith |
Or In his rage n confirmed BY her
uncle, had Impressed her profoundly:
she was not q morbid girl, but there
seemed something uncanny In the
story. and she had determined IN
Morris should never again speak words
- love 70 her. It wal all too pitifui.
abe had N right to any Happiness that
Morris might bring her: ana here
again her mothers memory seemeA To
follow and lay . burden upon her. She
WAS sorry that b had not asked the
maid to excuse her. but it was too late
q she went down to h parlor with
forebodingftin her heart
Norris was standing at the window
watching the rain beat upon a.
asphalt In the narrow street outside
He turned quickly a. he heard her
step.
.You arc aSbravs man to venture nm,
IN : stofin like this OF course. Won
knew that u excursion 10 orr Can
tain Pollock telephoned that we'd vait
untilA better day"
II understood 20. But was KEYED
I vacation pitch and I thousht y.n
wouldn't mind II ! came-if l didn't
stay very long.
''Of. o. course-if you don't stay very
leng:: but you needn't stand-an n
time!.
''You wouldn't have had me keen NV
ONCE . dreary afternoon like this. RS
rather cherries In our ONCE on rainy
days. / should like you to know"
Her father came to the door and hes
itated.
Q come and share our fira,
fAther r. Zelda asked.
sH Mech not I'm quite busy. It's 4
very bad day. MI. Leighton" He turn
lnE the stairs to his room.
It was very still IN the parlor, and
thu wtnd oNtside soObed through the
- cedArs ] accompaniment "a, thc
oplAah 0f theafain. II was very sweet
- hef8Ne know thai Morris was 10
1ear: there 49, IN M p-ressTs-esln the
house at@this unNunfed hour oss b day
q s1uxge4t3on ofssomething tnftInAtA saAd
0he Wln 1ooklns away frun sMna
sAtoRt6 lnnDENAeA - Y6ao aHA dtbW