Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-09-09

W III "AhoSsAy CT o bNN. "s''h ~
interval Of silence, he lifted his eye
sdowly until they met hers.
You have lied to me-" Zelda repeat
ID in the same passionless voice
speaking as though h were sayin,
some commonplace thing. Il under
stand perfectly we'll why you wish t
continue this trusteeship. sha b
very glad to do hi you ask: only W
must understand each other frankly
You must tell me the truth"
He shrank down slowly into NJ
chalr. but his eyes did not leave he
race. His hands had ceased trembling
and he was quite himself. He waited
as though he expected some word o
contrition; but she still stood with he
eyes fastened on him. and there was n
kindness in them.
Il have sought your own good.
nave supposed you would be gratifc;
TO ntlnue-t trust-reposed In M
by your mother"
III you speak to me of my mother
again l shall find some way OF punish
ing you" she said. and there was still
no passion In her voice.
I suppose that when you are ready
you Will tell me what this means
why you have turned against me In
S "SS"hb "iLl IL
or anger. And then changing to a
conciliatory tone: Tell me what 1t Is
that troubles you Zee. had hoped
mat you were very happy here. I had
nattered myself through the summer
that ours was a happy home. But If
tnere Is any way in which 1 have erred
I am heartily sorry"
He bowed his head as though from
the weight of his penitence. but he was
glad TO escape her eyes. When he
looked up again, he found her gaze
sun oent upon him. He picked up the
lalien pen and placed 1t on the table
beside the paper which he had asked
her to sign.
You are a tremendous fraud" she
SAID, with a smile in which there was
no mlrth or pity. You are immense
~ clever, and I suppose tha because ]
nave some of your evil blood in me, !
am a little bit clever. too"
zee! You forget YOURSELF: you must
be mad!"
l am growing sane" she answered,
4 nave been mad for a year, but nv
reason has come back to me. I do not
forget myself or that you are my faith
err out l remember. too, tina you are
an evil nan and that you drove NV
mother into her grave. You killed her,
with your pettiness and your hypoc-
rlsy; you are Just as much her muir
oerer as though you had slain her with
knlfe.. But l beg of you, do not think
that o can play the same tactics
with me. I don't ask for the money
that you nave squandered. It isn't
your being a thief that I hate: it's
7ycnr sa!iafe to be a man! It's the
thought that you would betray the
trust OF the dead-of my dead mother
-that's what l hate you for!"
He Q q step toward her menac-
ingly.
You are either a fool or mad. You
shall not ak to me SO! You have
been listening to lies-infamous lies.
Rodney Merriam mas been poisoning
your mind against me. / shall hold
him responsible; I shall make him suf-
fer. He has gone too far. too far. l
shall have the law upon him."
You had better sit down." she said,
without flinching. II suppose you used
to talk to my mother this way and
that you succeeded in frightening her.
But I am MOI afraid OF you, Ezra Dam
eron. II you thin you can browbeat
me into signing your deed. you ha
mistaken me. I was never less scared
in my life"
When she spoke his name It slfpped
from her tongue ~lingeringly, and fell
upon him like q lash. In addressins
him SO. she cast Off the idea Of kin
ship utterly; there was no tie Of blood
between them; and he was simply n
mean old man. d~espicab!e and con.
temptible. standing on the brink OF a
pit that he had dug for himself. and
feeling the earth crumbling beneath
his feet. She went on, with no break
In the impersonal tone to which her
words had been pitched in the begin
ming.
You have SO little of honor
you are so utterly devoid of anythins
that approached honor and decency-
the hypocrisy IN 0 Is SO deep, that
o can't imagine hat a man like my
uncle would seek to prejudice
me against you-rny own father. Mel
ther my uncle nor my aunt has ever
q a single unkind word to me OF
you. Ny aunt asked me to go to live
with her when we came home; but
refused to do II. And I'm glad I did
This closer acquaintance has given M
an opportunity that wash one al
your hypocritical phrases-quite prov
identia1. Of learning you as though va,
were q child's primer. You have beer
q very bitter lesson. Ezra Cameron,
Ny mother rebelled. never lifted
her voice against you. and you SIN
posed I should prove quite as easy:
but you see how mistaken you are,"
This Is a gAme-a plot to trap mo
But 1t shall fail. MY own child shall
not mock me-"
Il have something more to saw "a
you. I have gone over 1t In my hear,
. thousand times in this year OF d.
eeit. I believe I have grown a good
deal like you. It has been a positive
pleasure for me to act a part-shield :
Ing you from h eyes of people VIII
were anxious for a breach between MS.
I know Is I walk the streets and pep.
pie say, There Is Ezra Dameron's
daughter they all pity me. They have
expected me to cave you. They have
wondered that / should go on living
with you when every child in the com
munity sneers at the sight of you j.
the mention Of your name"
Shame on you. Shame on your"
suppose 1t Is a shameless thing
to be saying to you: but I haven't in-
ished yet. And you had better SIT
down. YOU are an old man and re-
spect your years even though you are
Ezra Cameron. There was some one
that told me-that warned me against
you. I had hoped that 1t would never
be necessary to tell you, but It gives
me . keener happiness than I dare try
- express to tell you now.
YES. some liar-an INF mons