Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-06-02
CHAPTER N.-lContinned-l !

The girl stepped to the curb and de
scribed the easiest way across town.
She was small and trim Of figure and
had very blue eyes.
Thank YOU" said Zelda, and Ian
started forward.
You are Miss Cameron" the teach
er said, hesitatfngly.
Yes" Zelda turned toward her in
surprise.
ITS been a long time since I saw
you-as many as a dozen years" The
girl smiled and Zelda smiled, too.
Il wish could remember. I'm sor-
~, but won't you help me?"
1t was when you were a little girl
90 was I, but I was oIder-and my
mother took me to see your mother
and we played, you and 7, that is, in
the yard while our mothers talked
You wore red dress and I thought
you were very grand"
The blue eyes were looking into the
dark ones. There was a moment Of
hesitation and scrutiny. Then Zelda
put out her hand.
You are my cousin. Olive-is it
Merriam?-please don't tell me that
isn't right"
Yes; that is Just right"
I'm going to take you home, if
you're ready to go, Cousin Olive I'm
badly lost and don't remember the way
you told me to go. It's so exciting
meeting a long-Iost cousin"
Olive Merriam debated an instant,
in which she surveyed her new found
cousin doubtfully. She had started
home when the battle at the school
house door gave her pause. There was
no excuse for refusing. Zelda had gath
cred up the reins, and waited.
DO GOMEZ Fan isn't dangerous-and
neither am L"
Thank you. I'll have to come now
to show that I'm not afraid"
The boys fingered at a safe distance
and as Zelda drove past them at the
corner, several of them snatched off
their caps and grinned, and Olive Mer-
riam called goodnight to them.
As Zelda followed the route indicat-
ed by her cousin. she was busy trying
to find a lost strand of family history
that proved elusive. She did not at all
remember her mothers brother, Thorn
IS Merriam. She had never heard her
aunt or uncle speak of the relationship,
and she surmised, now that she
thought of it, that here must be anoth-
er of those breaks in the family con-
nection that had already revealed rag
ged edges. 1t was growing late, and
she put Fan to her best PAGES. until
presently they came out upon a broad
paved thOroughfare.
That's better" Said Zelda. I'm
sure I should never have found the
way out alone. 1 don't believe I was
ever down there before. Please let me
drive you home. 1 haven't the least
idea where that is. so If I'm going
wrong"
It's Harrison street" She describ-
ed the route. You're taking a lot of
trouble about me-"
No It's the other way around. I'd
never have seen the court house clock
again If 1t hadn't been for you. And
then" they approached a cross street.
and Zelda checked the flight of Fan
and bent forward to see whether the
coast was clear-"and then"-she loos-
ened the rein and the animal sped for
ward again-"Ive been looking awful
~ hard for friend, Cousin Olive, and
1 want you'll"
You are kind-but you don't under
stand-a lot Of things" said Olive Mer-
riam. You and I can't be friends.
There are reasons"
II don't care for any reasons" said
Zelda.
But they're not my reasons-they're
other peoples! That's our house there,
where the shades are up and a light is
IN the window"
Il don't care what other people say
about anything Zelda brought
Fan TO a stand at the curb in front of
olives door.
I'd ask you to stop" began OIL
i've.
I'm going to stop" said zelda-"to
see you quite on your threshold. Fan
stands without hitching, usually. I'll
take my chances"
Harrison is only a street in minia-
ture A poet wrote song about it
that made it the most famous street
I'm Nariona. The houses there are
chiefly one-story -and-a-haIf cottages,
and in one of these which was saved
from intrusive eyes in summer by a
double line of hoIlyhocks, and which
had at its back door at seasonable
times a charming old fashioned gar
den. lived Olive Merriam and her
mother
olive threw open the door and Zelda
stepped into sitting room-the house
had no hall-where a coal fire burned
coztiy in a CRATE. The room ran the
length of the house; the woodwork
was white the floor was pine, stained
a duh red and covered with rugs made
of old carpet. A student lamp with a
green shade stood on table in the
IN.
zines and books on the table. and
shelves in the corners held other books.
An elderly woman looked up from the
paper She had been reading as the door
opened. A cane lay on the floor beside
her and told the story of the lines of
pain in her face.
Mother, this is Zelda Cameron. She
has brought me home" said Olive.
"She didn't want me to at all. but
made her let me-" said Zelda. crossing
the room and taking Mrs. Merriam's
hand
The woman bent her eyes-they were
blue like Olive's-upon the girl with
grave questioning.
You are Margarets daughter-you
are Ezra Dameron's daughter" she
said
eS, ana 4 ulGn I KNOW about Won
at all until I found Olive to-day. And
I didn't know that any Merriams any
where lived in a house like this. Why,
it's a home. I'm going-but tell me-
that l may come back again"
There was something so sincere and
wistful in Zelda's tone as she spoke.
standing between the freight and the
lampIght; something. too, in the glance
of appeal she gave the little room, that
broke down the antagonism in Mrs
Merriam's eyes. She put out her hand
again.
Yes; I hope you will come. We
shall be glad to see you"
Olive followed Zelda to the steps, and
saw the runabout turn in the narrow
street and whirl away. She watched it
until ZeIda's erect figure passed like a
flash under the electric light at the cor
ner and disappeared into the dark be-
yond.
What miracle is this?" asked Mrs.
Merriam af Olive "Nothiuo short of q