Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-07-15
p X.

CHAPTER x.
When Zelda asked her father ono
day where his office was, he answered
evasiveiy that 1t was in the Dameron
Block. This was an old -fashioned Of
fice building. with a basement and a
short stairway leading to the main cor
ridor. 1t was no longer fashionable, is
the better class of lawyers and real es-
tate brokers had sought building of u
later type that offered electric lights
and elevators. The Cameron Block
faced the courthouse square and vas
the habitat of divers small attorneys
and real estate men. In the basement
below, a Justice of the peace sat in
Judgment next door to a musty old
book-shop, where the proprietor, a
quaint figure with a great mop Of
lron-gray hair. sold pens and paper
and legal blank to Dogberry Row, as
this quarter of the street was called.
Zelda strayed into this thoroughfare
by chance winter afternoon short
Iy before Christmas and was arrested
by the sight of some old books in the
booksellers window. The venerable
bookseller came out into the barement
area and spoke to her of the books.
holding a volume meanwhile. with his
forefinger closet upon the page he a
been reading. Yes; he kept French
books, and she went into the shop and
looked over his shelves of foreign
books.
'There is very little demand for
them" he said. Some of these are
rare. Here is a little volume of HUI
COS poems; very rare. / should he
glad If you would take 1t for a dollar
any OF these poets for a dollar. But of
course I can only offer. 1t is for you
to decide"
II shall take the Hugo" said Zelda.
He wrapped it for her carefully, even
regretfully, and held the packet for a
moment. caressing it with his hands.
while she produced a dollar from her
purse and look 1t from hin
Call again. I have been here for
twenty years; Congdon. cameron
Block"
Yes, Cameron Block" repeated Eel
da.
The constables and loungers on the
sidewalk in front Of the Justices court
stared at her as she came out and
glanced for q momen at the upper
windows OF the building. A galvanized
iron sign at the caves bore the name
cameron Block. 1870" In letters that
had long since lost the false aspect Of
stone given to them originally by gray
paint.
Zelda went into the dim entrance
and read the miscellaneous signs that
were tackled there. One Of them was
inscribed e. Cameron. Room s.; and
passing ON she presently came to q
frosted glass door, where the same
legend was repeated. 1t was late in the
afternoon: possibly her father would
& y nome with her. she thought. and
turned the knob.
She entered "a dark room on a court
= evidently used asa place of wait
Ing there lNaa another room beyond.
sfcache6 ~ aAoor, tlat stood half open.
Her father was engaged; his voice rose
from tho inner rooam; N she tool a
chair by the 0utersIdoor of the waiting
room. She looked about the place GU
riously. On q long table lay in great
disorder many odds and ends-pack-
Ares of garden-seed under dust that
Aforded almost enough earth to spront
them: half a dozen enc pickets tied
together with a string; and several
In q corner lay a set Of harness in q
pasted on the wallis were yellowed
sheets OF newspapers containing tables
OF some sort. Zelda did not know what
these were. though any OF III loafers
OF the curbstone could have enlighten
&c her a to their charactcr-they were
the ofticiai advertisements OF The sales
Of TAX titles. Ezra cameron always
TAXED and complained OF the
burden of tnxeS ana street improve
mensss but1he ma been the CHIEF buy
81 OF TAX t1tle9 IN the county.