St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1910-08-26
Zelda Cameron
BY
MEREDITH NICHOLSON
coeyish. 1904. By M.rrm Co.
CHAPTER X

Block This was an old fashioned Of
flee building, with n basement and
short stairway leading 10 the main COR
ridor. IL was no longer fashionable. ~
the better class Of lawyers and real es
tate brokers had sought building OF
later type that offered electric lights
and elevators. The Dameron Block
teed the courthouse square, and was
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,
quaint ngure with great mop of
iron-gray hair. sold pens and paper
and legal blanks to Dogberry Row. as
this quarter OF the street was called.
Zelda strayed into this thoroughfare
by chance one winter afternoon short
~ 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 10 her OF the books,
holding volume meanwhile. with his
forefnger closel upon the page he had
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 IL little volume Of Hu-
go's poems. very rare. I should lie
glad II you would take II for n dollar
any OF these poets for a dollar. But OF
course can only offer. It ls for you
60 decide"
Il shall take 'the Hugo" said Zelda.
Il. Ia - .F..ff
reRretfully. and held the packet for a
moment caressing u with his hands.
while SHE produced n dollar from her
purse and took II from him.
"Call again. have been here for
,. twenty years. consdon' Damoron
Eyes. Dameron Block" repeated Eel
da.
The constablcs and ioungers on the
sidewalk In front OF the Justices court
stared at her as she came out and
glanced for moment az the upper
windows of the building. A galvanized
iron sign at the caves bore the namo
"Dameron Block. 1870" In letters that
had long since lost the false aspect ~
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 nc. Dameron. Room So and
passing on she presently came 20
frosted glass door. whore the same
legend wah repeated IL was late In the
afternoon; possibly her father would
go home with her she thought. and
turned the knob
She entered dark room on a court
way. evidently used as "A place OF walt
ing. there was another room beyond,
reached by door that stood half-open,
Her rather was engaged: his voice rose
from the inner room. and she took
chair by the outer door OF the waiting
room. She looked about the place Gu
riously, on a long table lay In great
disorder many odds and ends-pacl-
ages OF garden seed under dust that
AFFORDED almost enough earth 10 spro,t
them: half a dozen fence piekets tied
together with a string; and several
strata OF old newspapers. on the floor
IN a corner lay set OF harness In =
disFeputable state OF dlsrepairi and
pasted ON the wallis were yellowed
sheets OF newspapers containing tables
OF some sort, Zelda ala not know what
these were, though any OF the loafers
on the eurbstone could have enlighten.
ed her as 10 their eharaeter-they wers
the Official advertisements OF the sales
OF tax titles. Ezra Dameron always
talked poor" and complained OF the
burden OF taxes and street Improve
ments. but he had been the chief buy
er OF tax titles In the county.
I'm sure that I've been very lenient.
very lenient indeed" Ezra DamerOn
In
ed Il a family matter. calling for con-
siderate treatment on the score OF my
friendship with your husband. II II
had been otherwise. would have been
obliged 10 take steps-steps toward
safeguarding the intsrests-the inter-
ests OF my trust. l should say"
"But another extension OF two years
would be SUFFICIENT for me to pay. /
wish very much for Olive rot 20 know
that her schooling was paid for with
borrowed money She gives me all she
earns. Her position is assured. and
am putting aside something every
month TO apply on the debt We owe
nothing else"
"But two Of these notes are already
in default, Mrs. Merriam. l have in
CURED obligations on the strength Of
them. A woman can't understand the
requirements and exaetions OF bust
ness"
Il am sorry, very sorry. Mr.. Damer-
on. All ask is this extension. II can't
be a large matter TO yOn!"
Il regret more than | can tell you
that Il is impossible. II IL were myself
If II were my own money that ad-
vanced you. / could perhaps be less in
slstent. but as Il Is. this money belongs
10 another-in fact. II is part OF my
daughters estate. She Is perfectly
helpless, utterly ignorant OF business;
II is necessary for me TO exercise the
greatest care In administering her at
fairs II is a sacred trust. Mrs. Mer-
rlam. a sacred trust from her dear
mother"
Il came to-day" said the woman's |
voice, apologetically, hoping that pay |
ment could be deferred"
Yes, to be sure; it's wise to he fore |
handed. But the loan must be paid at |
the maturity OF the last note, In May. |
j must close my wife's estate very |
soon. have timed all my loans TO |
that end"
The purring voice stole through the |
anteroom, where Zelda sat forward IN |
her chair. listening with parted lips and |
wonder and pain in her eyes. The book |
in her lap fell to the bare floor, maxi
ing a sharp clatter that startled her.
She gave a little gasp and reached for
Il. scarcely STOPPING, so intent were
her eyes on the door OF the inner room;
and when she had regained IT, she ran |
into the hall and down the steps TO the
street.
She felt great yearning for sympa-
thy, for some one to whom she could
confess her misery and heartache. IL
.~lr nd MI ah