The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-20
THE EVENING STORY
OorraIling a Quarter section.
IBx M. ]. Phillips.l


atmosphere was as crisp as the
breathless cold of the February night
"a cold which clutched the Dakota
prairies in iron fingers. 8
Brant was a shy young man where
women were concerned, and though
he felt acutely that for some reason
Hilda Penton, her parents and her
ten year old brother had turned
against him, he could not bring him
self to ask why, or to worm the rea-
son out of them by indirection.
They had moved onto the quarter
section adjoining his own fine farm a
few weeks before He had not learn
ed to know them well, though he had
formed the habit of dropping in on
them during the evening. But now he
affable and garrulous, smoked tonight
in grave silence. He kept his gaze on
the cracked stove, which was glowing
red with its efforts to beat back the
searching cold
Mrs. Penton knitted without looking
up, and little Jim, who usually hung
adOringly about Brant's knees, was
huddled in a corner, though he peered,
stealthily at his friend as often as he
dared.
AS for Hilda herself, beyond the
merest monosyllabic replies to Brant's
efforts to make conversation, she was
omfnously quiet. The constraint grew
as she washed the supper dishes and
tidied the three tiny rooms of the
cabin
When her work was completed and
she sat down opposite him, her blue
eyes were sparkling, and her voice
reminded Brant of the crackle if
frosty snow under foot.
"I understand, Mr.. Brant, that you
were down at the county seat Friday
looking up the title of our quarter
section?"
yes" replied Brant; that's one
reason I came over. The lands been
advertised for unpaid taxes. It's to
be sold Tuesday,
"And you're going to buy it in?"
The contemptuous tore cut like a
lash. NO." replied Brant, simply.
''Well, we can't redeem it, We had
barely enough to get it. And that
Sim Brockway cheated US.
He said the title was all right. Now
we're to have another sample of Da-
kota friendship
Anger swept away Bran't shyness.
He rose. you mean I'd try to get
your property on tax-title-?''
Z 1--WE were told that's how you came
by your last two querter sections.
Whoever told you that lied" said
Brant, quietly 1.-THE owners hadn't
paid taxes, I'll admit. But I gave fair
value for every acre, just the same"
He knew who told the falSehood-l
Peter Snyder, fat faced, shifty eyed
friend to shiftless Jim Penton and
pretty blue eyed Hilda. And Peter
was notorious as tax title shark.
He was getting rich by taking advan-
tage of the land poor.
Brant opened his mouth to de-
nounce Peter-and closed it again
without speaking. He couldn't fight
the willy scoundrel with such weapons.
The bald truth would easily convince
them of Peters crookedness; but tale
bearing was out of his line
"Our hundred and sixty would COM |
plet your section" drawled old Jim; |
II don't wonder you want it,
Brant turned on him 81 don't want |
your land" he said. "But if you
don't raise hundred and forty dol |
lars by Tuesday some one'll get it; |
that's sure"
He strobe out and closed the door
behind him. Perhaps his musings
would have been less bitter had he
known that Hilda had cried silently |
for an hour after going to bed-and
her tears were not altogether for her
coming loss of the farm /
Tuesday dawned cloudy; cold; a /
storm was in store. AS Hilda looked
out on the broad plain of undulating
white, treeless and stark, sudden hot
resentment welled up within her. For
there, muffled to his eyes in a fur
coat behind a swiftly jogging horse,
was Arthur Brant. He was headed to
the county seat, twenty-five miles
away.
She had nourished a secret hope
that Peter Snyder lied that Brant
would not seize their land But
Peter, whom she distrusted despite
his plausible tongue, had told the
truth. Brant cared more for their
land than for their-for her-regard.
Her lips trembled pitifully as she
from the window
The storm came an9Co. There was |
1 wind that blew with the speed of a
bullet. 1t tore the snow into needle
ike atoms and hurled the singing
particles resistlessly before it. Great
appeared behind thick film of frost
Outside it was impossible to see
ength ahead. A genuine Dakota
blizzard was hammering the great
northwest.
A score of times during the day an
anxiety drew the girl to
he window. There, melting a hole
n the frost with her breath, she
oeered into the storm. 1t was bad
lay even for an enemy to be out She
found herself late in the afternoon
praying that Brant would stay in Car
in till the storm abated He had a
hired man to do the chores; being
they kept batch hall'' to-
yether. He did not need to hurry
pack. And yet
white wall of flying snow
At O'Clock there came a muff1ed
mock. Hilda hurried to the door and
brew it open, to recoil in amazement
or the mild, patient head of a horse
projected into the cabin. It was
3rant's horse.
With an exclamation she waded
through the snow to the cutter. There
vas a huddled, fur clad heap in the
bottom of the vehicle.
AS her cry brought the others out
,areheaded into the storm, a shape
detached itself from the rushing white
Oleson, Brant's hired
nan. The Swede had been searching,
foot for his master. II
He bane freezingl" he cried, and
ell upon Brant like a bear, cutting,
and worrying him back from
he verge of the dreaded sleep which
las no waking.
Brant reused reluctantly and looked