Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-11-13
CHAPTER u-(continued,

- SA4SJ OSkA ASaSO 1853
IDLY. The Inland Empire was a pulling
monthly the quartet had started a
year 6 with some vast hope Of har-
boring therein the genius Of h Mid
lands. 1t was always in h Earlville
print shops, waiting fol the editors to
pay the printers bills. four months be-
hind Its date line OF issue. janet
Vance's salary usually went to helping
on the hamstrung magazine. Wiley
Curran never had any money, and the
Van Harris did not take kindly to
Harlan's connection with the project.
And as the two stood chuckltng on
The orner from the court house win
voice. 1t Jared and reverberated far
down High street with Its sleepy
homes tucked in the dusk. a red lamp
here and there. famed by the air OF
the odorous country. Then came a
silence. It was as II the entire town.
shocked by some blasphemy. But what
the two men on h corner heard now
was the voice of Harlan's father. quiet.
sure. insistent with authority against
the hoarse passion Of the other: The
court cannot they could only catch
. word here and there-"intolerable
John Lindstrom. Contempt"
Then a lower bull-like answer dying
away, and the shuttle of feet.
Harlan a across the lawn with
Wiley following. AS they entered the
basement by the Jail door a little pro-
cession came down: a big. rough man.
The prisoner looked ahead, his blue
eyes dulled, the weeks growth of
beard on his face twisted into ugly
lines. His right sleeve swung empty
from the elbow. Behind him was LATE
Mason, his attorney, perplexed, whis-
pcring to Jewett. the ~pot-bellied dis
trict attorney, who listened apathet-
ically.
The big mar went down. At the
Jail door he stopped and raised his
huge fist to shake 1t up h stairs.
Harlan saw there his father, who had
Just come out Of his chambers and
was watching Lindstrom, his face a
study in control, in breeding, against
the others primal anger.
Damn he law!"
Lindstrom strobe on. Damn the
COURT" He turned with Marryats
hand on his shoulder. The Jurors, loi-
tering, whispering, putting on their
coats, were silent. The judge looked
steadfast at the prisoner, as IL in him
self was the spiritual inviolability OF
the law which could listen and endure;
which had pronounced and could be
patient. Harlan was at his side, and
now his firm lips moved. "Lindstrom
lost his case. He had nene[ directed
against him. The law is clear'-he
stopped, and for an instant Harlan had
a glimpse Of the outrage and horror in
his fathers soul-"he cursed the law.
I sent him down for contempt" The
Judge shivered though the air was
warm. Come on-let us get the fruit
for your mother"
The young man did not follow at
once. He. too. seemed dazed, but more
at his fathers suffering than at Lind
strom's crime. And as he watched the
his pockets a knife, a bit of string, a
nickel and a piece Of tobacco. all pite-
eous and %inutile, this pocket of a poor
man-Harlan saw a group on he court
house lawn outside. Two bare-legged
and terrified boys and a girl who
great fear. Lindstrom saw them also.
His n fist shot up over the heads Of
the jailers. "Ay, home with you, lads!
Knute and Peter! There'll be no more
school. now. Damn their law, their
taxes and their schools! I'll have no
more of 1t for me or mine!"
The girl under the arc light looked
h big man roared. "I've fed you in
my house, but there'i be no more
school for you!"
Wiley Curran had started forward
with a cry. The Judges son was
mute. But it seemed that there was
craven on his soul more than the
picture there. As If on the velvet lawn.
against the peace and order Of the
town, the rich farm land attentive, a
life had been taken in shame: or more
than a life. for on the souls of the
workingman's children there was
wrought a hate for all time. He was
conscious now that Curran was angrily
shouting wild words; that the two lads
had fled, and hat tho slender girl, with
q last look as If her bitterness was too
large to hurl at them. was following.
The young man felt an intolerable re-
vulsion. He suddenly ran to the cor
ner. staring after her and then dashed
on along a street leading to the bluff.
When he reached 1t he saw the girl on
the trail among the rocks, running with
the 1.-THE swiftness Of q doe. lie shout
ed after her:
"Aurelie! Aurelie!"
But no answer came down from the
leafy cliff. And after a moment some
guilty consciousness stilled his tongue.
His class. his kind. his tradition, the
blood behind him fought down his
mans rebellion. He went back to the
square where his father was waiting
in the buggy. The men Of the town
had scattered from the place Of Justice.
CHAPTER III.