The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1918-04-26
"And I wouldn't be put off or placat-

wise. A dollar doesn't terrlfy nor yet
fascinate mel hope IL never Will. Ana
while, perhaps, 1t was not what they
would call good form for me TO lose
my temper and go at them with my
fists. | was fighting mad when L thor
oughly sensed their dirty project. Any
way, il helped bring them to time.
When you take a man of that type ana
cuff him around with your two hanus
he's apt to listen serious to what you
say. And they listened when toiu
them in dead earnest next day that
Whitley Lewis and his partners must
have what was due them, or I'd wreck
the bunch of them II 1t took ten years
and every dollar l had to do 1t. Ana
| could have put them on the tramp
too--theyd already dipped their nm
gers in where they couldn't stand ilti'
cation. I'm sure of that-or they
would never have come through; whlch
they did.
But I'm sorry I ever got mixed up
with them. I'm going to sell my STOCK
and advise Lewis and the others TO 90
the same while we can get full Vaiue
for IL. Lorimer and that bunch VIII
manipulate the outfit to death. no mat
ter how the mine produces.
That's all of that. 1 ipat care two
whccrs en0cc rne money. There Is
s;f. gold in the Klappan Range ana
other corners of the North, whenever
| need it. But 1t nauseated rae. 1
can't stand that cut-throat game. AND
Granville, like most other cities of its
kind, lives by and for that sort OF
thring. The pressure of modern life
makes Ii inevitable. Anyway, town
| is no place for me. l can stomach II
| about so long, and no longer. It's 700
cramped, too girded about with petty
| larceny conventions. If once you slip
and get down, every one walks on you.
| Everything's restricted, priced, TIN
kered with. There is no real freedom
| of body or spirit. l wouldn't trade
comfy log cabin in the woods with
big fireplace and n shelf of books for
the finest home on Maple drive-not IL
| | had to stay there and stifle in the
dust and smoke and smells. That
would be q sordid and impoverished
existence. / cannot live by the dog
eat-dog code that seems to prevail
wherever folk get jammed together in
an unwieldy social mass. l have said
the like to you before.
"By nature and training I'm untitled
to live In these crowded places. l love
realize how much, but 1 can't make
you happy by making myself utterly
miserable. That would only produce
the inevitable reaction. But l still
think you are essentially enough ike
me to meet me on common ground
You loved me and you found content
ment and joy at our little cabin once
Don't you think 1t might be waiting
there again?
"If you really care, If and the ole
North still mean anything to you, Q
few days or weeks, or even months OF
separation won't matter. An affection
that can't survive six months Is toe
fragile to go through life on. l dom
ask you to jump the next train ant
follow me. l don't ask you to wire me
Come back. Bill Though l woult
come quick enough If you called me.
merely want you to think 1t over so
berly and let your heart decide. Yo'
know where l stand, don't you, Hazel
dear? haven't changed-not a bit
I'm the same old Bill. But I'd rathe
hit the trail alone than with an IN
willing partner. Don't founder abou
in any quicksand of duty. There 1
no Il ought to- between us.
"So it is up to you once more, littl
person. If my way is not your way
will abide by your decision withou
whining. And whenever you want t
reach me, a message to Felix CouI
voiseur, Fort George, will eventual
e find me. I'll fix 1t that way.
Is $50 long, little person. / like you
e heap. for all your cantankerous way:
y BILL"
a She laid aside the letter, with
20 lump in her throat. For brief instaI
- she was minded to telegraph the wor
NJ that would bring him hurrying bacl
"A But-some Of the truths he had 8,
down In cold black and white cut hi
,v deep. OF q surety she had drawn b,
q. weapon on the wrong side In the mil
- ing trouble. Overhasty yes. An
rs shamefully disloyal. Perhaps there WI
n. something In 1t. after all; that is
no say. It might be they had made mi
20 take. She saw plainly enough tn,
unless she could get back some Of Il
n old enthusiasm for that wilderness III
90 unless the fascination of magnifice
IA distances. of silent. breathless forest
nh Of contented, quiet days on trail al
mr. stream, could lay fast hold Of h
:, again. they would only defer the d,
a Of reckoning. as Bill had said.
". No, she would not attempt to c,
q. him back. She doubted If he won
st come. And she would not go-not y,
m She must have time to think.
4. Altogether, as the first impression
u. Bills letter grew less vivid to her g
rs considered her grievances more. A
Or she was minded to act as she had I
ID out to do-to live her life as seem
II best to her, rather than pocket
/ pride and rejoln Bull Ths femini
Instinct 10 compel ths man to eapa'