The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1918-07-12
BY BERTRAND w. SINCL AIR

ventional scars Of a rough-and%tu:nble
fight. For a moment Hazel found her
self believing the Herald story a pure
canard. But as he walked across the
room her searching gaze discovered
that the knuckles of both his hands
were bruised and bloody, the skin bro
ken. She picked up the paper.
''Is this trueT she asked tremulous-
ly, pointing to the offending headlines.
Substantially correct" he answered
coolly.
"Bill, how could your" she cried
'Tt's simply disgraceful. Brawling In
public like any saloon loafer, and get
ting In jail and all. Haven't you any
consideration for me-any PRIDE"
eyes" he said deliberately. 81 have
Pride In my word as a man. A sort
Of pride that won't allow any bunch
of lly-fingered crooks to make me a
party TO any dirty deal. ! don't pro-
pose to get the worst Of 1t In that way
won't allow myself to be tarred with
their stick"
"But they're not trying to give YOU
the worst Of It," she burst out. Visions
Of utter humiliation arose to confron,
and madden her. you've !nsulted and
abused our best friends--to say moth
ing Of giving us all the benefit Of news
paper scandal. Wen be notoriousr'
'Best friends7 God save the mark T.
he snorted contemptuously. sour best
friends, as you please to call them, are
crooks. thieves and liars. They're rot.
ten. They stink with their moral rot
tenness. And they have the gall to
call Il good business"
"Just because their business meth
ods don't agree with your peculiar
ideas Is no reason why you should call
Names" she fiared.. "Mr. Brooks called
just after you left at noon. He told
me something about this, and assured
me that you would find yourself mis-
taken II you'd only take pains to think
1t over. / don't believe such men as
they are would stoop to anything
crooked"
$50 Brooks came around to talk II
over with you, ehT Bill sneered. "Told
you Il was all on the square, did he1
Explained It all very plausibly, sup
pose. Probably suggested that you try
smoothing me down, too. 1t would
be like 'em."
"He did explain about this stock
selling business" Hazel replied defen-
sively. "And can't see why you find
~ pocaccsovv <n v,.olya o %,yco Jnpst
see where the cheating and crooked
ness comes I'm. Everybody who buys
stock gets their moneys worth, don't
they7 But I don't care anything about
your old mining deal. It's this fighting
and quarreling with people who are
not used to that sort Of brute action
and the horrid things they'll say and
think about u.s."
About you, you mean-as the wife
Of such boor-that's what's rubbing
you raw" Bill fiung out passionately.
'sYou're acquiring the class psychology
good and fast. Did you ever think Of
anybody but yourself2 The petty
larceny incident Of my knocking down
two or three men and being under ar
rest as much as thirty minutes looms
up before you as the utter depths Of
disgrace. Disgrace to youi It's all
you--youl How do you suppose It
strikes me to have my wife take sides
against me on snap judgment like
thati II shows heap Of faith and
trust and loyalty, doesn't It? Oh, 1t
makes me real proud and glad Of my
mate. Il does"
III you'd explain" Hazel began hes
itatingly. She was thoroughly startled
at the smoldering wrath that flared out
In this speech Of his.
'Tn explain nothing" Bill flashed
stormily. "Not ut this stage Of the
game. I'm through explaining. I'm
going to act. refuse to be raked over