Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-01-30

oAh " SCAA Ivy 0IOSh
ana advise Lewis and the others to do
the same while we can get full value
for 1t. Lorimer and that bunch will
manipulate the outfit to death, no mat
ter how the mine produces.
THAT'S all of that. I don't care two
whoops about the money. There is
still gold in the Klappan Range and
other corners of the North, whenever
/ need it. But it nauseated me. I
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 it inevitable. Anyway, a town
Is no place for me. I can stomach it
about so long, and no longer. It's too
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. 1 wouldn't trade u
comfy log cabin In the woods with a
big fireplace and q shelf of books for
the finest home on Maple drive-not If
/ had to stay there and stifle in the
dust and smoke and smells. That
would be a sordid and Impoverished
existence. I cannot live by the dog
eat-dog code that seems to prevail
wherever folk get jammed together in
an unwieldy social mass. I have said
the like to you before.
"By nature and training I'm untitled
to live in these crowded places. 1 love
you, little person, I don't think you
realize how much, but I can't make
YOU happy by making myself utterly
miserable. That would only produce
the inevitable reaction. But I still
think you are essentially enough like
me to meet ne on common ground.
ment and Joy at u little cabin once.
Don't you think it might be waiting
there again?
IF you really care, If I and the old
North still mean anything to you, a
few days or weeks, or ven months Of
separation won't matter. An affection
that can't survive six months is too
fragile to go through life on I don't
ask you to jump the next train and
follow me-. I don't ask you to wire me,
Come back, Bill Though I would
come quick enough if you called me-. I
merely want you to think it over So
berly and let your heart decide. You
know where I stand, don't you, Hazel,
dear? 1 haven't changed--not q bit
I'm the same old Bill. But I'd rather
hit the trail alone than With an I'M
willing partner. Don't founder about
In any quicksand of duty. There is
no L ought to- between us.
$50 it is up to you once more, little
person. If my way is not your way ]
will abide by your decision without
whining. And whenever you want to
reach me, a message to Felix Cour.
voiseur, Fort George, will eventually
find me. I'll fix it that way.
$50 long, little person. l like you q
heap, for all your c%antankerOus ways
BILL"
She laid aside the letter, with 9
lump in her throat. For "a brief instant
she was minded to telegraph the wore
that would bring him hurrying back
But-some of the truths he had SCI
down in cold black and white cut hel
deep. OF a surety she had drawn hel
weapon on the wrong side in the min
ing trouble. Overhasty?-yes. Ant
shamefully disloyal. Perhaps there wal
something in it, after all; that is tt
say, it might be they had made a mis-
take. She saw plainly enough tina
unless she could get back some of til,
old enthusiasm for that wilderness life
unless the fascination of m%agnifcen
distances, of silent, breathless forests
of %contented, quiet days on trail an,
stream, could lay fast hold of he
again, they would only defer the da!
of reckoning, as Bill had said.
No, she would not attempt to cal
him back. She doubted if he woult
come. And she would not go-not yet
She must have time to think.
Altogether, as the first impression o
Bits letter grew less vivid to her sh,
considered her grievances more. Ant
she was minded to act as she had Sc
out to do-to live her life as seemed
best to her, rather than pocket he1
pride and rejoin Bill. The feminine
instinct to compel the man to capitu
late asserted itself more and NOR.
strongly.
. . .
"A month passed.
During that thirty-day period she re
ceived a brief note from Bill. Just {
few lines to say:
slit the ranch yesterday. little per
SOC. Looks good to me. Went fishing
last night about shutdown. Trout wer.
rising fine. Nailed a ten-pounder
Woke. up this morning at daylight ant
found a buck deer with two lad,
friends standing In the middle Of thu
clearing. i loafed a few days in For
George, sort of thinking I might heal
from you. AM sending this out by
Jake. Will start for the Klappar
about day after tomorrow"
She had not answered his first let
ter. She had tried to. But somehow