Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-01-23
CHAPTER XVI.
The Note Discordant.

no mark Of conflict, none Of the con-
:ventional scars of a rough-and-tumble
fight. For a moment Hazel found her.
self believing the Herald story q 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.
els this true?" she asked tremulous-
ly, pointing to the offending headlines.
Substantially correct" he answered
.coolly.
"Bill, how could you?" she cried.
'"It'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. Il have.
Pride in my word as a man. A sort
of pride that won't allow any bunch
of lily-ingered crooks to make me a
party to any dirty deal. I don't pro-
pose to get the worst of it In that way.
I won't allow myself to be tarred with
their stick"
~ SASS L Y AOS Tying W give SOu
the worst of It," she burst out. Visions
of utter humiliation arose to confront
and madden her. you've insu&ted and
abused IL best friends-to say moth
ing Of giving us all the benefit of news
paper scandal. Well be notoriouss
"Best friends? God a v the mark !"
he snorted contemptuously. "Our 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 1t good business"
Just because their business meth
DDS don't agree with your peculiar
ideas Is no reason why you should call
Names" she flared. "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 if you'd only take pains to think
it over / don't believe such men as
they are would stoop to anything
crooked.
$50 Brooks came around to talk it
over with you, chi" Bill sneered. 'Told
you it'was all on the square, did he?
Explained it all very plausibly, I sup
pose. Probably suggested that you try
smoothing me down, too. 1t would
be likee'em."
HE did explain about this stock
selling business" Hazel replied defen-
sively. "And 1 can't see why you find
it necessary to make a fuss. l don't
see where the cheating and crooked
ness in. Everybody who buys
stock gets their moneys worth, don't
they? But 1 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 a boor-that's what's rubbing
you raw" Bill flung out p~assionately.
"You're acquiring the class psychology
good and fast. Did you ever think of
anybody but yourself? 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 you! It's all
you-you! How do you suppose it
strikes M to have my wife take sides
against me on snap judgment like
that? 1t shows a heap Of faith and
trust and loyalty, doesn't it? Oh, it
makes me real proud and glad of my
mate. 1t does"
UTf vo,,,d ovplain Hozol hon,, o.
1tatingly. She was thoroughly startled
at the smoldering wrath that f1ared out
in this speech of his.
"l'n explain nothing" Bill flashed
stormily. "Not at this stage of the
game. I'm through explaining. I'm
going to act. 1 refuse to be raked wei
the Goals like a naughty child, and
then asked to tell why l did it. I'm
right, and when I know I'm right I'll
go the limit. I'm going to take the
kinks out of this Free Gold deal inside
OF forty-eight hours. Then I'm through
with Granville. Hereafter T intend to
fight shy of a breed of dogs who lose
every sense Of square dealing when
SACAS Ia q UNuS1 VI AAVASy VII oASNAs q
shall be ready to leave here within a
week. And I want you to be ready,
too"
II won't" she cried, on the verge OF
Mysteries. Il won't go back to that
cursed silence and loneliness. You
made this trouble here, not /. l won't
go back to Pine river, or the Klappan
l w0h't, I tell you!"
Bill stared at her moodily for a sec
ond.
"Just as you please" he said quietly
He walked into the spare bedroom
Hazel heard the door close gently be
hind him, heard the soft click of
well-oiled lock. Then she slumped
gasping. in the wide-armed chair b.
the window. and the hot tears came II
a binding food.
They exchanged only bare clYilitie
Mt thp hrpnkfoSt tuhlp nnd RIu at one