The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-02-26
The TWICE AMERICAN
By ELEANOR M. INGRAM

the building Of his lifeq He had
lost Constance of the Littlr
Shoes. What if he lost Rosalind
What if his career had fallen
down to wreckage here where it
was built, and he stood on the
threshold of defeat and retire
mcnt!
1t was the natural reaction
from the tremendous effort Of
his day and night. He was ex-
hausted, and too feyered TO real
ize his fatigue. A thousand
doubts assailed him. What il he
had risked too much in leaving
the harvest of his work to his
lieutenants? The coup was dra-
matte, yet his withdrawal might
be fatal error. The elder Val
dez was hampered by his official
position. Granados was too hot
and Ferraz too sluggish. Milo
Valdez was none Of these things,
but he was a boy among men
who might not heed him.
The motor car rolled under the
porte cochere. Benito opened the
door Of the car for his master,
and Noel stepped out.
A white figure appeared in the
doorway Of the villa. Noel,
wrapped in confused thought,
halted. For one moment, he was
so forgetful as to fancy this was
Corey Bruce come out to wei
come him. He actually saw the
STOPPING figure of the young en-
gineer, the honest brown eyes
alight behind the spectacIes, h
actually waited for the pleasant,
stammering speech. Then he
steward Pedro had run down the
steps and kissed the hand invol
unfairly extended to a man who
was not there. .
The following day of tnmult
and bitter struggle, when the
people through the streets of the
city in endless procession, when
presses toiled, messages flashed,
and the states turned to look at
this one of their sisterhood, that
day passed montonously at Villa
Noel.
1t was no mere pretensc with
drawal that David Noel had
made; no ostensible retirement
while he secretly directed his
forces from his shelter. He
played no trickery; perhaps
from wisdom, perhaps from
pride. His work was carried to
its uttermost; the course for his
men planned. His address had
been the final effort Now, he
waited.
He waited, but he could not
rest. He bathcd, breakfasted,
and dressed carefully. He
strolled through his garden and
listened to the report of his
household on the events of his
absence. He looked as quiet as
the pools Of white and purple
lilies. But he heard the extras
cried in the streets miles away.
He saw Jacinto Meyer hurrying
from man to man, prompting, iy-
ing, scheming. He could not ever
force his mind to dwell upon
Rosalind. That was not roman
tic, but it was so.
He was resolved that he would
not live under the rule of Meyer S
people. If he lost here, he would
lose utterly. He would transfer
his fortune to the country of his
birth. The House Of the Little
Shoes would be left to moulder.
abandoned. Why not, since j!
would be a monument Of failure
failure in his chosen work, fail
ure in his dream Of the giver Of
the shoes as his wife.
Neon passed. Afternoonl
It was with elaboration that
Noel had refused to have a com
panion during this day. He fore
saw what its strain would be, and
he wanted ne witnesses to mark
it's effect upon him. Not even
friends!
Yet he played out his role Of
contained calmness, as though
an audience looked on and the
villa was a stage. He smoked
tasteless tobacco, he turned the
pages Of unread books. He called
in Pedro and questioned him in
detail about Corey Bruce's dis
appearance and incidents Of
Granados illness.
Pedro could tell little Of value,
beyond what Granados had al
ready related. The Senior Bruce
had seemed much troubled over
the accident to the Senior Mar
shall. The last evening, he Lad
dismissed the doctor and sent for