Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-21

desperate hope he set himself to rigging up
crude lume and opening up burrows. Then he
began pumping water by hand on to his corn
field The greedy sun and thirsty soil snatched
UP tho little streams almost before they reached
the field. After pumping steadily for two days
to put a flow through two burrows he decided:
"rn pump at night--the sun won't eat 1t up so
fast them
"I,'s no use, Lon," Prosser objected ''You
can't beat the drouth this year! But we'll 60
at the thing right and be ready for next dry
spell"
"I can't wait, man. Lon burst out. "Ive got
to have q crop, or at least part OF crop, this
year!
Despite the protests Of his friends he started
to pump at sunset Hour after hour he stood
steadily moving the pump handle up and down,
with a dogged persistence from which all spring
OF youth had been drained. He kept on pumping
until it seemed though his very heart would
be torn out by the strain. Frosser Lane. and
other neighbors came to watch, to offer to spell
him, to admonlsh and to ridicule; but Lon kept
on pumping. first with one hand, then the other.
until at moonset he crept away with bleeding
hands and muscles for few hours or ex-
hausted sleep.
He succeeded in saving portion of his corn
before he sank down one night, unknoWing, un-
caring. The cool OF the morning air brought
him to consciousness OF racking pains and burn
ing flesh. He managed to crawl into the house
and to bed. There Prosser found him tossing
with fever. For three weeks he lay helpless
with low fever that left hin, weak and de-
spondent. But through 1t all he would not per-
init the Prossers to write to his father or Edna
Molly rebelliously asserted that she would take
the responsibility on her own shoulders, ana
wrote Edna long letter. But her husband re-
fused to mail 1t without Ions consent
"But he's too sick to know what is right
Molly scolded. "He's weak as a. baby in mind
as well as In body!" ..,....
s.y
be as wobbiy as u kitten on his legs but his
head is all right. He knows what's what-talks
irrigation plant all the time" ,.-
And still no rain came. Lon was up ana
about AS he saw months of hard labor--for
man and for beast-turned into useless wlsps or
straw and all his carefully matured plans
changed into idle dreams the subtle hardening
OF character and softening OF judgment that
turns the boy into the man went on within him.
1t was the man who sat down Sunday
afternoon before the rough board table OF his
shack and wrote:
"I made a big mistake when I picked out
my homestead. 1t seems there is liable to be
one dry year out Of three in this section Of the
country. I'll have to put In windmill and
irrigation plant before can build the house. I
can't ask you to wait any longer. Edna. I
s'pose your father was right hadn't ought to
have asked you to marry me- And you ought to
have said no. first off. &c. dear girl. you are
free Try to forget me, and forgive me for taking
much out of your lfe-you know how 1t has
been with me- '-
He sent the letter and. as he picked his
stunted corn, he brooded despairingy over his
failure. When Prosser shouted:
"Here old man! Your girl hasn't forgotten
you--its fat one!" He took the envelope in
hand that shook.
Alone, he read: "Uniess you made mis-
take in picking me out, too, Lon, We will keep
on waiting together--f you insist on waiting"
IN spite Of her loyalty he looked ahead that
dismal winter with determination rather than
the confidence that had carried him forward
thus far. The firm conviction and The courage
that had counted each hlndrance simply as
delay almost went out of him.
Perhaps have been wrong from the start
maybe I'd ought to have borrowed the money
and married Edna that first year." he runlinat-
ed. II might not have made such fiat failure
that way. though everything was against me-
He had taken out his final papers now and
could easily place mortgage his land Edna,
knowing this, wrote:
1.-THE way is open, now, Lon. BY borrowing
$500 you can build house that will be plenty
good to start with, and sure save
you $500 in a year or two. It's business dear.
Everybody borrous in order to make. know
how you feel-but be reasonable"
Yet, though Lon acknowledged that he was
unreasonable: though he knew in his own soul
that his fear was cowardly; though he felt that
his desire for happiness matched Ednas own;
the dread Of debt had become go insrained and
the obstinacy bred Of the long struggle was so
unyielding that he could not bring himself to
act upon her counsel. ,.5-
There was a difference after that. No COM
plants. no reproaches appeared In Edna's let
ters; but there was less of the cheerful expecta-
tion and OF details of her daily living. And Lon,
toiling winter and summer now, from day-wake
to the last streak of light. was too engrossed
n o IN viy n,,fc hacd fN hjpS ~o$
present and tangible. Sometimes weeks elapsed
between their letters.
new years crop was promising we'll. IF
the harvest. threshing, and marketing all went
through without disaster Lon would be able to
set up his windmill and be ready for the next
dry season. 1t was harvest time. BY ex-
changing work with Prosser and Lane, Baxter
had their aid in cutting and stacking his wheat.
He was driving the moving machine one scorch-
ing August forenoon. AS he looked back over
the even riffs of straw he thinking:
'lf nothing happens I'll come out ahead at
last this Ednall be glad"
An then he began to think When had
Edna's last letter come? why" In sudden
that letter was before haying. She
hasn't answered my last letter-it wasn't really
worth answering-just note. maybe she's
got tired at last ] couldn't blame her"
He drove on. conscious now OF the heat. the
dust, the sting of chaff and perspratlon What
''"S II
not for Edna?" He tried TO think Of life with
,ut Edna--Nhat would happen If she had really
changed her mind? At last he could stand this
new fear no longer. lie was ahead of the rake
He left his team standing and went to the
house. lie found her last letter and read II
over. 1t was brief. II answered none of the
questions In his mind.
Edna, darling he wrote, dts a long time
since your last letter; you haven't answered my
last note. / know you can't be sick or my
ather would let me know. ! am afraid-nlaybs
iou have made up your mind not 20 wait any
onger. l can't blame You FOR that I knnn,