, 1925-04-29
Chapter TX

The best thing for Dirk. The best
thing for Dirk. 1t was the.p phrase that
repeated itself over and over in Sc
lna's speech during the days that fol-
lowed. In this period of bewilderment
and fatigue Julie had attempted to
take charge of Selma much us she had
done n dozen years before at the time
of Simeon Peake's dramatic death. And
now, as then, she pressed into service
her woodworking father and bound.
en- slave, August Hempel.
Pail be out tomorrow and I'll prob
ably come with him. I've got Il com
mittee meeting, but | can easily"
You said-did you say your father
would be out tomorrow! Out where7"
TT your place. Farm"
But why should he? It's a little
twenty-fve-acre truck farm, and half
of 1t under water a good deal of the
time"
Pail find a use for 1t, never fear
He won't say much, but he'll think of
things. And then everything will be
all right
A species of ugly pride now pos
sessed Selma. 81 don't need help.
Really l don't, Julie, dear. It's never
been like today. Never before. We
were getting on very well, Pervus and
l.. Then after Pervus' death so sud
denly like that l was frightened. Ter
ribly frightened. About Dirk. wanted
hin to have everything. Beautiful
things. | wanted his life to be beauti-
full. Life can be so ugly, Julie. You
don't know. You don't know"
well, now, that's why say. Wen
be out tomorrow, pa and l. Dirk's 60
ing to have everything beautiful. Wen
see to that"
1t was then that Selma had said,
But that's just it. l want to do it
myself, for him. l can. | want to
give him all these things myself"
But that's selfish"
81 don't mea to be. / just want to
do the best thing for Dirk"
1t was shortly after moo that High
Prairie, hearing the unaccustomed chug
OF u motor, rushed to its windows or
porches TO behold Selma DeJOng in her
mashed black felt hat and Dirk way-
ing his battered straw wildly, riding up
AAt iAbASh' A'eN liz ItsHoIlE
farm in n bright red automobile that
had shattered the nerves of every
farmers team it had met on the way.
OF the DeJOng team and the DeJong
dog Pom, and the DeJong vegetable
wagon there was absolutely no sign.
High Prairie was rendered unfit for
worn throughout the next twenty-four
hours.
In the twelve years transition from
butcher TO packer Aug Hempel had
taken on a certain authority and dis.
tinction. Now, AT ffty-five, his hair
was gray, relieving the too-ruddy color
Of his face. In the last few years h.
had grown very leaf in one ear, so that
when you spoke TO him he looked al
you intently. This had given hin q
reputation for keenness and great
character Insight, when 1t was merely
the protective trick of a man who does
not want to confess that he is hard OF
hearing.
Selina's domain he surveyed with a
keen and comprehensive eye.
you want to sellT'
mo"
That's good. Few years from now
this land will be worth money" He
had spent n bare fifteen minutes tax.
ing shrewd valuation OF the ---
from fields TO barn, from 31I
house. well. what do you -
do, heb, Sellna?" mr. n
They were seated in the -
Unexpectedly pleasing lltt nnv
with Its old Dutch luster SODA'
softly In the cabinet, its
Of books. It's air OF comfort md usnge.
Selma clasped her hands tightly in
her lap-those hands that. from much
%grubblng In the soil. had taken on
something of the look OF the gnarled
things they tended. The nails were
short, discolored. broken. The palms
rough, calloused. The whole story of
the last twelve years of Sellna's life
Wus written in her two hunds