The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-12-16

a sob and then started for tn
outer door. She caught her Goa
from the nail and closed the doc
behind her.
An irresistible impulse had car
rIed her from the house. Sh'
wanted to see Billy. Tt was still
early and a lantern fickered In tn,
Norton barnyard. She ran acros.
TO the shed door. Billy was wills
Ting to himself as he began to bee
down the cattle for the night
Lydia looked al him eagerly In The
dim light. How big and strong he
was,
BILLY! :" she said, softly.
The young man dropped his
pitchfork and came toward her
whats the matter. Lydia !" he ex
claimed.
Dad and I've been having an
awful quarrel"
About the land?" asked Billy
quickly.
Lydia nodded. "Oh. / don't know
what to do" And then, not hav-
ing meant TO do so at all, she sud
denly began to cry.
"Why can't they let you alone,
d-n 'eml" exclaimed Billy furi-
ously. "Come away from that cold
doorway, dear" And he led her
into the warm stable and over to a
harness box. There" pulling her
down beside him on the box, and
putting his arm about her. don't
cry, Lydia. | can't stand IT. I'm
liable to go over and say things to
your father and Kent. I'll tell 'em
both, some time, what I think Of
their bullying you this way"
A vague. warm sense of comfort
and protection was stilling Lydia's
trembling. She rose and looked up
into his face gratefully. 81 don't
see why you're so good to me- she
said.
do you want me to tell your
began the young man eagerly.
moi MOI" Lydia began to move
hastily toward the door. Don't
come home with me, Billy. I'll just
run back alone"
Billy's face in the lantern light
was inscrutable. I'm obey to-
night, Lydia" he said, but the
times coming. when ] won't" and
he picked up the pitchfork he had
dropped.
With the sense of comfort and
protection sustaining her, Lydia
went homeward under the winter
Kent's automobile was
standing before the gate and
heart sank. 1t was the
first time in her life she ever had
been sorry al the thought of seeing
He was sitting before the base
burner with her father and jumped
up to help her take her coat off.
He greeted her soberly.
Your fathers been telling me
about your discussion. Lyd," he
said. You can't mean to stick by
vour decision! !"
Lydia sat down YEARLY. "Oh,
Kent. don't you begin at me. too"
Now look here. Lydia" began
Kent, ''let's begin at the beginning
and sift this thing out" and once
more he began his arguments on
he Indian question.
Don't you see?" he ended finally.
IL see how you feel, yes" replied
But just because you can
list what YOU call average Ameri-
,an business deals that are
rocked. you aren't justified in be
ng crooked, are yOu?"
Kent threw out his hand help
essly. and for a moment there was
in the room, then he said,
We'll. after all, there's nothing
10 selfish as your Puritans. Of
course, every one but yourselves is
wrong. And, of course, it doesn't
occur TO you TO sacrifice your own
icruples TO do a thing that would
mean so much to your father"
Lydia looked at Kent quickly.
This was a new angle. He would
rave followed this opening at once
not Amos spoken for the first
ime.
Hold up, Kent" he said in a
ired voice. Don't heckle her any
more. After all, I'm getting on