The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-31

off the reservation by organizing the
full bloods 10 stand against the half
breeds But after year of trying
mes given up hope. He's drinking
little"
and still you folks will keep on,
stealing the reservation !" exclaimed
Billy.
Nobody spoke for a moment. Lydia
looked from Billy to Kent, and back
again. Kent was by far the handsom.
err of the two. He dressed well, and
sat now, knees crossed, hands clasped
behind his head, with easy grace Bill
ly was six-footer, larger than Kent
and inclined to be raw-boned. His
mouth was humorous and sensitive,
his gray eyes were searching.
Billy stayed and helped Lydia to
clean up the dishes. Kent would never
have thought of this, Lydia said to
herself with vague pang. When
they had finished Billy gravely took
Lydia's coat from the hook and said,
Come, woman, and walk In the gloam-
ing with your humble servant"
Lydia giggled and obeyed. They
walked briskly till rise in the road
gave them a view of the lake and a
scarlet rift in the sky where the sun
had sunk in a bank of clouds.
"Now, LYDIA said Billy, "answer
my question. Are you for or against
Indian graft?"
Lydia's throat frightened. 81 won't
take sides against Mr.. Levine" she
replied.
do you mean that you don't want
me to expose Marshall?" asked Billy.
(, you've no right to ask me that"
Lydia's voice was cross.
"But I have. Lydia, though you
don't want 1T, my life is yours No
matter whether we can ever be any.
thing else, we are friends, aren't we,
friends in the deepest sense of the
word-aren't we, Lydia"
Friendship! Something very warm
and high and fine entered Lydia's
heart.
| Yes, we are friends, Billy" she said
slowly. "But oh, Billy, Cont make me
decide that! You'll have to let me
| dOOuI IL. lOu oCC, IL . uCCiuluS
my attitude toward all my friends.
even toward dad. And / hadn't intend
| ed ever to decide"
"And will you tell me, tomorrow, or
next day, LydiaT"
"I'll tell you as soon as I decide"
she answered.
Amos brought John Levine home
| i'm 70
Lydia that Levine never had been
dearer to her than he was that eve-
ming. He did not talk of the Indians,
to Lydia's relief, but of Washington
politics. AS the evening drew to a
| close, and Amos went out to his chick
ems as usual after Lizzie had gone
to bed, John turned to Lydia.
Really grown up, aren't you, Lyd-
Ia? Do you enjoy being a young
lady?'
"Yes, do, only miss the old days
when l saw so much of you. No one
will ever understand me as you do"
"Oh, don't know. There are Billy
and Kent"
'There'n never be any one like you"
| lhCh mOFCu ny Suuucu lLupulSC Sho
leaned toward him and said, mo mat
ter what happens, you will always
know that love you, won't you, Mr..
Levine?"
John looked at the wistful face,
keenly. 'Why, what could happen,
young Lydia?"
ooh, lots of things! I'm grown up
now and-and 1 have to make deci-
sions about the rightness and the
wrongness Of things. But no matter
what 1 decide, nothing can change
my love for you"
when you were just little tot"
said Levine, "you were full of gump-
ton and did your own thinking. And
I've been glad to see you keep the
habit. Always make your own deci-
sions, dear. Don't let me or any one
else decide matters of conscience for
YOU"
He rose as he heard Amos coming
In the back door, and with his hand
| under Lydia's chin, he looked long and
earnestly into her eyes. Then as
Billy had done earlier in the evening,
he sighed, "Oh, Lydial Lydia!" and
turned away.