The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-11-19

ging. She was as p1tifully thin as
ever As she stared at the ugly old
Indian, Lydia's throat frightened. She
seemed to feel baby Patience's fin
gers clinging to hers in fear.
"Want some vegetables?' she asked,
motioning toward the garden.
The squaw nodded eagerly and held
up the dirty apron she was wearing.
Lydia began slowly to fill it, talking as
she worked.
where do you live?" she asked.
The Indian jerked her gray head
toward the north big Woods"
"But that's twenty miles. 1t must
take you long time to walk 1t. Poor
thing!"
The squaw shrugged her shoulders.
Lydia stared at the toothless, trem-
bling old mouth, hideous with wrin-
kles, then at the gnarled and shaking
old hands.
Haven't you anyone to take care of
your"
"All sick-boy sick-man sick-girl
sick. All time sick, all time nothing
to eat"
"But won't some other Indian make
you garden, little one?"
Again the squaw shrugged her
shoulders. Her apron was full now.
She produced a string from inside her
waist and tying the apron up bag-like,
she slung it over her shoulder. Then
she gave Lydia keen glance. =
Friend she said, briefly, and turn
ing, she tottered painfully out of the
gate.
Followed by Adam, Lydia walked
thoughtfully out upon the little pier
Amos had built. 1t was hard to I'M
derstand how the Indians with all
their rich pine land could be so poor.
She resolved to ask her father and
Levine about 1t and turned somer-
sault into the water. She swan about
until tired, then turned over on her
back to rest. Lying so a shadow
drifted across her face and she raised
her head. A gray birch bark canoe
fioated silently beside her. In it, in
gray bathing suit, sat Charlie Jack
son.
Goodness !" exclaimed Lydia. "How
in the world you do it SO quietly,
don't see. Come on In. It's as warm
as suds."
Charlie shot his canoe to the pier
and in a moment was floating beside
Lydia. She took a deep breath, let
herself sink and a moment or two
later came up several yards beyond
him. He did not miss her for a mo-
ment, then he started for her with a
shout, A game of tag followed end
ing in wild race to the pier.
""You certainly are little sunfish
in the water" painted Charlie, as they
sat with feet dangling off the pier.
fought to be, I'm In it enough" re-
turned Lydia. Charlie, there's poor
old squaw came here today. What's
the matter with the Indians? Why
don't they work?"
Charles mouth twisted in a sheer.
"Why don't they work? Why don't
the whites give 'em chance? Dirty
thieves, prowling round like timber
wolves. Ask Dave Marshall. Ask
that gumshoeing crook of Levine.
Don't ask me-"
''Levine's not crook shouted Ly.
dia. Hes my friend"
The sneer left Charles face and he
laughed. "Your friend is he, little
sunfsh!'
"Yes," said Lydia, furiously. "He
gave me ADAM" hugging the dogs
ugly, faithful head. He Immediately
tried to sit in her wet lap. "And he's
done as much for me as my own
father"
IF he's your friend" said the In
dian gently, II won't speak against
him to you again"
Lydia instantly was Modified.
Charlie was so old and so young! He
was so different from Kent that star
ing into his deep black eyes, Lydia
suddenly felt his alien race.
81 must go In and Dress" she said.
Its time to get supper"
Charlie nodded and united his
canoe.
Daddy" Lydia said that night at
supper, why should Mr.. Marshall and
Charlie Jackson both say Mr. Levine
Is crook?"
Amos ate piece of bread medi-
tatively before replying. "Any man
that goes into politics in this country
leaves his reputation behind him. You
and I'll never have better friend
than John Levine"
Lydia nodded. She was only q
child, after all, and still retained Inn
plicit faith in the opinion of those she
loved. She went back to school that
fall full of interest and importance.
She was sophomore now and very
proud of the fact that she knew the
ropes. Her arrangement with Billy
held for his second-year books. With
much pinching of the grocery money,
Lizzie had achieved two new galatea
sailor suits and so while she felt in
finitely inferior to the deliberately
gowned young misses of her grade,
Lydia was not unhappy.
She planned real feast for Thanks