The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-12-23

a DIV lfeo
: Robin Songs.
> Ing note in Lydia's voice, did no
offer TO touch her but stood looking
. down at the sweet, dim face turned
up to his. She lifted her hand
that thin hand with the work cal
luses on it, and ran it over hi'
cheeks, brushed her cheek agains
his shoulder, and then ran away.
She finished her studying anC
went to bed early, only to lie awake
for hours. At last she crept out OF
bed and, as once before. she
clasped her hands and lifted her
face TO the heavens. Thank you
God y she whispered. Then she
went to sleep.
The next night Kent came out to
the cottage. Lydia dreaded his com
ing so little that she was surprised.
Yet this day had been n of con-
tInual surprise to her. She had
wakened to a dawn OF robin songs,
and had dressed with an answer
ing song In her own heart. She
was as n who had never known
sorrow or anxiety. Der whole fu-
ture lay before her, a clear and
unobstructed pathway.
For Lydia had found herself. She
was a creature TO whom a great
love and devotion were essential
as motive forces. In turn she had
given this, in childish form TO her
mother, TO little Patience and TO
Levine. One by n these had been
taken from her and she had strug-
gled to give her devotion TO Kent,
but she could not give where there
var no understanding.
And nov she saw that for years
it had been Billy. Billy, who COM
bined all the best of what her
mother, her baby sister and Levine
greatly more-the divinity of pas
sion-a thing she could not under
stand. yet that had created a new
world for her.
Kent tossed his hat on the
couch and shook his head at Amos.
Dawes not going to get away with
it. He's got some kind of a row go
Ing with the Whisky people and he
says we might as well count him
out. | don't know what to do now
Amos groaned. Lord, what
luck :"
Don't let 1t worry you" said
Lydia calmly. 81 made up my mind
today that I'd go ahead and enter
on that land just as other folks are
doing. In the good old way. I'm
going to make a farm up there,
that will blot out all memory Of
what Mr.. Levine did. But I'm
going to work for 1t as a home
steader has to and not take any adj
vantage through Mr.. Levine's graft.
I'm going to homestead for that
land" There was no escaping the
note Of inality in her decision.
Kent's face whitened. He looked
up steadily at Lydia. The sweat
stood on his forehead.
you know what that means, as
far as I'm concerned" he said.
Lydia, chin up, gaze never more
clearly blue, nodded.
Eyes, Kent. we never would have
been happy. You and Margery were
meant for each other, anyhow. Go
to Margery now and tell her, Kent"
Kent picked up his cap. you
aren't treating me right, Lydia. I'll
to you when I'm not so sore"
and he walked out of the house.
Lydia turned to Amos and Liz
zie. There" she said, happily,
1--WE got Kent settled for life"
Amos sank into his armchair.
Lydia, have you lost your mindT"
he groaned.
mo, I've found 1t, daddy. Poor
dad, don't look as if you'd fathered
lunatlc! Daddy, let's homestead
that land! Let's quit this idea of
something by graft. Let's
10 like our forefathers did. Let's
homestead that landl Let's earn it
BY farming it,"
Lydia's father looked at her, long
and meditatively. He was pretty
we'll discouraged about the prob
of ever getting a clear title
the land through Kent or Mar
'hall. And the longer he looked at
lydia the more his mind reverted
New England, to old tales of the
on which he and his ancestors
lad been bred.
"A man with three hundred and
wenty acres Of land is a power
n the community" he said, sud
lenly.
Lydia nodded. Amos began to
walk the floor. I'm still a young
nan. If I had the backing that
and gives a man, l could clean out
lot Of rottenness in the state.
Even if only did 1t by showing
what a man with a clean record -,
.ould make of himself" f,
That's just the point" cried
lydia eagerly, land your record
wouldn't have been clean if you'd
it through Marshall" ,
IF | take Browns offer for the
It would leave us enough
o get a team, and | bet | could /
lire a tractor TO get to the cleared
PORTION Of it this fall. A hundred
Icres + clear. you know. | might
IS well quit the factory now, ell, 7
.ydiaf" g
With a laugh that had a sob in it y
lydia kissed her father and whirled ]
ut the door. Billy was coming in y
t the gate. She flew down to seize
IS hand and turn him toward the a
Dad. =
Lets walk I've such quantities