Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-03-17

me. No! i starveI i 1reezet NO
can die. She young. She have little
baby. She die"
Suddenly, she flung the watch at
Levine's feet and sank trembling into
her chair.
There was silence for q moment In
at the open window came the rumble
Of q street car. Levine cleared his
throat.
"All this Is dramatic, Of course, but
doesn't make me the murderer Of the
squaw."
"Nol but you killed my father"
shouted Charlie Jackson. And rising,
he hurled forth the story he had told
Lydia, years before. Lydia sat with
her hands clasped tightly in her lap,
her eyes fastened In horror on
Charles face. It seemed to Lydia
that the moose was fastened closer
round Johns neck with every word
that was uttered.
Suddenly she sprang to her feet.
"Stop, Charlie! Stopl' she screamed.
"You shan't say any more"
Senator Elway raped on the table.
You're out of order, Miss Dudley" he
exclaimed, sharply.
Lydia had forgotten to be embar-
raised. 81 can't help 1t II am" she
insisted, II won't have Charlie Jack
son picturing Mr.. Levine as fend,
while 1 have a tongue to speak with.
Mr.. Levine's not a murderer. He
couldn't be. He's been as much to
me as my own father ever since my
mother died when I was little girl.
He's understood me as only my own
mother could.
'You think he could murder when
he could hold q little girl on his
knees and comfort her for the death
Of her little sister, when he taught her
how to find God, when-oh, know
he's robbed the Lndians-so has my
own father, it seems, and so has Pa
Norton, and so has Kent, and all Of
them are dear people. They've all
been wrong. But think Of the tempta-
ton, Mr.. Commissioner! Surprising
you were poor and the wonderful
pines lay up there, so easy to take"
you're covering good deal of
ground and getting away. from the
specific case, Miss Dudley" said
Smith. "Of course, what you say
doesn't exonerate Mr.. Levine. What
you say of his character Is interest
ing but there remains the fact that
he has been proceeding fraudulently
for years in his relations to the In
dian lands. You yourself don't pre-
tend to justify your acts, do you, Mr..
Levine"
Lydia sat down and Levine slowly
rose and looked thoughtfully out of
the window. 1.-THE legality or illegality
Of the matter has nothing to do with
the broader ethics of the case, though
I think you will find, gentlemen, that
my acts are protected by law" he
said. 'The virgin land lies there, in
habited by degenerate race, whose
one hope of salvation lay in amalga-
nation with the white race. An ig-
norant government, when land was
plenty and the tribe was larger, placed
certain restrictions on the reserva-
ton. When land became scarce, and
the tribe dwindled to a handful, those
restrictions became wrong. It was
inevitable that the whites should
override them. Knowing that the
ethics of my acts and those Of other
people would be questioned, I went to
congress to get these restrictions re-
moved If another two years could
have elapsed, before these investiga-
tons had been begun, the fair name
of Lake City never would have been
smirched" Levine's hand on the back
of his chair frightened as he looked
directly at Billy Norton.
Once more Lydia came to her feet
"Oh, Mr.. Levine" she exclaimed
don't put all the blame on Billy !
Really, it's my fault. He wouldn't
have done it If hadn't agreed that it
was right. Oh. it Is all my fault
she repeated brokenly, "all the trouble
that's come to Lake City,"
Billy Norton jumped up. That's
blamed nonsense r. he began, when
Smith interrupted him, impatiently.
"Be seated, Norton" Then, gently,
to Lydia, my dear, you mean that
knowing what an investigation would
mean to the people you love, you
backed young Norton In instigatfng
one
"Yes, sir" faltered Lydia.
"Can you tell us why?" asked FL
way, still more gently.
Lydia twisted her hands uncom-
fortably and looked at Billy.
go ahead, -Lyd," he said, reas-
suringly.
Because it was right" she said, fin
ally. "Because-Ducit Amor Patr1ae
you know, because no matter
whether the Indians were good or bad,
we had made promises to them and
they depended on u.s." She paused.
struggling for words.
81 did 1t because / felt responsible
to the country like my ancestors did,
in the Civil war and In the Revolu-
ton, TOTO take care Of America, to