Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-02-10

she said.
4whatl When you know he's
murderer"
"He never intended to kill your IA
Their. Anyhow, can't help what he's
done. He's like my own father and
brother and mother all in one to me-"
The two young people sat looking
into each others eyes. Suddenly
Charlie threw Lydia's hand from him,
and, like Billy Norton, he strobe down
the path and out of the gate without
a word.
Levine did not appear at the cot
tage for several days. During that
time Lydia tried to put Charles story
out of her mind.
When John did come out she avoid
ed talking to him and he caught her
several times looking at him with
sad and puzzled expression. When
they started on, their usual Sunday
walk, Amos went back to the house
for his cane and Levine said, abrupt
ly, "Out with it, young Lydia! Been
hearing more stories about my wick
edness?"
Lydia nodded, miserably.
"My DEAR" Levine said quietly, "this
Is q mans game. I'm playing rough
and-tumble, catch-as-catch-can fight.
In It the weak must fail and maybe
die. But out Of it great good will
come to this community. AS long as
the Indians are here to exploit, this
community will be demoralized. I'm
using every means, fair or foul, to
carry my purpose. Can't you let 1t
go at thatr'
Lydia set her teeth. Eyes, I can
and WILL" she said, as her father
came up with his cane.
And though this was more easily
said than done and the thought Of
murdered chiefs and starved babies
troubled her occasionally, she did not
really worry over it all as much as
she might have were she not entering
her senior year in the high school.
After the Christmas holidays Mar
gerry departed for an eastern finishing
school. The night after her departure
Kent made his first call on Lydia In
many months. The two withdrew to
the kitchen to make candy and there
Lydia's surprise and pleasure gave
way to suspicion. Kent seemed to
want to talk for the most part about
Margery!
Hasn't she grown to be beauty"
he said, beating the fudge briskly.
"She always was beautiful" replied
Lydia, though she's an awful silly.
She never reads anything, and she
flunked all her Thanksgiving exami-
nations"
Anybody as pretty as Margery
doesn't need to be brilliant" said
Kent.
"And she spoons, and you don't
think much of girls that spoon" Lyd-
las cheeks were a deeper pink than
usual.
"Shucks, don't be catty, Lydia I"
growled Kent. ~ .--a'-'s-. -
Kent called several times during the
winter, but he never asked Lydia to
20 to q party nor did any Of the other
boy friends she saw daily In school
boys with whom she chummed over
lessons, who told her their secrets,
. who treated her as a mental equal, yet
never asked her to call, or slipped
boxes Of candy into her desk or asked
her into drug store for sundae or
a hot chocolate.
Nobody resented this state Of affairs
more than old Lizzie. After Kent's
third or fourth call, she said to Lydia.
closing the door behind him, Eyes,
Kent'll come out here and see you,
but I notice he don't take you any
where. If you had fine party clothes
and lived on Lake Shore avenue, he'd
be bowling and scraping fast enough"
Lydia tossed her head. II don't care
about going to parties"
"You do, too," insisted the old lady.
you're eating your heart out. I
know. was young once"
Amos looked up from his paper.
'Lydia's too young to go If they did
ask her. But why don't they ask"
"It's because I'm too poor and live
so far out and don't spoon" an
swered Lydia. 81 don't care, tell
you" And just to prove that she
didn't care, Lydia bowed her face in
her hands and began to cry.
A look of real pain crossed Amos
face. He got up hastily and went to
Lydia's side. r.
"Why, my little girl, I thought you
were perfectly happy this year. And
your clothes look nice to me-" He
smoothed Lydia's bright hair with his
work-scarred hand. II tell you, I'll
borrow some money, by heck. and get
you some clOthes"
Lydia raised startled face. "No!
Mol I'd rather go in rags than bor-
row money. We're almost out OF
debt now, and we'll stay out. Don't
borrow, daddy" her voice rising hys-
terically. "Don't borrowl"
"All right, dearie, all right" said
Amos
The matter was not mentioned
again directly. But the little scene
ranked with Amos. A week or so
later he said at supper, Lydia, I'm
thinking seriously Of moving. can
borrow enough money, I find, to add