The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-01-28


ton." said Lydia, suddenly. 1T seems
as If one couldn't get enough OF this
first spring day"
Dor Mas voice was always extra
cordial when she spoke TO Lydia.
Lizzie watched the door close be-
hind the two. AZ knew IT," she ex-
claimed.
Knew whatT inquired Amos, look
ing up from his figures.
THAT there was a new moon, an
swered the old lady shortly, trudging
or to her bedroom.
Liz is getting childish" thought
Amos, returning TO his work.
Billy's mother went into the kitchen
entrance and Lydia went over to the
dim figure on the steps.
"Your mother told me to speak TO
YOU" she said meekly.
II heard her" Billy gave a low
laugh. Come up here In the shadow,
sweetheart, and tell me II you ever
saw such a moonlit and starlit night"
The night was brilliant and Billy,
responding TO some little petitioning
note In Lydia's voice, did not 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 calluses on II, and ran
il over his cheeks, brushed her cheek
against his shoulder, and then ran
away.
She finished her studying and 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!' 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 one of con-
tinual surprise to her. She had wax
ened TO a dawn Of robin songs, and
had dressed with an answering song
in her own heart She was as one
who had never known sorrow or anxi-
ETY.. Her whole future lay before her,
a clear and unobstructed pathway.
For Lydia had found herself. She
was a creature TO whom 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 one
these had been taken from her and
she had struggled to give this devo-
ton to Kent, but she could not give
where there was no understanding.
And now she saw that for years II
had been Billy. Billy, who combined
all the best of what her mother, her
baby sister and Levine had meant to
her, with something greatly more-the
divinity Of passion-a thing she could
not understand, 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 10 get away with it He's
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. Il made up 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
farm up there, that will blot out all
memory Of what Mr.. Levine did. But
I'm going TO work for ii as a home
steader has to and not take any ad-
vantage through Mr.. Levine's graft.
I'm going TO homestead for that land"
There was no escaping the note of
finality 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.
Yes, Kent, but 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
talk to you wteI Tn not so sore," and
be walked out of the house
Lydia turned TO Amos and Lizzie.
There" she said, happily, I've got
Kent settled for life!"
Amos sank into his armchair.
Lydia, have you lost your mind." he
grOaned.
mo, I've found 1t, daddy. Poor
dad, don't look as If you'd fathered
a lunatic! Daddy, let's homestead
that landl Let's quit this idea of
getting something by graft Let's do
like our forefathers did Let's home
stead that land! Let's earn it BY
farming It."
Lydia's father looked at her, long
and meditatiyely. He was pretty well
discouraged about the probability of
ever getting a clear title to the land
through Kent or Marshall. And the
longer he looked at Lydia the more
his mind reverted TO New England, to
old tales of the farm on which he and
his ancestors had been bred.
"a man with three hundred and
twenty acres of land is power in the
community" he said. suddenly.
Lydia nodded. Amos began to walk
the floor. I'm still a young man. If
had the backing that land gives a
man, could clean out a lot of rotten
ness in the state. Even If l oSly did
II by showing what man with a clean
record could make of himself
That's just the point" cried Lydia
eagerly, "and your record wouldn't
have been clean If you'd gotten it
through Marshall"
IF take Browns offer for the cot
tage IL would leave US enough 10 get