The Ely miner., 1927-01-21

take it! Don't you see we can't?"
Il can't understand why you act so
like fool" began Amos, querulcusly.
And l can't see why you set your
Judgment up as better than mine. J
swan-eyen your mother never did
that. except on borrowing money.
We won't keep the land. Well sell it
and have the money to clear up the
mortgage on the cottage" He took a
turn up and down the room Il can't
see what's happened TO children nova
days. In my day we obeyed. Lydia,
LIN not going TO discuss this any
longer. You've got to take that land"
Lydia sat with her thin hands
clasped before her on the table, her
clear eyes fastened on her fathers
face.
Amos looked down at his daughter
grimly. Cant you see what a fool
you are!" he shouted. .'The land can
never go back to the Indians. John
took good care of that. If you don't
take it, somebody else will Can't
you seew
"I'll do anything you want but this,
dad" she said.
But this Is all l want. It's what
I've wanted for years, this little bit
of land. And you haven't any idea
what that feeling is"
Like fash Lydia saw again long
aisles of pines, smelled again the odor
Of the needles, heard again the mur-
muring call of the wind.
Good Godi" cried Amos, tossing
his pipe on the table, poverty
bounded me all my life-poverty and
death. The only two people who
cared about me. Patience and Le-
where gone. Yet here's the chance
for me to be independent Here's a
chance for me TO make up for the
failure I've made Of life A man with
little piece Of property like this and
little bank account is somebody in
| the community. What do I care how
l get ii, as longs I can hold it?
What's lot of dirty Indians to stand
between me and my future? But what
| do you carer
80 daddy o daddy How can you
talk so to me!'' groaned Lydia. She
put her hands over her eyes for a
| moment, swallowed a sob and then
started for the outer door. She caught
her coat from the nail and closed the
door behind her.
An irresistible impulse had carried
her from the house. She wanted to
see Billy. 1t was still early and a lam
| tern f1ickered in the Norton barnyard.
| She ran across to the shed door. Billy
| was whistIing to himself as he began
| TO bed down the cattle for the night.
Lydia looked at him eagerly In the
dim light. How big and strong he
| wasl
! "BillyI'' she said, softly
The young man dropped his pitch
fork and came toward her. What's
the matter, LydiaI" he exclaimed
dad and I've been having an awful
quarrel"
about the land?" asked Billy
quickly.
Lydia nodded. "Oh, 1 don't know
what to do" And then, not having
meant to do so at all, she suddenly
began to cry.
"Why can't they let you alone, d-n
'em!" exclaimed Billy, furiously.
"Come away from that cold doorway,
| dear" And he led her into the warm
stable and over to a harness box.
There" pulling her down beside him
on the box, and putting his arm about
her, don't cry, Lydia. I can't stand
it. I'm liable to go over and say
things to your father and Kent. I'll
| tell 'em both, some time, what think
of their bullying you this way"
A vague, warm sense Of comfort
| and protection was stilling Lydia's
| trembling. She rose and looked up
into his face gratefully 'T don't see
why you're so good to me-" she said.
DO you want me to tell your be-
gan the young man eagerly.
No! Nor Lydia began to move
hastily toward the door, Don't come
home with me, Billy. I'll just run
back alone"
Billy's face in the lantern light was
inscrutable ''T'l obey tonight, Lydia, |"
he said, "but the times coming, when
I won't" and he picked up the pitch
fork he had dropped.
With the sense of comfort and pro-
lection sustaining her, Lydia went
homeward under the winter stars.
| Kent's automobile was standing be-
fore the gate and Lydia's heart sank.
| It was the first time In her life she
ever had been sorry at the thought of
seeing Kent.
He was sitting before the base burn
er with her father and jumped UP to
help her take her coat Off He greeted
her soberly.
''Your fathers been telling me
about your discussion, Lyd," he said.
You can't mean to stick by your de-
| cision 20
Lydia sat down wearily. "Oh, Kent,
don't you begin at me. too"
Now look here, Lydia" began Kent,
'let's begin at the beginning and sift
this thing out" and once more he be-
gan his arguments on the Indian
| question
'sDon't you see?" he ended finally.
Il see how you feel, yes" replied
, Lydia. But just because you can list
what you call average American busi-
ness deals that are crooked, you aren't
justified in being crooked, are your
Kent threw out his hand helplessly,
and for moment there was silence
in the room, then he said. "Well, after
all, there's nothing so selfish as your
Puritans. OF course, every one but
yourselves is wrong And, of course,
il doesn't occur TO you that it might