The local papers refused to report the commission’s session.  But papers outside the State were voracious for the news and little by little tales were published to the world that made Lake City citizens when out of the city, hesitate to confess the name of their home town.

The leading trustee of the Methodist Church was found to have married a squaw in order to get her pine and her pitiful Government allowance.  His white wife and children left him when this was proved to them, and it was proved only when the starving squaw and her starving children were finally acknowledged by the trustee before the commission.

The Methodists were held up to scorn for a few months until a prominent Presbyterian who was the leading grocer in town was found to have supplied the Indian Agent for years with tainted groceries for the Indians.

The most popular dentist in town filled teeth for the Indians whenever they received their allowances.  His method of filling was simple.  He drove empty copper cartridge caps over the teeth.  These when burnished made a handsome showing until gangrene set in.  The afflicted Indians were then turned over to a popular young doctor of Lake City who took the next year’s allowance from the bewildered patients.

Marriage after marriage of squaws with Lake City citizens was unearthed, most of these same citizens also having a white family.  Hundreds of tracts of lands that had been obtained by stealing or by fraud from full bloods were listed.  Bags of candy, bits of jewelry, bolts of cotton had been exchanged for pine worth thousands of dollars.

It was a nerve-racking period for Lake City.  Whether purposely or not, the net did not begin to close round John Levine till toward the end of the hearing.  Nor did Levine come home until late in the summer, when the commission had been sitting for some months.

In spite of a sense of apprehension that would not lift, the year was a happy one for Lydia.  In the first place, she went to three college dancing parties during the year.  The adaptability of the graduation gown was wonderful and although Lydia knew that she was only a little frump compared with the other girls, Billy, who took her each time, always wore the dress suit!  So she shone happily in reflected elegance.

In the second place, three men called on her regularly—­Billy, Kent and Professor Willis.

In the third place, Kent asked her to go with him to the last party and, to Lydia’s mind, a notable conversation took place at that time.

“Thanks, Kent,” said Lydia, carelessly, “but I’m going with Billy.”

“Billy!  Always Billy!” snorted Kent.  “Why, you and I were friends before we ever heard of Billy!”

“Yes,” returned Lydia calmly, “and in all these years this is the first time you’ve asked me to go to a party.  I’ve often wondered why.”

Kent moved uncomfortably.  “Pshaw, Lyd, you know I always went with some girl I was having a crush on—­that was why.”