The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-04-13
Illustrated byRHLivingstone

the receiver without waiting TO hear
any more, and proceeded about hi;
farm tasks. Thoughts Of anger toward
Eve, now so oyerbearing and con
temptuous. were soon crowded out
however. by anticipation Of the time
when Polly would belong to hlm-be
his to love or abuse at his own sweet
will. for Oscar had little doubt that
the squatter girl would eventually
yield TO his will
Pollyop, meanwhile. quite uncon'
scious OF Oscars vicious Intentions
was already utterly overwhelmed with
misery.
After the meager supper was ovei
that night, she sat crouched near the
wood-box. her arm around Billy Hop
kins stringy neck. Granny Hope was
In bed and Wee Jerry. having cried
himself 10 sleep. was In Jeremiah's
room, rolled up In u blanket.
For the FIRST time In her life Polly
had seen her father weep. How Inn
petuously she had kissed away his
tears How she had hung to his neck
When they had been forced to leave
him. Jerry had shrieked his misery all
the way through the streets of Ithaca
To make the matter worse. II began
to rain. to thunder and tighten. And
now, forlorn, lonely little creature
she sat listening to the tempest out
side with no company but the billy
goat.
How llstless and hopeless she felt
Only when the thunder rolled over the
lake. and the lightning flashed across
the sky, did she lift her head When
she was happy. Polly loved ths
storms, but now, with Daddy in Au
burn, how could she bear the thrash
ing rain and the moan of the willow
trees as they swung to and fro over
the shanty roof7
She found herself wishing fearfully
that the storm would sweep of to the
south and down behind the hills. Over
and over In her mind went the thought
that perhaps she could have helped
Daddy II she had done what Evelyn
wanted her to. Why hadn't she con
sented TO marry Oscar two weeks agoi
She knew why. and. blushing. blamed
herself. She could not keep the Image
of Robert Percivsl from smiling al
her.
All OF a sudden frightful fash OF
lightning made dim the flicker from
the small candle. and was followed In
stantly by thunderous roar that
shook the very earth. Mingled with II
came woman's scream. Polly strug
gled to her feet. Some one was In
trouble Some squatter-woman was
calling her She dashed toward the
door Just as Il flung wide open, and
Evelyn Robertson rushed in.
"Polly Hopkins" she cried. grasping
the squatter girls arm, "Pollyop
something struck Oscar. and he's dead
In the road"
FranticalIy she drew the dazed Pol
Iy over the threshold The darkness
was dense. and the torrents OF rain
pelted their faces. Another zigzai
streak OF fire ran across the sky, max
ing a vivid picture as II blazed Cor
nell university into plain view. In ths
white light OF II. Polly saw man ly
ing face down in the path leading e
the shanty. He made no effort TO get
up as the two girls bent over him.
'Mebbe he aIn't dead" mutterec
Polly. shuddering. Lets lug him In
the hut"
Between them they dragged th'
heavy. inert body into the shanty and
shut the door. Oscar looked dead
when they turned him over. His fac'
was liyld. and his eyes tightly shut
The thunder bit bin. huhf" ques
toned Polly. awestruck
Shudder after shudder ran over Ev
elyn.
n don't know she maaned Yes
j suppose 50. on. It was dreadful ''
she BEGAN 20 cry. wrineing her handi
desperately.
Dent So that begged PoiIyop. viii
shIver. -Come CD an help me sei In
e. On NJ bunk
Weak from the shock. Evelyn wss
u little service ln lifing Oscar. Bot
he bed was low. and finally after mueh
tagging. he WIS rolled lifelessiy over
"a his back. stretched 70 his full length
On the rickety cot
standing side BY side. the girs
looked snKi0usiy down upon him
4 guess mebbe he's dead. sln't her
qaeriei Polly woefuily.
shaking OF her supsrstirous terror
Evelyn touched the prostrate man
Perhaps be vas dad and out Of some
<here a though; shot lato Der mind