The Lamar register., 1922-05-24

large bundle through the doorway and
threw It down on Polly's bed.
Heavy-lidded. the girl gazed upon 1t.
her eyes widening in JOY, joy at the
thought Of Old Mares misery; Joy at
the thought Of getting even. The
frightful emotion that surged through
her bore relation only by contrast to
the delights of few months back,
when her willing legs had trotted the
country over to help every one that
needed her. II wasn't the same Polly
at ALL This Polly lifted her foot and
kicked the bundle none too lightly.
ave had HI Of time gettin' 'er
here, Poll" erowled Lye Braeger
"Outside it's like II million crazy
devils was howlin' over the hills. But
we brought 'er just the ssmel Now
do what you like with 'er, bratl"
White teeth cleaned through the
maniacal smile that parted the girls
lips. At last She had not lived
through interminable days for moth
ingi
"Scoot out, youi" she ordered, wav-
ing her hand at them. "an' keep a
Ndtfi hubul ltii 4 Etl
Braeger made for the door as II
anxious to be gone; but Larry Bishop
held TO the spot where he stood.
''She's woman, Polly Hopkins" he
muttered his eyes turning from the
cot to the rigid girl. "if she is Old
Mares wife He's home too, so Lye
saysi"
what do care where the pup is7"
she thrust In vehemently. "'Course
she's woman! So be 1 an so were
your dead Betsy"
Then she stamped her foot tenn
pestuously.
"Get out OF here an watch for Mac
Kenzie an his folks she snapped.
"It's about time he were stormln' the
Silent City, I'm thinkin'."
Roughly she showed the men out
into the blizzard and closed the door.
Then she stood with her back to 1t.
deep sobs racking her body.
Now as she had almost died. and
Wee Jerry too. so would Marcus Mac
Kenzie. The vicious hope that she
could see him writhe in his grief took
possession Of her.
Distraughtly she placed the bar
across the door. making sure 1t was
locked. Then, creeping to the cot,
she gazed down at the wet bundle.
There, where she had helped Oscar
Bennett over dark rough places into
the light OF Eternity, lay the dearest
dear of her bitterest enemy.
She uttered an exclamation when
she saw lifting shudder go over the
thing on the bed. A smile fitted
across her face. and her hands came
together convulslvely.
Slowly she knelt down and un-
wrapped the thick blanket; and Eve
lyn MacKezie was staring out at her,
duh eyed and terrified. A dark rag
completely filled her mouth and Polly
grinned at her.
''Do you know what squatters do to
chickens they swlpe from you rich
folks?" she asked huskily.
Although she could not speak, Eve
lyn heard and understood. She closed
her eyes. her face going drabber in
the fiickering light. but at a sound the
weary lids flew open again.
Polly had stepped to the wood-box
and was picking up the AK. She
brought 1t forward, and smiling the
same sinister smile, showed II to the
pallid girl.
This" was all she said. tapping
the handle
Evelyn struggled; and Polly
laughed, a wicked laugh, no more like
the ripple which Daddy Hopkins had
loved to hear than the bark of a wolf
is like the lark's morning song.
Tears rose into Evelyn's eyes and
rolled down her cheeks. The smile
faded slowly from Polly's face. Ever
had excrucIating agony touched her:
like a sunbeam through a rift In q
storm cloud, the old Polly leaped up to
take heed of another's hurt This feel.
ing she crushed down but she put the
AK on the floor and squatted beside the
bed
Scarcely had she done this before
loud knock came on the door. She
threw the blankets over Evelyn and
went swiftly forward and lifted the
bar.
Larry Bishop thrust the upper half
of his body into the room.
"Old Marc an his gang are in the
Silent City lookin' for his woman" he