Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-04-07

they must nunC anu uSH, pul thul
nothing should be caught that the law
forbade 1t was this thought that was
running through the squatter's mind
as he crept up to see If woodchuck
had ventured out. One was sitting
up, taking a suvey of the neigh.
borhood, when Hopkins lifted his gun;
and with one sharp crack and q belch
OF smoke the, furry fellow tumbled
over. %.
The squatter strode forward and
was in the act of picking 1t up when
three men appeared as If they had
sprung from the earth and with raised
pistols closed In upon him.
Jeremiah's huge jaw dropped at the
sight of them, and Wee Jerry's fingers
caught tight hold of his shaggy hair:
Drop that gun," cried one man, and
the still smoking rife fell to the earths
It took but moment to snap pair
of handouts about the dazed mans
wrists. 1t was while Jeremiah's face
was turned upward to quiet the
screaming jerry that one Of the men
quickly substituted dead squirrel,
and another went away with the dead
woodchuck. Then the third slipped
chain around one Of ,Daddy's wrists
and led him down the hill to the rag.
ged rocks, the child still clinging to
his neck.
Polly was standing under willow
tree as her eyes caught sight Of Daddy
Hopkins and Wee Jerry between two
men. One of them strobe along, lit
tie dead body dangling from one hand,
while held in the other hand was her
fathers gum, She ran toward them,
giving spasmodic cries of dismay.
'Daddy!" she screamed.
No answer came from the blinking
squatter.
ave caught him with the goods on"
one man sneered at her.
"But you're goin' to leave him with
me-" she shrilled, making her appeal
TO the man who stood close to Jere-
miah. "Daddy1l promise not to hunt
no more, won't You, honey? Oh, God!
You said you wouldn't shoot nothin
the law said you couldn't"
81 didn't, brat" grunted Hopkins.
Then his eye caught sight Of the
squirrel, and his jaw dropped. A
hoarse groan fell from him.
81 didn't shoot no squirrel. POLL" he
cried out to her. II got that big
chuck c,ere tellIn' you about" Then,
turning glarlng, fury-filled eyes on the
man who had sneered at the girl, he
continued, 'You planted Chat d'-n 1T
tie critter on me, mister, never shot
him." ... .
Pollyop's lids widened in terror.
She lifted one hand and caught the
child's shoulder.
Jerry, baby" she cried madly, "you
was there! Tell Pollyop what Daddy
shot!"
"Sure I was there" he sobbed,
drawing his sleeve, across his face.
"'Twas a big woodchuck settin' up by
his hole, an my Daddy Hopkins"
The officer who had the squirrel in
his hand, put 1t into his pocket and
seized the child by the arm and shook
him.
"Here, kid" he shouted, none Of
your lip. You've been set up to tell
that lie." .... ..
The mans aspect was so threaten
ing that Wee Jerry broke off his words
and, grasping Daddy's bushy head
tightly, smothered his sobs in his hair.
Jeremiah Hopkins made motion to-
ward the speaker, but sharp twist
on the chain around his wrist checked
him.
"You see, brat" he groaned, they've
framed me right" $3.50.
Polly grasped the situation in an in
stant. She knew the planting system
had been practiced on the squatters
before. At last the law had her best
beloved.
Daddy never killed that squirrel"
she raved. "He didn't; an you d-n
buffers know he didn't, You can't get
by with nothin' like that. It's crooked (!
Here, you-you-you gimme my
daddy"
Like wildcat unloosed upon them,
Polly flew first at one, then at the 9th
er. She bit at them, tore at their
clothes and kicked out with her strong,
bare feet; but it was like a small
force attacking mighty mountain.
Strong hands pinioned her arms, and
while she stood raging at them, she
saw Wee Jerry snatched from his ia
ther's shoulders and set on the ground.
Then they led Daddy Hopkins away.
Dazed for a moment, Polly stood shak-
ing from head to foot. Grasping Jerry
by the hand, she ran swiftly after
them, crying out in despair that Daddy
must go home with her and the baby.
AT the lane Hopkins turned and
spoke to her.
Brat" he chOked, swallowing hard,
kiss your daddy, an let me smack
Wee Jerry too. Go on home. I'll be
comm back after n bit. Tell Larry
they got me, an that l said for him to
look after you an the kid"