Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-08-10

sd finished, enc place for q decent
s1ri."
Stupe8ed BY the food Of disasters
nat had overwhelmed her. Polly
watched Robert Pereival lead his cou'
sia from the hut. After the first wild
lnDulse to tell him the truth. she has
made NO further effort to clear herself.
Evelyn Robertson was going to hold
her to the word she had made two
years agoi Being innately honest Der.
ed. Pollyop could see no way to
nghten her own detection or to still
Roberts fierce anger. Her little world
~ tumbling 70 pieces around har. No
lsnger could she think Of him O. her
0Wn, though but a few short minutes
hefore he had comforted her with
Asses and promises. He had demand
81 that she should trust him yet at
ire very FIRST trial Of his faith he had
hung away and left her alone.
Blinded By tears. she felt her way
20 the cot. Bennett lay In the same
pazation. his wide-open eyes holding
an expression Of horror.
'1She's got q lily liver an right, o.
car" Polly hissed through her teeth.
dad you hear all what she said7"
Such is the power of habit over a
nature like the squatter girls that
Robert faded from her mind, and os-
car Bennett. suffering and dying. alb
nOrbed her whole atteAtion.
"Cant you hear anything, Oscari''
abe questioned. Listen, mebbe you'll
get well. II you DO. take your old
NANNY an get out quick. 1--WE amt
worth one Of your toe nails. You've
been a mean duifae, Oscar. but you're
TOO d-n good fog her. God. but she
were q wicked woman, wasn't she,
auh?"
Not a move Of the heavy head on
the pillow gave evidence that she had
been heard.
She was still standing by Benefits
side when. without knocking, Robert
opened the door and came In, followed
BY the doctor. Polly recognized the
stranger instantly az the medical man
who lived q short distance down the
boulevard. In anxious inquiry she
glanced at Percival.
Observing that she had been weep.
ing, his anger fared again. 1t never
occurred to him that his own cruelty
had drawn the tears from her y
There was the huge farmer stretched
out on the, bed and the sQuatter girl
crying beside him +! She was mourning
over the stricken mani Robert
frowned; and h~opelessly, in silence,
Polly moved aside TO give the doctor
the space she had occupied.
After a hasty examination Of the pa
dent, Doctor Bacon turned to Polly
Hopkins. :
Something struck him." he said
shortly. you've been quarreIing with
him. Ell, girl? What did you hit him
within"
Accusation rang against her not
emily in the speakers tones but In Rob-
exits inarticuiate cry
'Why did you strike him, Polly Hop.
kinsf" he demanded hoarsely. did
your Speak, Did you?"
That he should believe such things
Of her crushed her completely. Her
head fell forward, but not until Rob-
ert spoke again harshly did she an
swer.
"Nope." she breathed. Her tongue
salt as II It were covered with ashes.
Nope. l didn't hit him !"
That was all she said. She looked
up at him p~leadingly through her thick
iashes. Perhaps he did not really be-
iieve her guilty. Yes. he did! He was
still fixing upon her that accusatory
gaze.
He'd better be moved out Of this
hole" observed the doctor, looking
around, 'but it's an awful night" He
considered a moment and then added:
~T1l telephone to ithaca for an ambu-
lance
Sternly he directed a look of disgust
at Polly. He hated attending the
sQuatters anyway, and never would
have consented to enter the Silent City
IL Robert Percival had not come for
him.
Aghast at the horror of the emer-
gency. Pollyop seemed not to notice
the physicians contempt.
sis he goln' to die, mister7" she
queried plaintively.
II don't know" he replied In gruff
indecision. as he prepared a draught.
When everything within human,
power had been done for Oscar Ben
nett, Robert allowed the doctor 10 pass
ont Of the hut before him. Then, like
q shot, he turned back to Polly's side.
His eyes blazed with jealousy; and
quickly It crossed her mind that he
was going to strike her. OH How she
wished he would and then take back
all the cruel words he had hurled at
herr
''When you said you loved me. you
He'd" he gritted savagely. "You knew
all the time you had him. You let me
kiss youi You said love was the
greatest thing In the worldt-Oh, Godi
How I wish ! could hate yoni"
Polly could not speak, neither could
she move. Imprisoned tragedy lay In
the depths OF her eyes. II he had been
less violent, she would have implored
him to trust her.
Perciyai really hoped she would re-
sent his accusations. Stormy denials
would have been SWEET music to his
cara. He would have welcomed even
q torrent Of abuse from her. Anything
vas less m~addening than this sinister
silence that seemed TO put the stamp
Of truth upon his cousins explanation
Of BENEFITS presence.
'sEVhy don't you speak?' he rasped.