Okolona messenger., 1922-07-20
CHAPTER xvII-contlnued.

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with throb at his heart, caught the
thread Of light at the edge of the win
dow blind of his home. Then his Pol
lyop was still up.
"Cover your horses and wait here"
directed Percival to the driver. Then
to Hopkins he said: "As told you,
sir, your daughters suffered frightful-
ly. Poor girl, l am afraid, if you ap-
peared without warning, the shock
would be too much for her. Do as we
agreed in town, and go to Bishops
shack until come for you. I'll tell
her you and the boy are home"
A long sigh slipped from the squat
ter's lips. He desired to rush in and
hold his girl-brat to his overwrought
heart. He had heard with suppressed
emotion Roberts tale of his PollyOp's
| trials, and now as he recollected them
he could scarcely restrain himself. Yet
he realized the young man was right
SO, pulling the child's bowed legs
around his neck, ne faded stolidly in
to the falling snow.
Inside the hut Polly Hopkins was
seated, tensely silent, her slender fin
gers clasped together about her knees
Suddenly she heard voices other than
the low hum of MacKenzie's questions
and Evelyn's sobbing answers in the
coop-hOle.
She arose slowly, ready to spring
at Larry Bishop or Lye Braeger If
they appeared at the door. To send
them away instantly was the decision
that she made as she saw the latch
lift and the door slowly swing in. A
figure she recognized with startled eyes
stepped acress the threshold; she sat
down, but was up again before he
spoke.
The man she had so lOnged to see
had come again. But now he was here,
she did not dare let him stay mo-
ment. Marcus Mackenzie might come
out of the cOop-hole even before she
could send the newcomer away. While
he was pressing his great coat collar
down over his shoulders, she tiptoed
to him and with uplifted hand whis-
pered:
Hush! Go away! Go away
quick !" Making a backward gesture,
she added: "There's some one in the
coop-hole l don't want you to see."
His errand having completely left
his mind, Robert, after moment of
startled inspection, stopped stiffly by
the door. The resentment and jealousy
he had nursed so long lared into ac-
tive life and licked him like flames.
Clothes such as she wore had never
been paid for with squatter money
She was beautiful So much his eyes
told him, but he knew she was not
honest!
She had said there was some one
In the
He fixed her with stern eyes and
then showed her aside.
"I'm going to see who he is" he
snapped.
Polly's fingers caught him as he
tried to pass her.
mo, you can't go in there" she
cried "Please don't do it,"
The sound of their voices brought
In one stride. He halted at the sight
of the squatter girl hanging desperate
ly to Roberts arm. An exclamation
broke from him; and with one wrench
Percival was free and was at him.
$50 it's you!" he said in tone that
told Polly Hopkins what was in his
mind. damn you, you hypocrite-"
His voice broke off, and he brushed
his eyes across with shaking fingers.
There behind Marcus in the cOop-hole
doorway was his pale cousin.
"Evelyn!" he gasped thickly. "God,
what's this all about? Every one of
you look as if-as if"
Bewildered and overcome, he could
not finish his sentence.
Marcus had caught Evelyn to him;
and Pollyop, tearlessly ashamed, had
sunk into the big chair to hide the
flnery which she knew had brought
the hurt into Roberts eyes. She
wished she was clothed in daddys
boots and her own calico dress!
"Shut the door, Bob" Marcus or
dered as calmly as he could.
Mechanically Robert did as he was
hidden. When he turned again, Mar
Gus was seated, with Evelyn clinging |
to him, and PollyOp's face was Gov
cred by one arm.
Evelyn began to cry weakly.
bob, dear" she broke out, looking |
ND at her cousin with streaming eyes,
"Pollyop's been 50 good to me-"
That sounded to Polly as II some
one else were to be punished for the
night's work.
emo, I amt" she protested. lifting
her head. II was awful badI were
the only one to blame. / hated every
enc, Of you. Let me tell all Of you
about Il"
She began at the beginning and re-
pOated how she had eoneOcted the plan
70 steal Ms. Mackenzie. She spoke
Of Larry and Lye as her two friends,
hnt Aid not mention their names.