The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-03-16

1 Nal avoided tHs Isl. arc strQck as
Bennett sent hy Again and again
Bennett tried TO come 10 close quar-
tiers. Bot be coulo not neither could
he hlt his elusive opponent At length
he hesltat~d distressed As much By
his own efforts as the blows he had
received
Then perclvsl stepped in. and quick
ly il was all over Two wen planted
thumps laid Bennett like a log on the
ground.
Robert busted on his hands. picked
Wee Jerry up. and handed him 70 biz
sister.
did he hurt you. Pollyrs he queried
and her answer was positively gieeful
~Nary BIT, sir an reckon the biz
lummoI's got 3 plenty this time
Robert brushed on his clothes slow.
ly. The farmer still lay on the ground
Get up" ordered Perciyal scornfuI.
~, touching the PROSTATE man with
the toe OF his boot Get up and make
on II you don't want me TO lick you
again"
Oscar rolled over and crawled slow.
IS to his hands and knees.
1.-THE grounds kinda wabbly, amt Il,
Oscar Polly glbed.
"Get out" commanded Robert, once
more.
Bennett scrambled to his feet, shook
his fist at Polly. snatehed up the little
dead lamb, and In another moment
had climbed the fence and was gone.
"What were you fighting aboutf
began Robert, looking keenly at Pol
lyop.
Tears hung on the girls lashes. and
the sensitive underlip quivered.
Oscar said MS how Nannyop were
his" she murmured Weren't II awful
for him to swat II with that stone that
wayf"
"Did you" He broke OF the CUES
ton abruptly. He was going to ask
her II she had stolen the lamb but an
expression In the pleading, misty eyes
stopped him.
Il found the little Teller drownln' In
the creek, SIR" she explained with
bowed head Il just took him home to
love him, that was all"
The strange, thrilling emotion that
had overcome Robert but short time
ago In the presence Of this squatter
girl attacked him again.
what can | do to help you, childr
he demanded sharply
Polly flung out her hand. Help
that was what the squatters wanted.
The little lamb was dead. Nothing
could ever hurt IL any more. But there
were her people
"Just help Daddy Hopklns'-she
choked and went on-"an all the poor
folks in the Silent City, an-all-Ill
love you forever and forever"
After that the "llttlest mother"
made large strides upward toward the
greatest mother" Every little wor-
ried thing In the woods every heavy
heart in the squatter settlement felt
the difference In Polly Hopkins. She
smiled more, she talked more; and,
when she found a group of her women
folks wondering how their absent lad
dies were, she led them In smiling as
surance to Old Mares fence and there
repeated what Robert Perclval had
said about the Greatest Mother in the
World.
One morning Poilyop was cleaning
the shanty and Granny Hope was seat
ed by the stove A sharp rap came on
the door When Polly opened II and
recognized the caller, she would have
closed the door and barred 1t II a
mans heavy boot. thrust across the
threshold, had not prevented her.
There In his riding clothes. naughty
and frowning, stood Marcus MaeKen-
gle.
"Where's jeremiah Hopkinsr' he
demanded, cycling Pollyop sternly.
She fidgeted with the edge Of her
apron. Had Mackenzie come to harm
her best belovedf
"My caddy's gone out" she returned |
finally, In low tone.
"Then I'll wait" said Marcus. 'T'll |
sit down and walt"
Polly sci out a chair for him, her |
legs trembling so she could scarcely |
stand. Granny Hope grunted out a
word of greeting. but the man gave |
her no answer; and. after blinking at |
him a few times, the old woman fell |
asleep
"ThIs is rotten hole" spat out |
Mackenzie presently. looking at the |
girl
This scornful comment on the quar- |
tiers Daddy Hopkins worked so hard |
10 support touched the squatter girl |
to the quick. She kept the hut as
clean as broom and lake water could |
make IL
Its our home. mister; all we got"
she replied. and she Strengthened her
shoulders with dignity.
Rotten. Just the same" repeated /.
Marcus. "Say. youi Come and stand |