Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-05-11
= The Weekly Ledger's New Serial Story

her task Of hammering me pieces Of
tin over the holes through which the
water dripped. Once in a while she
stopped working. and. fat N her stom.
ach, sought for smaller cracks.
Just AZ she had mended the last
hole, she heard the sound of horses
hoofs and mems voices. With the fear
Of the prosecuted, she crouched close
to the roof, and like some frightened
animal, crawled TO the edge Of 1t.
Squatters did not speak like that,
neither did they ride horseback.
There In the lane, astride two mag
nifcent animals, were two men. One
she recognized instantly. Polly had
every reason to know the tall man
whose dark, handsome face had cast
deep shadows over the Silent City.
| Marcus Mackenzie had been for years
the Nemesis that hung over the Cayu-
60 lake squatters. Even during his
absence on war work abroad, his long
arm had often reached back 10 the
Silent City to pick away some huS-
band and close the prison gates be-
hind him.
Pollyop had q passionate desire to
throw the ak at him. She knew there
was not a heart In all the Silent City
! that did not beat with dread at the
| very mention Of his name.
Then she caught q glimpse Of the
other mans face and forgot her terror
Of Marcus Mackenzie. In Ithaca and
about Il she had seen many soldiers
but never anyone like MacKenzie's
companion. He was dressed in an Of.
dcer's uniform, and, as his hoTss
whirled him into better view, the
frown faded from Pollyop's brow az
she gaEed wonderingly upon him. She
marked his flashing glancess that
swept the Silent City. She noted with.
q strange little thrill the beauty Of the
clearcut features, the full, kindly
mouth and the smooth, tanned skin.
Marcus Mackenzie was speaking
rapidly, and though Polly could not
hear what he said. she knew he was
talking Of the sQuatters. Then words
that made her Jingle with joy came
distinctly to her ears.
"But you can't turn a lot Of folks
out Of their homes, Marc" rang forth
q deep, rich voice. Where under the
heaven would they go II you did,"
Anywhere they DIN please
snarled Mackenzie CONTEMPORARY.
'If they were all dead, they'd be bet
ter off, and Ithaca too"
Polly's hand frightened on the ak
handle. To let it fly straight into the
face Of the naughty Ithacan would
have been satisfaction indeed
"Have you tried to buy them outf''
asked the other.
"No, and / don't intend to-" was the
sharp retort. They'll 60 because I'll
make them go, that's all. I've been
too busy for the last two years "a
make much OF a dent, among them
but, now I'm home for good, ! mean t.
clear them on" An outward gesture
of the oflcer's hand told Polly he wai
not In sympathy with MacKenEiss
threat. HY0u cant Judge Of the sItua
tion, Bob" Marcus went on, because
you've been gone for years. Eyelyr
can tell you what they ara, though"
The speaker wheeled his hovse ant
pointed his riding whip straight at III,
Hopkins' Ehanty; and Poily's curl.
head drew quickly back. \
Zone Of the worst Of them live
therein she heard plainly. Hes sor
Of q mayor Of the settlement. Jefe
miah Hopkinsi And such q tribe a
that hut holds can't be found any
! where else in this county. A worth
less, tangle-haired girl and a boy hal
: ia the grave, and ! heard only TIL
! morning they're harboring q nag b
I the name Of hope. They live like pig
|. too
i '"The poor things haven't much Of
chance to live otherwise, have the,
: Marcf' The question evidently +,
I Quired no answer. "Well, what do 70
! think Of that1' he went on. Then b
: read aloud: IF your heart Is lovin
! and kind, come right In. II 1t ain
. scOot or Why, that's beautiful r.
= The warm. veivety brown the nc
mans threats had made a hard glal
was brought back to Polly's eyes b
these words. She could have huge
\ the speaker as hard as she sometime
Il did Daddy Hopkinsi
IA 4 H afVa.. - NE.N Az aHNg a@Fe NF-~vX~--
4 perfect roti Your aunt was sayir
\ this morning that the Hopkins girl
4 ar odd ais she II filthy. The very Id
Of having a thing like that huns up
Polly saw the younger man rea,
H out ana touch the speaker with
gioved hand.
4 aLove isn't rubbish, wherever v,
find It, old chapi' he exclaimed. !.
gives even a squatter shack d Gimp
\ Of heaven. You ought to help the
4 people, Marc. Give them q chanc
4 make something of them, and. tn
4 won't bother you"
\ Burning tears filed Polly's eyes. 7
hear him speak In sympathy with b
"a nSlcEuucH IBltitub LuuCucu HtI utNn
And he had spoken Of love In the sar
way Granny Hope did, too. Polly
4 had never imagined Old Mares XII
4 ever thought Of the meek-the lowly
and the Anngry. Far above the wor
up IN tfa skies beyond the clou
where the blue was, right alongsi
the crucihed Savior. Polly Hopki
placed this. new friend Of the. Siit