Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-06-22

~EE 49,
his arms and without a word sal
down. And Pollyop. full or curiosity
and anxiety, sat down too. her bril-.
liant eyes steadily leveled upon Mac
Kenzie.
Hopkins" began Marcus, 1--WE
come with q proposal I o you. II you've
got any sense. you'll impress its value
on the rest Of your fellows here. for
By hook or by crook, ! intend to break
up this settlement and burn these
shacks."
One long gasp came from Polly. Her
father said nothing but looked back at
the speaker as II he had not heard.
Daddy amt got the hull right to
say what's what" she interrupted sud.
denly. There's lots Of squatters."
Then call In some Of the Others
Mackenzie snapped. "And don't BE-
long about It. / want to know whats
going to be done before I 60"
Polly flashed a glance at her father.
go get 'em. brat" he directed. "An'
bring Larry"
Out into the settlement she went,
and when she came back into the
shanty, there followed her an angry
set Of iIly-clothed men and outside q
sullen group Of women waited to hear
what Old Marc had to offer.
One by one the men silently ranged
themselves in a row around the hut
wall while Polly stood at her fathers
shoulder, n hand resting upon It,
and the other on Wee Jerry's head.
Marcus Mackenzie knew the group
of men he had to deal with. He knew
their wicked ways, how they thieved,
how they used their nets against the
law, and how they shot game ont OF
season. He remembered, too, how
many had been sent to prison with his
aid, but this day he hoped to get rid
Of them all at once.
Il want to pay you fellows to 60.
away from ithaca" He pumped the
proposition at them BADLY. IF II
hadn't been the easiest way out, i
wouldn't have considered 1t a minute.
But after talking 1t over with my law.
yer, I've decided to give you all a
sum of money II you'll leave peacea.
bly,"
A sound Of boots moving on boards
was his only answer. Polly coughed
~neryously.
"Now this lis what I'm going to
Offer" went on Mackenzie. "No one
can make me raise the price one cent.
TIL give you men twenty-five dollars
apiece; you sign over to me your
squatter rights then take your wom-
en- and kids and 60"
There was not a word in answer to
this. Only Wee Jerry felt Daddy Hop.
.kins clasp him tighter.
Realizing that the stony silence that
met his offer was practically q re.
fusal, Mackenzie got to his feet.
"You can take It, or---or 60 to hi
for all I carei" he exclaimed.
He turned toward the door; and
then POllyop got back her breath, and
while the squatter men watched sui.
lenly. she stepped in front Of him.
you're In wrong, mister" she Jared.
you're id generous. amt your
Twenty-Five! dollars wouldn't take III
anywhere, an where would we 60
anyhow? This amt movin' day ia thu
Silent City. You've made your talk,
now scoot along"
Marcus axed her with eyes angry
beyond description. Her own blazed
back at him as she pointed toward the
door.
"scoot out" she repeated, IAN don't
be comm again"
Mackenzie lifted his riding whip
th~reateningly, and every man with d
growl started forward; but as the
whip fell back to his side, they sank
down again.
Then 1t vas that he shifted the whip
to his left hand and took from his
pocket a shining pistol; and although
Polly whitened, she held her ground.
"And You, you impudent huzzy,"
snapped Mackenzie, what have you
got to do with 1T What are you, any
wRy?'
In spite of the deadly thing held In
the white, strong fingers, Polly's head
went up q bit.
I'm the littlest nanny In the
world" she said simply. tim nanny
to this hull settlement. An us, SQUAT
tiers stays In the Silent City-seer
The pistol came up with a click, and
Mackenzie, enraged beyond control,
struck Pollyop two singing blows with
the riding whip. Then he strobe out
into the open, and, holding high the
weapon, passed through the frowning
line Of watching women. He gave them
but a flashing disdainful glance, and
when he turned around, Polly Hopkins
was standing In the. door. motiOning
the women into the shack. He came
to a direct halt and shouted at her:
It'll never offer money again, but
out you'll NIL 60, II I have to burn your
huts about your heads.r
As II ne had not spoken, Polly gave
him no heed but Gshered woman after
woman into, the shanty.
'I'd ruther he'd "a hit me than any
one Of you," she said, her flesh ting
ling with pain. "If you'd "a pounced
on i'm, Daddy, or you, Larry, he'd a
popped n Of you dead. Now listen
to me"
Then she told them that Robert Per.
cival had said the squatters should
stay in the settlement. She said she
had had q promise from d man better
than Old Marc that he would help
them. And thus she brought smiles
back to the faces 0f her miserable