Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-03-03
Mrs. Robertson drew away with

thing / hOuld dlSOWn you, bNeIyu,
she said, finality in her tones.
Evelyn rose YEARLY. She could
imagine the heights of her mothers
scorn if she discovered the actual sit
uation. She felt that she would rather
tell Mackenzie than the unsympa-
thetic, frowning woman in the chair.
"There's no use, mother, in trying to
talk to YOU" she muttered. "Tn man
age some way, though only God knows
how"
Mrs. Robertson took up her book and
gazed sternly at her daughter over the
top of it.
"very well, Evelyn" she said, IN
graciously. you're of age. If that's
the way you feel about it, there's moth
ing more to be said"
Whereupon the speaker began to
read, and a very hopeless girl crept
out of the room.
When Evelyn was repairing the raw
ages made by her emotions, Polly
Hopkins crept into the Robertson gar
den. Her fear of Mrs. Robertson was
mingled with a thrilling happiness.
She had seen Granny Hope and We
Jerry eat the fresh eggs; Daddy's
promise would keep him out of trouble
with Old Marc; and the beautiful
stranger would help them!
She gave a piercing little trill, the
signal she had always used to call
Evelyn from the house. Almost at once
a figure stepped from the door to the
porch directly in front of her, and ter
rified, she shrank back among the
vines and chung there.
Silhouetted against the bright light
was Robert Percival. He stood gazing
straight ahead Of him at the dark
driveway, but turned when Evelyn ap-
neared beside him. Polly heard the
murmur of their voices, that was all.
They then disappeared into the house,
Evelyn laughingly pushing the soldier
ahead of her. Quickly the girl came
out again; and Polly could hear her
~swift-coming breaths as she ran softly
down the steps.
"Shush," Kissed Polly Hopkins.
"Lordy, l was scared to death some
0ne'd catch me-"
"%Pollyop," questioned Evelyn anxious
y. "What'd he say? Was he angry?"
Their heads were very close to-
gether, and Polly gave the message in
a low tone.
"He wants you to come to Granny
Hopes hut at nine o'clock tonight, an
l guess you best do it. He's as mad as
ever a man can be-"
"T'm afraid" Evelyn walled. "rm
terribly afraid, Polly dear"
Ali the sympathy In Polly's heart
came TO sudden life.
81 reckon you be-" she returned.
'But you've got TO get up your spunk
an go. Oscar'd JUST as soon come bust
IN right in your house here, l guess,
If you don't. You come along, an at
nine o'clock I'll hike over an get
in the hut too. Say, why can't you
talk just a little nicer to him? Granny
Hopes got a Bible, an 1t says when a
Teller hurts you, speak kind of sort
back, an he won't have nothin' more
to say. Hist! What's that noisei
Scoot."
Before Evelyn could say another
word, the ~squatter girl slipped away
among the shadows. The other, al
though surrounded with every luxury
went wretchedly up the steps and
forcing a smile to her lips, passed IN.
to the music room.
Billy-goat Hopkins had blinked many
times before his little mistress came
home. Larry Bishop had gone to his
lonely hut, and Daddy Hopkins apC
Granny Hope were doing in front
of the stove.
In nervous tension Polly watched the
clock crawl along toward the hour OF
the meeting between Oscar and Evelyn
About a quarter to nine, she stole on
of doors.
BY familiar paths. slipping past &
shanty here and there, Pollyop came
at length upon a lonely shack sci
Ou a pOluI ny llSCll. OuS Welt dIOullN
to the back, opened the door. and once
within the room touched a match to O
small candle which she had taken
from her pocket, and sat down quietly
When Oscar Bennett stepped into the
hut, he uttered an oath. He was not
expecting to see Polly Hopkins.
MY lady won't come, eh?" he, de.
manded gruffly.
"Oh, she's comm all right" an.
swered Polly, but she were afraid
So l came along to see she got home
safe"
A loud laugh fell from BENEFITS
lips.
you're a clever kid, Pollyop," he
said. affably. Cunning as
weasel, id if you amt! Sit down.
won't bite your
Polly squatted on the floor by the
old table; and Oscar eased himself
~gingerly down onto a rickety bench.
81 bet she was scared pink at whaf
I told you to tell err" he burst out at