The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-03-17
I-continued.


One day Polly had found her sick In
bed, and, as she had led the forlorr
billy goat home, so did she bring
Granny Hope, never realizing that In
the tottering old figure she was en-
pertaining an angel unawares. All she
knew was that Granny's toothless
sndle, her cheerful words Of love and
kindness. made the sun shine bright,
81 and the meager food more filling.
During the winter, Mrs. Hope had
encouraged the girl to read. At first
that had been difficult, for the shanty
contained nothing but the tattered
Bible the old woman had brought with
her. Over and oyer Polly had read
the miseries of Job the patient, the
long lamentations Of Jeremiah, who al
ways put her In mind of Daddy Hop
kins and she also knew by heart the
story of the crucifxion Of Jesus. who.
80 the Bible said, was the best mar
that had ever walked the globe.
SO had those winter days of close
companionship with the woman who
had lived long and suffered much, and
who now was almost ready to on to
larger experiences, brought out IN
Polly Hopkins a greater capacity for
loving. The squatters called her
"Pollyop. the iove-lass," and some
times, 'Polly Of the sum-" Granny
Hope explained this by saying: "They
all love you. Poll, an It's out Of your
own heart they get the feelin' Of Joy
when they see ye."
From behind the woodrbox near
where the goat stood, Pollyop took up
an AZ. Tenderly she bent and placed
q kiss upon the goats horny head.
Then she touched Granny Hope.
The lifted her lids and
smiled at the girl.
whats the matter, love-lass?" she
murmured.
I'm goin' out, Granny" replied
Polly. "If Daddy comes. tell i'm I'll
be back in a while"
Into the rain she went, her bare feet
carrying her swiftly owe the ragged
rocks, her curls gathered under her
like q warm gllstening hood.
When later she appeared In front of
the shanty, her Bingham skirt was
filled with rusty pans and old pieces
tin. She placed them on the door
step, and looking hesitatingly at the
tree, went /. k into the house.
From a peg Polly took a pair of her
trousers and clambered into
them, tucking her skirts out Of sight
and rolling up the trouser legs, for
Daddy Hopkins was much taller than
his daughter. Into one of the big
Polly thrust q handful of
iails. 1t was a grotesque looking girl
Who a few minutes later was fiatten-
ne out the pans and the old bits of
in upon the stone.
When that was finished, she gath
red them up and, ak in hand, climbed
INTO the willow tree and onto the
oof. Daddy Hopkins would be glad
ghen he came home and found the
dry and warm. Then she began
er task OF hammering the pieces of
In over the holes through which the
7ater dripped. Once in a while she
topped working, and, fiat on her stom-
oh, sought for smaller cracks.
Just as she had mended the last
ole, she heard the sound of horses
oofs and mems voices. With the fear
the prosecuted, she crouched close
, the roof. and like some frightened
nimal, crawled TO the edge of II. {
Quatters did not speak like that,
either did they ride horseback.
There in the lane, astride two mag I
animals, were two men. One 9
he recognized instantly. Polly had {
very reason to know the tall man
hose dark, handsome face had cast {
eep shadows over the Silent City. {
Mackenzie had been for years
Nemesis that hung over the Cayu- +
4 lake squatters. Even during his {
osence on war work abroad his long q
nm had often reached bosk t the I
lent City TO pick away som hus- I
and close the prison gates be- v
nd him.
Pollyop had a passionate desire to
row the ak st him. She knew there 6
as not a heart In all the Silent City 4
at did not beat with dread at the y
'ry mention of his name. h
Then she caught a glimpse Of the >
her mans face and forgot her terror o
Marcus Mackenzie. In ithaca and U
'out 1t she had seen many soldiers y
1t never anyone like MacKenzie's Z
mpanion. He was dressed In an Of D
er's uniform, and, as his horse c
lhls6 .sim into better view, the b