Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-03-17
CHAPTER VII.

To describe Oscar BENEFITS rage
when he left the two girls in Granny
Hopes shack would indeed be a task.
OF late Evelyn had ceased to attract
him. In the excitement of the court
ship he had put his best foot forward,
and for II time after the marriage he
had found a great satisfaction in the
thought that she was his, When the
glumor OF their secret honeymoon
time had worn off, and the farmers
crude, cruel nature had been disclosed,
Eyelyn's mad infntuatIon had disap-
penrcd in tcrror-stricken horror.
AS EVELYN was finding in Marcus
Mackenzie Il mate more to her taste,
BENEFITS primitive passions had burst
into Il sudden flame for Polly Hopkins.
The sQuatter girls sCorn of him, her
drawing ridicule, only made him de-
sire her the more.
A couple of days after the night
scene with the girls, he left his house
and took his way to the lake. He
crossed his fodder lot and plunged
into the Mackenzie forest which lay
between the railroad tracks and the
water. In his pocket he had n letter
for Evelyn. He intended to kill two
birds with one stone. If he could find
Polly Hopkins alone, he would tell her
a., l,.t.t,,, Ia. In,l nm, l., n,,l ,i,,
her the note to deliver.
Oscar did not relish entering the
silent City hy the highway, The
SQuattcrs hated him as much MS he
did them. more, In all probability and
II was his habit to give the settlement
4 wide berth. If he discovered any OF
them on his land, with the exception
Of Polly Hopkins, he drove them away
furiously. Oscar was u Of those who
would rather have produced rot ol
his land than give 1t to the needy.
Before vaulting the Macken2i,
fence, the sound of people talking OF
the other side halted him. Pollyop'
voice anne distinctly to him, and an
other voice, Il mans, answered hel
The deep wcll-hrcd tones Bennett wa
sure did not belong to a sQuatter. IL
listened carefully TO pick up the In
port Of the conversation. The has
voice mumbled something about
mother. In response, the sQuatte
girls tones fell upon his ear; som
day youll be. the biggest an mos
bcautifulest daddy In the world" The
followed the rush of departing hoofS
, jealousy tore ut the cavesdropper.
did not take him long TO get to the to
Of the fence.
4 Some sound he made brought II
Q sQuatter girls head around sharp.
0 from her survey OF the picture.
' what do you waut?" she asked su
lenly, frowning ut him.
Oscar jumped 10 the ground.
81 come down TO see you, pollyop
he rejoiued, coming forward. wi
were you talking toe"
The only safe way to get along vii
the farmer, Polly had concluded, ",
to have nothing To do with him
leave me he, Oscar Bennett" 81
shrillcd. 81 don't want nothin' TO ,
with you, I'm goin' home"
To cut OF her retreat. Oscar need,
| to take but a couple of strides. and
| promptly took them.
] Jenny cricketS!' he cXpoStulGtc
Don't he 50 confounded short, pollyo.
You needn't be mad because | swattu
you one. You aren't my woman Y,
but you're going 10 be just MS Soon
can get shut Of my lady RobertSol
= Observing no signs of S%oftening in {
girls face, he switched his attaC
n SAY, Where'd sou get that Iamb?'
% This query unfolded new terrors
n Polly. She had not thought of t
lamb belonging to anyone nut herse