Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-04-07

~ S1A'E AllG. vi course
we'll get her. Why say such ridiculous
thingsT' He turned away to hide the
emotion her tremulous question had
filled him with. ut will be my death
if we don't" he ended.
Mrs. Robertson raised on her ell.
bow.
But Marcus" she exclaimed,
there's been something on my mind
ever since-since- Oh, you don't
think the squatters have her, do your"
Il don't KNOW moaned Marcus, and
ne sat down quickly as if his legs
would no longer bear the weight Of
his body.
And they were sitting thus, each
busy with his own ~unspeakable unhap-
piness, when the servant entered.
There's a girl here, sir" she be-
gan, and Marcus sprang UP.
Bring her in" he cried. Bring her
in instantly"
The maid hesitated.
shes queer looking, sir" she said
timidly, "and she's wet through. She's
one OF them s~quatters."
Bring her in, l said" ordered Mar
u once more, and the girl went out,
closing the door softly.
Pollyop crept into the warm room,
her teeth chattering, her legs un-
steady. Her first glance fell upon
Mrs. Robertson who, when she saw
hnr mada a bIclyVy th,.oot co,,nd Than
the brown, fearful eyes Travelled to
the tall man, no longer an enemy to be
hated, merely a wounded human crea-
ture, like her dear one in the Silent
City, to be loved and comforted.
Il got your woman in my shack"
said Pollyop, straight to him, swallow
ing.
GOD be thanked" screamed Mrs.
Robertson.
Something snapped in MacKenzie's
head, and for a moment he feared he
was losing his mind. Polly thought
by the blank expression of his face
that his wits had gone completely.
Ignoring the woman whom she de-
tested, she went rapidly to MacKen-
zie's side.
81 had her roped up in the bed when
you was there tonight, mister" she
told him, the words tumbling over
each other in the haste of confession.
II were goin' to chop her head off to
get even with you. But-but-my dead
Granny Hope, an the Biggest Nam
49, - II A. JNTor1l rrar,II.IE LOT mr. -
1t seemed an eternity to the quak-
ing young speaker before Marcus
threw up his head and took a long
breath.
"She-she's alive?" he demanded
hoarsely. YOU'RE very SUR she isn't
dead? Girl" he bounded up and
grasped Pollyop's arm, eff you lie to
me-"
81 amt lynn to you, mister" inter-
rupted Polly duly. "You don't need
to be scared for Miss Eve, but now
you'd best come along to my hut an
get her. She's mournin' for you in
Granny Hopes coop-hole, covered up
with blankets"
Something like a huge fist struck
Mackenzie. The conviction that the
squatter girls words were true lifted
him Immediately from the bottom
depths of hOpelessness. The sudden
thrush of joyous relief brought with
it a mental Illumination, and he saw
himself as others had seen him. The
terrible, blighting uncertainty he had
hornn fne n fau, nnnAhnninn hours fhn
girl before him had known for
months. If she were to blame for his
suffering, what was the measure of
his own responsibility?
He turned swiftly to his mother-in-
law and said huskily:
"Call some one to get this child
some dry clothes. Take anything of
Ewes you can find that will keep her
warm, and for Gods sake, take those
ragged boots off her feet!' He sprang
to the bell. "Tll order the team"
When he had given his orders to the
servant who appeared at the door, he
sank back into a chair, and Mrs. Rob-
ertson went swiftly out.
Utterly oblivious of the %squatter
girls presence, Marcus Mackenzie
buried his face in his hands. The new
Pollyop, the Polly of the Sun, crept
forward and touched him.
"Your woman's all right" she said
huskily. "Don't cry! She told me
about-about the little kid a-comin' in
the summer, an she howled like mad
to come along with me. But l says to
her she couldn't walk all this way to
you without dyin'."
The soft tones vibrated sympathe-
tically as she voiced the assurances.
Mackenzie thrust up mis- hand and
clutched the slim brown fingers.
"Tell me something about it while
we're alone" he whispered.
Pollyop %shuddered.
swell, sir" she began, so low that
Mackenzie had to raise his head to
hear, "all the squatters hate you, but