The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-05-19

: when daddy's coat fell down, an the
big nanny an Granny Hope smiled
ut me, | quit hatin' you an wantin'
to kill your woman"
She struggled up and moving to the
wall. leaned against "The Greatest
Mother In the World" as IL she, too,
would add herself to the vast family
of hurt ones.
Every one of her words was directed
to Mackenzie.
'Then I'm to understand" he asked
slowly. that you deliberately took my
wife away to kill herr
but she didn't. Marc" lnterjected
Evelyn.
Marcus made a wide gesture with
one arm.
"Hush, Eve" he muttered. II want
to hear what Miss Hopkins has to
say"
yep, took her." tralled on Polly.
IAN | meant to croak her. too, an
throw 'er In the lake. just to get even
with you, SIR"
"Then why didn't you do it?" de-
manded Marcus.
Pollyop threw short glance at the
other man, standing white and silent.
She cleared her throat, and leaned
only the harder against the wall
ION a sudden" she continued, as if
eager to finish her tale, IL somehow
remembered everything Granny Hope
learned me when she was In the shack
here. She always said, mister when
you was devilsh enough to snake
squatter from the Silent City"-Polly
paused and coughed. then proceeded
in the dead silence: Granny said
you was the image and likeness Of the
good God up in the sky an a brother
to Jesus, the same as us. squatters.
But | said | didn't ever want to fly
away to God If lie looked like you"
Leaving the wall she came forward
and hurried on: "An' l meant it them
times, an much more after you rail-
roaded my daddy and swiped Jerry
away from me-"
Marcus placed his wife in the chair
and stood up. He started to speak to
Pollyop; but Evelyn's cry caused him
face startled him.
"Marc Robert 10 she said. 81 can't |
go back home until I've told you some
thing. No. Marc, don't stop me. |
will talk. Now. listen. Oh. honey"
This appeal was to her husband who
had laid his fingers on her shoulder
Wont you hold my hand while tell
itT
Much moved, Marcus did as she re-
quested. His firm clasp seemed to
Evelyn. and she went on:
Darling, I've always been-drcad-
full toto Polly Hopkins and-and
she's been an angel to me-"
She was going TO tell II ALL ragged
Polly's mind. Was she going
to bring to light her relations with
the dead Oscar? Old Mare would
never forgive it, Thinking more now
Of the baby coming next summer to
he almost incoherent woman than of
ler own happiness, Pollyop made
movement as If TO contradict the state
uent; but Evelyn's impetuous rush of
words halted her.
"No, Polly, I'm going to put things
light now, even If Marc leaves me to-
light" she declared. clearing her ,
hroat Robert, dear hoy, | lied TO
-ou. lied to Polly and to you. Mar
us. Oscar Bennett wasn't Poly's
sweetheart at all. He-he was my
husband J"
Mackenzie Suffered, but did not
Irop the cold fingers he held; and
,yelyn wept bitterly. unable to go on.
A horse whinnled outside; bur in
he shauty no sound could be heard /
ave the hysterical sobbing OF Evelyn. i,
II seemed to Robert as II h, must
bake from his cousin the rest of the
ark story, so impatient was III to i,
ear IT,
.rheu-then when you came. mg-
nv beloved" Evelyn raised her tired
yes TO her husband, Il tried to get =
Id of him. l did my best to get Polly
hopkins to promise she'd marry Oscar !.
fter he had freed me. wanted to :.
ct him out of the country" :,
Unwilling to spare herself the least ),
she ended in piteous con
usion :. Il was glad when knew he r
ias dead" n
"Then how did he die?" came swift h
7 from Mackenzie.
"Oh. just as the doctor told you. "
Iarc. dear" replied Evelyn. "He was
truck by lightning and died from the ST
hook. was free then. and--and ] h
iade Polly swear over and over again
ned never tell any one And-and X
gave her the silk dress she wore that "
ay In the Auburn car. Titled m
bout that. too. But Marc. dear love, la
knew you hated her and" M
Robert bounded to his feet as the nj
IRIS words trailed away into silence
yer MacKenzie's face were speeding II
mary different expressions that the
'arching brown eyes OF Polly Hop n
ms could not tell whether he in- %