The Raymer enterprise., 1922-09-07
CHAPTER xVi-Continued.
a.

tHht youT nun " pe HlhIH mere IhSter u
4 crow can fly"
Evelyn raised her head.
kiss me. Polly dear" she begged.
with streaming eyes.
All right" murmured the squat.
ter girl. "Kisses're mighty comfortin',
amt they7"
She stopped and laid her lips on
Evelyn's and. turning swiftly. left the
room. Evelyn heard her snufiing the
candles outside and then heard the
latch click as PolIyop closed the door
behind her.
Bounding out into the snow. Pollyop
raced through the road toward Bish-
ops hut. for she had decided to speak
to him before going on. She lifted
-she latch and peeped In.
Larry sat by the stove. putting his
pipe. He gave her but n glance then
dropped his head mournfuIiy.
where's Lye. Larry7" Polly asked
in a kissing whisper.
Gone home" came In . grunt
Hes sick to his stummIck. an so be
I. I'm most froze too"
With her hand on the latch Of the
door which she had closed against
the storm. the girl stood In shivering
!ndee1slon. She felt intuitively the
inner emotions going on inside the
stolid speaker She wanted to throw
her arms about him and tef him all
thai had passed In her home during the
last hour. But II she did. Larry would
take the blame Of the crime on him
self or course he would. Polly Hop
klns knew the heart OF Larry Bishop
as II she has 1aade It herself from
Gods own clsy II the person In her
shack had been Old Marc. he would
have had no conjunction In putting
him out of the way. but woman
81 doE't want you for anything to-
night. Larry Bishop" she broke out.
fumbllng with the latch. AN. mind
you, dcarie never tell nobody you an
Lye swiped Old Mares woman. That's
promise Larry, amt It"
"Yep," replied Bishop nauseated.
Then 80 to bed an sleep" returned
PolIyop. You'll get warm. an'-an'-
I'll pee you tomorrow-mebbe. I won't
be heedhn' you In my shanty tonight"
Then she went swiftly out. slammed
the door and was away like a winter
bird. before the squatter could ques.
ton her.
Swiftly she ran on. her hair almost
on end because. to save her friends,
she must face the naughty MacKen-
lie himself. II had been her cruelty
that had prompted their act. and now,
besides saving Evelyn, she must shield
them. The nearer she came to the
Mackenzie house, the harder her heart
pounded. with dread at the task before
her.
In the meantime Marcus Mackenzie
and his wife's mother were together,
the lady stretched out on the divan,
and Marcus pacing the floor. Since
Mackenzie had left the Hopkins shack,
he had ridden madly over the hills,
urging every man available to help
him find his wife. Secretly he had
wept tears such as never had poured
from his eyes before in all his super
cilious days.
Having set In motion what aid he
tould summon from town and coun-
try. he had come back home to the
hysterical mother. He had no com
forting assurances to give her. or any
to allay the burning grief within him
self. Evelyn had disappeared as II
the ground had opened and swallowed
her up. He paused In front Of Mrs.
Robertson, his dark, handsome face
working nainfnlly.
"Yoafre very sure she was feeling
we'll Just before she went out?" he
inquired. "She didn't act as II she
had anything to worry over"
Mrs. Robertson used her handker-
chief before she answered.
IL can't think Of anything" she hes
itated, unless 1t was about Bob. Late
y he's been so different. l asked Eve
one day" She broke of and dis
solved In tears.
Eyes. you asked her one day
what1" Mackenzie urged.
: ut was about Bob" continued the
weeping lady. Eve thought he was
suffering over-over--"
swell" snapped Marcus.
Would the woman never cease her
everlasting crying and give him clue
II she had one7
"wellr" he goaded her on more furi-
susly.
"Polly Hopklns!" she sobbed. Eve
said your continual pounding at the
squatters had about broken the boys
spirit"
Rubbish" exclaimed Mackenzie.
Eve wouldn't waste her time worry
ing over such rats. Bob's fool. I've
discovered r. Where Is he?"
IT don't know" answered Mrs. Rob-
ertsou He goes away for days at
time without saying word to Eve
- me. And he looks perfectly dread
esi. think Evelyn's grleyed over
him
sWhy didn't you tell me - beforer
esied the man. turning on her swiftly.
a.