Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-05-12
CHAPTER XII.

No more unhappy girl lived in all Of
Tompkins county than Polly Hopkins.
Seemingly ~never-ending days dragged
by their minutes one by one. When
she woke up in the morning she wished
1t were night! When she crawled into
bed she wished 1t were morning! And
every tw~enty-four hours brought re-
newed anguish to Jerry. Pollyop spent
most Of her time trying to soothe him.
And thus the two little waits lived
until the news spread through the ST.
lent City that Evelyn Robertson and
Marcus Mackenzie were going to be
married in a fashionable church in
Ithaca.
The wedding day dawned bright with
sunshine; and, together with Jerry,
Pollyop went into town, hid herself In
the thick %shrubbery In Dewitt park
and watched with tormented soul the
gorgeous display Of riches.
She saw Evelyn in all her beauty
and the respondent Marcus; also the
naughty Mrs. Robertson, leaning on
the arm of Robert Percival. How pale
his face was! Great tears blinded Pol
ly's eyes as she wondered vaguely and
bewilderedly If he yer thought of her.
1t was a long, sad night which she
spent after that event, but still she
lived on and carried her heavy burden
in silence. Week by week she counted
on her slender fingers the months which
would have to be lived through before
Daddy Hopkins could come home. Oh,
how she wanted to steal into his arms,
to lay her head against him and to be
sure he was In the Silent City for ever
and ever! Jerry must have him, too,
and many were the promises she made
to the child during the wild fall
weather of the Storm country that
perhaps tomorrow Daddy would come,
perhaps the next day, until the child's
face too gathered an expression as II
he were always listening for footsteps
outside the hut.
The autumn rains had no more than
set in before Marcus Mackenzie took
up again his prosecutions Of the squat
tiers. On his return from his wedding
trip he and Evelyn went to live with
Mrs. Robertson for the winter.
One day Percival approached Mac
Ksnzie with another request that he
use his influence to nberate Jeremiah
Hopkins.
sits wrong for his daughter to stay
in such a place alone with that frail
child, Marc" protested Robert earn
estly.
Evelyn looked up from her sewing.
In her own happiness the thought that
her handsome cousin loved the squat
ter girl had lapsed In her memory.
Her eyes went from his troubled face
to her husbands. Mares expression
was dark and forbidding, and his full
red lips dragged down at the corners !
Her heart fiuttered at the thought OF
his rage If by chance he got an inkling
of her duplicity.
1.-THE huzzy won't be there long, my
friend" returned Marcus, gritting his
teeth. "I've a plan to put her out with
the rest. Why you stand by those peo-
pie has always puzzled me, Percival."
They're a forlorn lot" replied Rob-
ert, flushing. snow, what about Hop
kins?"
A look Of contempt settled on Mac
Kennels face, and he flung out his
hands as il throwing away something
he detested.
He'll serve, his time" he retorted
abruptly, land when he does come
back, his brats won't be where he left
them"
Keeping her eyes on her husband,
Evelyn uttered an exclamation. How
somber and forceful he seemed with
that network of wrinkles across his
broad brow. Anger distended his nos
trils, and the look he had fixed upon
Robert was full of compelling strength.
you're both %sickening," she broke
out fretfully. perfectly %sickening"
"Now listen to me, Eve" calculated
Robert, turning to her. "You know
very well that I'm interested in the
Hopkins family"
She did not look at him until his
sentence was chopped off in confusion.
Then she threw him a peculiar glance.
"Oh, l know that well enough" she
rejoined, dropping her eyes, but what
makes me so impatient is that the sec
ond you and Marc come within speak
ing distance, you begin an argument
about them. Why can't you both make
a resolution not to talk about those
peoplel"
Her cousin walked to the window
and stared out into the garden. A
nervous cough came from Mackenzie
81 won't do 1t, Eve" asserted Rob-
ert presently, finglng around. Some
things got to be done for Polly Hop
kins. She's SO young and unhappy
young and pretty, you mean, Bobs,"
laughed Marcus disagreeabiy. why
don't you marry the trollop and put
an end to your philanthropy Ben
nett's dead; SO he can't interfere with
you!"
Perciyal's fists doubled as fleeing
blood left his face wax-whits.