The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-05-04

well, / know IL: or course l know |
It," retorted Evelyn. resentlng the |
censure In the others tones: "but I've |
got to be free. I'm so frantic, don't |
much care how. That's the way 0s-
cars got to help me Anyway make
him understand he's got to wait: he
must be quiet and not bother me. Then
come tonight, and let me know what
he says. WIN you. Pollyf"
The squatter girl nodded. She would
rather have been switched than see Os-
car Bennett again.
"Yep." she assented. "Tll hunt him
up late this afternoon and then hus-
tie right over to you. got to go nowi"
For some moments after Evelyn
left her. Polly watched the slim fig-
ure on the path to the woods. Then
she suddenly remembered Marcus Mac
Kenzle and without backward
glance hurried swiftly toward the
south.
Meantime three squatters from the
Silent City were In the Bad Mans
ravine, dressing the fish they had net
ted the night before. One enormous
man was seated on a fiat rock, his bare
feet almost touching the water as 1t
hurried by to the lake. On his shoul-
| ders, with his legs wound tightly
around the mans neck, sat small
boy, little more than baby. He was
shlvering with cold, and, as the spring
rain shot its drops upon his face. he
| lifted small hand and brushed them
away. Seemingly obllvious OF the
weight against his swarthy. head the
man picked up q fish and contemplated
II with a scowl. Then he proceeded to
clean II deftly.
The silence was unbroken for a long
time except by the rushing of the wa
ter. the gruesome running Of the
knives over the fish scales and little
whimper, now and then, from the child
astride the mans neck.
'I heard In town." broke forth Lye
Braeger, "that Old Marc MacKenzle's
comm home Here's where us squat
ters get HI flung at us good and
plenty"
jeremiah Hopkins stopped his work
and frowned at the speaker.
He'd best be a-lookin' out for his
self" he muttered. "Mebbe he'll get a
taste Of the hot place II he does any
struttln' around the Silent City"
"Mebbe," repeated Larry Bishop,
and no more. Marcus Mackenzie,
handsome, smug and rich, had been the
instrument that had moved the hands
of the law to swing open the prison
doors and shove Larry Bishop inside
just when his young wife needed him
most.
Once in sight of the roaring water,
rushing In torrents from the Bad Mans
ravine. Polly sent out peculiar little
trill; and the hoarse answer of a
mans voice mingled with its echo as
1t struck the enormous, up-roaring
rock slabs.
Polly's heart bounded and lost Its
heavy weight of fear. Daddy Hop
kins had responded ponderously to her
first call In another moment she was
crawling up the jagged sides OF the
deep gulf. As she came up to them
Hopkins companions waved her 9
greeting, but stopped their work al
the sight of her sober face.
"what's up, lassief" demanded Hop
klns. "You aln't seen a ghost. have
your"
"worsern that, Daddy" she replied
much worser'n thatI Old Marct
hosne, an heard him say he's goln
10 root us squatters out OF the Silen
City,"
A brute-like glare flashed into Lar
ry Bishops eyes.
"Did he, now, bratT' he muttered
taking up his knife and looking at II
Polly squatted down beside her faith
er slipping one hand under his arm
The other she gave to the child. VIII
grasped II eagerly.
| "Did he, now?" came In repetition
from Bishops throat.
"Yep," asserted Pollyop, with al
emphatic bob OF her head, "an' com
= to tell you all you'd best be a-lookir
!. out for I'm. Daddy, he says your
the worst man In the settlement, bu
everybody knows he's a liar"
He'd best be lookin' out for his ow
hide" Hopkins shot back like fias
A OF steel. II amt in any mind to stan
much Of his CUFF, the dirty duffer."
Il Withdrawing her arm from her fail
er's. she leaned her chin on her hant
o She wanted TO urge them not to worr
too much, TO tell them Of the othe
man, rich like old Marc, who had e,
\, pressed In tender tones kindly II
: terest In their welfare. Somehow
3 though, the words would not come. tn
peaceful figure did not fit In with III
N secret understanding that expressed |
self In the frowning. furtive glance
II that passed from one to the other {
e her men-folks.
III Hes awful. powerful strong" sf
a ventured In answer to the look 81
g had intercepted, "an' powerful rich
" "An' moneys what makes the mai
CO." struck in Lye Braeger.
( "Sure, SO 'tis," ans vered Polly. 'Bl