The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-04-21

his shaggy whiskers with the tweezers
BY the aid Of It. she could get gilnpses
OF her slim young figure and the grace
full sweep Of the skirt. Holding thu
| glass higher up. she studied her slen-
der neck where the sun had tanned IL
But tan did not matter, for Daddy
Hopkins loved her in spite of 1t.
All at once she heard a knock
against the side OF the hut. Hastily
slipping out Of the dress and folding
It. she showed 1t under her pillow.
Then she put on her old dress and
opened the door,
Larry Bishop was there. extending
her a letter. Taking the note In
amazement, she smiled and thanked
him.
"Aln't you comm In, Larry7" she
asked. kinda chilly tonight, huh r
The squatter stepped inside. his cap
in his hand.
yep. too cold for summer, POLL"
he returned. "Say, brat, how you
gettin' on? Got 'nough beans left for
a while?"
Sure, more'n enough, Larry" she
replied. II writ Daddy In my letter
yesterday how blessed good you'd all
been to me. bet when / get face to
face with i'm, I'll tell things 1 can't
scribble. An now you go bringin' me
this"
She tapped the letter with her fin
gers as q mysterious smile touched
her lips.
The man shook his head grimly.
"You won't be seem your dad very
soon, Pollyop," he muttered, mot II
guess right !"
"Mebbe l WILL" she told him, finger
ing the letter.
She liked Larry Bishop very much,
but she was eaten up with curiosity to
know the contents of the envelope In
her hand. Perhaps, oh, might 1t be-
"Where'd you get this, Larry?" she
asked, holding 1t up.
II was comm down the lane," ex-
planned Bishop, "an' a Teller asked
me If l knowed where the Hopkins
hut was. says, Yep. I'm goin' there
now He says, Take this letter to
the Hopkins GIRL an l says, Yep an
an l brung It,"
He paused. hoping she would open
1t In his presence. Being persuaded
she did not intend to. he went out.
His footsteps had no sooner died away
than Polly sprang to the door and
barred It, Then she turned the letter
over and over and looked at ii. Her
name was on it; so IT must be meant
for her to read. A thrill Of pleasure
ran over her. Perhaps Robert had
sent her a word of forgiveness. He
would come again.
With sparkling anticipation she cut
open the envelope and by the light of
the candle spelled out its contents.
Dear Polly" she read. II couldn't
manage that trip to Auburn. So sorry.
e."
Polly looked duly at the paper, the
words running into black smudgy !
lines. Then she could not go to Daddy
after all and Jerry might |
diel Old Marc had once more laid his |
powerful hand upon her. Overcome |
with grief, she wept while. Then
she took the dress from under the
pillow. rolled 1t carefully in a clean
cloth and put 1t away.
The shock Of Evelyn's cold note
brought back the shadows to Pollyop's
brown eyes. AS the days passed slow
~ by, and the rich girl did not come
to the shack again. Polly lost all hope
IF seeing her father.
Her decision to so to Auburn In spite
If Old Marc followed a letter that she
received from Daddy Hopkins. He
vas very lonely, he said. He was
counting off each day as so many hours
nearer the time when he could see his
lear children. With the picture OF
)addy's loneliness stamped In misery
m her mind came the thought that no
me had the right to keep Jerry from
lis father.
From the time she conceived this
dea. 1t never left her thoughts. She
lad often stolen rides on the Lehigh
Valley train from Ithaca to the Silent
City and dropped of where the engine
ook n switch while the Buffalo Spe-
,ial dashed by. Why could she not
tea ride clear TO Auburn?
While the squatter girl was making
to carry out this
nighty plan. preparations for the
Robertson wedding were
Ding rapidly forward. Evelyn. happy
i her new love. untroubled by SYM
athy for the dead Oscar. passed the
ays mostly at dressmakers and In
he shops. Her contentment would {
ave been complete II her cousin Rob- !
ri had not looked so sad. or II she {
ould have rid herself of the sense OF I
for his unhnppiness.
ut hoping In her fippant way TINT
! would come out well after she was
larried. she gave little heed to him T
nd none at all to Polly Hopkins. a
Early one morning Polly hoped t
nickly out of he'd and after break
list Of bread and heans. began To dress =
erry In the hest he had. The day :
as chilly. and fine rain drizzIed :,
rer the lake. r