Middletown transcript., 1922-06-17

Marcus made a wide gesture with |
one arm. 7
Hush, Eve" he muttered. II want
to hear what Miss Hopkins has to
say"
"Yep, l took her. trailed on Polly,
IAN l 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.
'On 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 devilish 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 brother
to Jesus, the same as us squatters.
But l said l didn't ever want to fly
away to God If He looked like you"
Leaving the wall she came forward
and hurried on: AN 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 Evelyns cry caused him
to turn swiftly. The drabness of her
face startled him.
"NIarc! Robert! !" she said. II can't
go back home until I've told you some
thing. No, Mare, don't stop me. /
will talk. Now, listen Oh, honey!"
This appeal was to her husband who
had laid his fingers on her shoulder.
"Won't you hold my hand while l tell
it?
Much moved, Marcus did as she re-
quested. His firm clasp seemed to
encourage Evelyn, and she went on {:
Darling, I've always been-dread-
full toto Polly Hopkins, and--and
she's been an angel to me-"
She was going to tell it all, ragged
through Polly's mind. Was she going
to bring to light her relations with
; the dead Oscar? Old Marc would
/ never forgive it! Thinking more now
of the baby coming next summer to
7 the almost incoherent woman than of
: her own happiness, Poliyop made u
movement as If to contradict the state
ment; but Evelyns impetuous rush of
r words halted her.
mo, Polly, I'm going to put things
, right now, even If Marc leaves me to-
t night" she declared, clearing her
throat. Robert, dear boy, lied to
2 you. l lied to Polly and to you, Mar
Gus. Oscar Bennett wasn't Polly's
] sweetheart at all. He-he was my
husband!'
e Mackenzie Suffered, but did not
drop the cold fingers he held; ant
e Evelyn wept bitterly unable to go on
A horse whinned outside; but in
Z the shanty no sound could be heard
save the hysterical sobbing Of Evelyn
1t seemed to Robert as if he must
n shake from his cousin the rest of the
I dark story, so impatient was he tt
: hear 1t.
"Then--then when you came, my
ii my beloved" Evelyn raised her tiret
eyes to her husband 81 tried to ge
u rid of him. l did my best to get Poll,
. Hopkins to promise she'd marry Oscar
after he had freed me. I wanted t.
get him out of the country"
s. Unwilling to spare herself the leas
e humiliation, she ended in piteous con
, fusion: 81 was glad when / knew h,
:, was dead"
y "Then how did he die?" came swift
ly from Mackenzie.
u "Oh, just as the doctor told you
Marc, DEAR replied Evelyn. HE wa
:, struck by lightning and died from tn
~ shock. l was free then, and--and
y. made Polly swear over and over agai
- - she'd never tell any one! And-an
y l gave her the silk dress she wore tina
day in the Auburn car. Lille
- about that, too. But, Marc, dear love
l knew you hated her and"
,s Robert bounded to his feet as tn
r. girls words trailed away into silence
~ Over MacKenzie's face were speedin
=. so many different expressions that tn
searching brown eyes Of Polly HoI
kins could not tell whether he IL
,p tended to forgive his unhappy wife c
g not.
But Percival did not wait to fin
,e out. He sprang to the door, jerked
40 open and closed it behind with BAN
In fact ha did NOT even see Eyely
,g slip quietly into a faint or Marcr
re snatch her into his arms as if he nevt
ry intended to let her 60
,u 1t was only Polly who heard ii
passionate love words that came fro
o. lips that had so often flung oaths +,
ke Gus DULY, her heart aching and h,
Is. muscles rigid with pain. Robert ho
not believed what Evelyn had sale
he He had gone away without word
ut her! OF course, then, he did not 10,
he her any more!
ed Unnoticed by the MacKenzies, Pol
In Hopkins sat very quiet, while Evely
who had regained consciousness, w,
he clinging to her husbands neck az
,st listening to his assurances that 81
20, was forgiven. Then suddenly, throut
lily the low rumble of Marcus voice al
the sighs and sobs Of Evelyn, Pollyt
ed heard q shrill squatter call. She ro
slowly to her feet and stood root,
ed to the spot The voice that h,
ny sounded was high, childish, like W.
Jerrys.