American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-04-14

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you one. You aren't my woman yet
but you're going to be just, as o o as
| can get shut of my lady Robertson. ("
Observing no signs of softening in the
girls face, he switched his attack.
Say, where'd you get that lsmb?"
This query unfolded new terrors for
Polly. She had not thought of the
lamb belonging to anyone but herself.
Had she not found him dying in the
water and loved and fed him ever
since? She looked first at the man,
then down at the lamb.
He's mine, Oscar" she hesitated.
1--WE had him two hull days now
Oscar laughed.
"a likely story" he jeered. "How
long since squatters raised sheep7
Where'd you get himT'
"FOund him." she answered, putting
her hand on the little animal.
Then he isn't yours" he retorted,
land he can't be anybody's but mine.
/ thought l was missing some lambs.'
Polly's yes filled with alarm. She
was trying to frame an argument in
favor of herself and the creature she
loved.
"When you find a thing dyin' In a
creek, Oscar" she faltered at length,
you can take him home an love him,
now can't your"
The mans loud guffaw brought a
deep flush to the girls face. She
placed herself directly between him
and the lamb.
He's mine," she insisted. He'd
drowned sure If l hadn't jumped into
the drink an pulled him out"
Her words made the farmer certain
where the creature came from.
Dead OF alive, he's mine !" he ex-
claimed.
Besides coveting the lamb, he hated
the squatter girls way of fondling ami
mails. When he got her, he deter
mined, he would take all of that kind
OF nonsense out of her.
With n sweep of his mighty hand,
he thrust her aside, and, whipping out
his knife, he cut the rope that held
Nanny Hopkins to Polly's arm. Then,
In spite of the girls frantic cries and
her desperate fighting against it, Os-
car picked up the lamb.
Pollyop screamed frantically, for
from the look on his evil face, she saw
Instantly what he intended to do. He
was going to kill Nannyopl Again she
flew at him, but he was tall and strong
and held the lamb aloft in the air,
high out of her reach. With a rough
oath he pushed the girl from him so
roughly that she fell. When Polly
scrambled up, he had the lamb in one
hand and a large stone in the other.
oscar !" she shrieked. ,
She dropped to her knees, clasped
Wee Jerry in her arms, and shrouded
his face and her ewn in her curls.
When she dared look up again, Oscar
had thrown the dead lamb on the
ground.
There" he gritted, "that's to teach
you a lesson, Miss Poll Hopkins. And
now I'll open your eyes to something
else"
AS he crossed to her, she tried t.
struggle to her feet; but her legs were
weak, and she was sick over the quiv
ering body there in the road. In an.
other minute Oscar had snatched hel
into his arms.
She shrieked again and again; and
Jerry's loud cries followed, as she
fought desperately with the burly
farmer.
Once out of sight of the Red Cross
poster and the little group in front OF
1t, Percival checked his horse. Bay
Dexter shook his head and champed
his bit in dlsapprOval. He was ac-
custOmed to mad, harum-scarum gal
lops, and he loved them; but this
morning, especially since the pause by
the fence corner, he had been com
PEELED to mog along like a worn-out,
old nag.
His master was thinking, really and
seriously thinking. Happily born and
the heir to an immense fortune, his
way through life so far had been
marked out for him. He had gone t.
war carelessly, in a mood of hot pa.
triotism and because it was the thing
to do, Over there he had done his
share and gained, especially from his
French comrades, an inkling of life's
vital purpose. He had decided that
when he returned, he would do SOM
thing worth while, something to max,
the world a little better because HI
had lived in 1t.
Now he was home; and almost tn,
first day had come to him this appeal
He smiled ruefully at the recollection
of Pollyop's plea. He had promised II
help the squatters, and he meant to d.
it. Suppose 1t did bring him into con
fict with Marcus Mackenzie! H,
knew how to fight. and a good hgh
was not bad fun.
Family from the direction he ha.
ridden, the sound of cries came to hi
ears. Idly he wondered what the ROY
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