Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-08-16
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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 10 tell ii all, ragged
through Polly's mind. Was she going
to bring to light her relations with
the dead 0scar2 Old Marc would
never forgive it! Thinking more now
of the baby coming next summer to
the almost ineoheFent woman than Of
her own happiness. Pollyop made a
movement as if TO contradict the state
ment; but Evelyn's impetuous rush of
words halted her.
"No, Polly. I'm going to put things
right now, even If Marc leaves me to-
night she declared. clearing her
throat. Robert. dear boy, lied to
| you. / lied TO Polly and to you, Mar
| Gus. Oscar Bennett wasn't Polly's
sweetheart at all. He-he was my
husbandm
Mackenzie Suffered, but did not
/ drop the cold fingers he held; and
Evelyn wept bitterly, unable to go on
A horse whinnied outside; but in
the shanty no sound could be heard
save the hysterical Sobbing of Evelyn
Ii seemed to Robert as if he must
shake from his cousin the rest of the
dark story, so impatient was he to
hear il.
Then-then when you came. my
my beloved" Evelyn raised her tired
eyes to her husband, Il tried to get
rid of him. / did my best TO get Polly
Hopkins to promise she'd marry Oscar
after he had freed me. / wanted to
get him out of the countryr
Unwilling TO spare herself the least
humiliation, she ended in piteous con-
fusion: Il was glad when knew he
was dead"
"Then how did he DIET" came swift
ly from Mackenzie.
ooh, just as the doctor told you,
Marc, dear" replied Evelyn. "He was
struck by lightning and died from the
shock. / was free then, and-and
made Polly swear over and over again
she'd never tell any one And-and
gave her the silk dress she wore that
day in the Auburn car. I-I-lied
about that. too. But. Marc, dear love,
] knew you hated her and"
Robert bounded to his feet as the
girls words trailed away into silence
over Mackenzies face were speeding
so many different expressions that the
searching brown eyes of Polly Hop
kins could not tell whether he in
tended to forgive his unhappy wife or
not.
But Percival did not wait 10 find
out. He sprang TO the door. jerked it
/ open and closed it behind with bang.
In fact, he did not even see Evelyn
slip quietly into faint, or Marcus
snatch her into his arms as if he never
intended to let her 90.
II was only Polly who heard the
passionate love words that came from
lips that had so often flung oaths at
her and her people. She watched Mar
Gus duly, her heart aching and her
muscles rigid with pain. Robert had
not believed what Evelyn had said
He had gone away without a WORD TO
her OF course, then, he did not love
her any more!
Unnoticed by the MacKenzies Polly
Hopkins sat very quiet, while Evelyn,
who had reganed consciousness, was
clinging to her husbands neck and
listening to his assurances that she
was forgiven. Then suddenly through
the signs and sobs of Evelyn, Pollyop
heard a shrill squatter call. She rose
slowly to her feet and stood rooted
TO the spot. The voice that, had
sounded was high, childish, like Wee
Jerrys.
With the superstition Of her kind,
Polly was overcome by a great fear
Jerry was dying alone In place of
strangers His little spirit had called
to her in the grief of its goingl She
cast glance at the man and the
woman. They were wholly enveloped
in themselves. and. paid no attention
to the. plaintive wall that broke from
her lips. She struggled to the door
and opened it, and there-right before
her startled eyes-was Daddy Hop
kins, with Jerry astraddle his neck.
''Daddyw came In one bewildered
cry from her shaking lips.
Then they faded from her vision,
and the brown eyes yielded TO semi
consciousness, and semi-consciousness
was lost in complete Oblivion.
When Polly Hopkins again lifted
her lids she was surrounded by q
group Of people whom at first she did
not recognize. Then Daddy Hopkins
detached himself from the rest. He
was seated very near her. That was
nice, indeed she thought dimly. She
must have dreamed that Old Mare
had sent him TO prison. Wee Jerry
was cuddled at her side. Then he,
too, had never gone away
What brought fun remembrance to
her was the sight of Larry Bishop
leaning against the wall at the foot OF
the bed. He was looking at her with
tear-fllled eyes, his cracked lips work.
Ing painfully.
Larry" she cried, struggling up.
1t was Marcus Mackenzie that
showed himself IN beside Jeremiah and
bent over her.
aIarrv didn't do n Daddy. did -