The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-08-10
CHAPTER xv-continued.

It came out, Evelyn gave a deep groan
and her cramped jaws settled rigidly.
"Tm goln' to feed you now," said
Polly. "There amt no hurry cause
we got ali night"
Then some minutes passed in silence
while the squatter girl, bit by bit
forced the pap between Mrs. Mac
Kenzle's teeth.
"Now drink the water" she urged
/ grlmly. "It's warm an got sugar in
it."
AS II In q trance, she got up and
placed the cup on the table. She put
a stick OF wood into the stove and,
turning, caught Evelyn's eyes upon
] her. Then she sat down and consld-
cred the unhappy girl who had been
delivered up to the justice Of the
Storm country.
Neither Of them spoke. One OF them
was praying DULY TO herself, and Polly
Hopkins was recountlng mentally all
the evil deeds of Evelyn and her
naughty husband, Marcus Mackenzie.
1t was necessary to keep Daddy's grief
ever before her mind and listen with
the ears OF her tortured spirit to
Jerry's shrieks to be able TO keep on
with the gruesome thing she had un-
dertaken.
"You amt goin' to die till ! tell you
something, Miss" she broke forth, final
ly. at amt news to you, but just
got to make you understand why I'm
putting you In the lake."
Weakness kept Evelyn from answer
ing. Her eyes rolled up toward the
shanty roof then shut at the thought
of the Icy waters Of Cayuga,
81 can't hurt your wicked man 'cept-
in through you" went on Pollyop. ave
squatters are goln' to learn him les.
son he won't forget as long as he's in
this world. You can bet your boots
on that"
As If in support OF the terrible
words, the shanty shook, rattling the
loOsened bits OF tin on the roof. At the
ghastly sound Evelyn began TO cry.
81 know Just how your man1l feel"
continued Pollyop, bitter smile dis
torting her lips into grimace of pain,
"an' so does Larry Bishop. Larry's
woman an baby died when Old Mare
sent him up TO Auburn, an the best of
me cracked when he grabbed Jerry
right out Of my arms"
Both girls sobbed loudly. Then Pol
lyop cleared her throat and wiped her
face.
AN your man rallroaded my daddy
TO Auburn" she gasped, ''after plantin'
something on him he didn't do; an
you, every one Of you, knew IT,"
Her voice rose to a high-pitched
scream as she remembered the last
scene in the county Jail.
"GOd, wasn't II awful" she cried,
"An' you" She leaned over and
grasped Evelyns arm. you could "a
let me go to Auburn II you'd "a tried
but you didn't. An then-then you
said you didn't give me that dress,
You're all iars-an'-an'-sneak you
money folks be-"
Her hand reached out and touched
} the ak, but she withdrew 1t as II an
adder had been under her fingers. She
was not yet able to do the deed which
she had longed to do and thought
would be Joy. Her head sagged for
ward, and again came Jeremiah's
weeping face before her.
"If you'd "a seen my daddy In the
Ithaca Jail, mebbe you'd be able tc
think what I'm goin' to do is all right
Yep. all right - she rasped.
Then she went on hoarsely, faltering
as she described the horrors that al
her loved ones had gone through. Hei
voice choked and became silent as she
thought of Robert. She could not force
her tongue to say word about him
although her heart throbbed bitterly as
his name came to her, lips.
Money!" she whispered brokenly
lifting her head. did you hear youl
man say money to us squatters as Il
cash'd pay for Larry's woman an Jer
ry an my daddy? You heard, didn'
your
Evelyn's head sagged forward, ant
a spasm passed over her face as hei
eyes closed. She looked as If she hat
died. Polly Hopkins had seen deatl
enter the Silent City many a time; anC
her heart-strings ughtened.
"Are you gomez" she questioned in {
kissing whisper.
The other girls lids lifted slowly
and never had Pollyop seen such al
expression In human eyes In all hel
life.
mot yet" dropped from the blu'
lips, "and-and-oh, Pollyop, I'm s.
afraid to die. don't know howl oh
God helm me. feel so sick"
Daddy were sick, too" shot bacl
Polly, IAN Jerry's turned up his toe
by this timel | amt heard a wore
from him since he was took away
Mebbe / could a. seen him II yo'
hadn't made your cousin believe wer
a bad womanl What d'you know