Cheyenne Wells record. (Cheyenne Wells, Cheyenne County, Colo.) 1???-1969, 1922-09-07
CHAPTER xv-contInusd.

-1T-
with her eyes on the agonized face.
she drew gently at the corners Of the
rag stuffed into Evelyn's mouth. When
Il came out, Evelyn gave deep groan
and her cramped jaws settled rigidly.
"rm goin' to feed you now" said
Polly, "Thare amt no hurry, cause
W got all night"
Then some minutes passed in silence
while the squatter gin. bit by bit.
forced the pap between Mrs. Mac
Kenzie's teeth
,"Now drink the water" she urged
grimly. ats warm an got sugar in
It."
Az II h . trance. She got up and
placed the cup on the table. She put
q stick of wood into the stove and,
turning. caught Evelyn's eyes upon
her. Then she sat down and consid-
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 herss;e, and Polly
Hopkins was recounting mentally all
the evil deeds of Eveiyn and her
naughty husband. Marcus Mackenzie.
It was necessary to keep Daddy's grief
ever before her mind and listen with
the ea11 Of her tortured spirit to
Jefiy's shrieks to be able to keep on
with th4 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 I just
got 70 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 shnt at the thought
Of the Icy waters Of Cayuga.
II can't hurt your wicked man 'cept-
In through you." vent on Pollyop. ave
squatters are soin' to learn him les
son he won't forget us long rs he's In
this world. You can bet your boots
On that!"
As II In support Of the terrible
words. the shnnty shook, rattling the
ioosened bits Of tin on the roof. At the
ghastly sound Evelyn began to cry.
II know just how your man'll 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 Marc
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 railroaded my daddy
to Auburn" she gasped. "after plantin'
something on him he didn't do; an
Jou, every one Of you, knew It,"
Her voice rose to high-pitched
scene In the county jail.
"God, wasn't 1t awful?" she cried.
"An' you" She leaned over and
erasped Evelyn's 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 Iiars-an'-an'-snea you
money folks be-"
Her hand reached out and touched
the az. but she withdrew 1t as IL 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 to
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 all
her loved ones had gone through. Her
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 your
man say money to us squatters as II
cash'd pay for Larry's woman an Jer-
ry an my daddy? You heard. didn't
your
Evelyn's head sagged forward. and
q spasm passed over her face as her
eyes closed. She looked as If she had
Aied. Polly Hopkins had seen death
enter the Silent City many time; and
her heart-strings hghtened.
"Are you gone?" she questioned in a
kissing whisper.
The other girls lids lifted slowly.
and never had Pollyop seen such an
In human eyes in all her
life.
mot yet" dropped from the blue
lips, "and-and-oh, Pollyop. I'm SO
afraid to die. don't know howl oh,
God, help me; feel SO SICK"
Daddy were sick, too." shot back
Polly, "an' Jerry's turned up his toes
By this time! I amt heard q word
from him since he was took away.
Dlebbe could a seen him II you
hadn't made your cousin believe I were
> bad womani What d'you know