The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-08-17

, was losing mis- mind. Polly thought
by the blank expression Of his face
that his wits had gone completely.
| Ignoring the woman whom she de-
tested, she went rapidly to MacKen-
zie's side.
~ had her roped up in the bed when
you was there tonight, mister" she
told him, the words tumbling over
each other In the haste of confession.
IL were goin' to chop her head off to
get even with you. But-but-my dead
Granny Hope, an the Biggest Nam
my In All the World wouldn't let me-"
II seemed an eternity to the quak-
ing young speaker before Marcus
threw up his head and took a long
breath.
"She-she's allve7" he demanded
hoarsely. You're very sure she isn't
dead? Girl" he bounded up and
grasped Pollyop's arm, "if you lie to
me-"
81 amt lyin' to you, mister" inter
rupted Polly duly. "You don't need
TO be scared for Miss Eve, but now
you'd best come along to my hut an
| get her. She's mournln' for you in
Granny Hopes coop-hole, covered up
with blankets"
Something like a huge fist struck
Mackenzie. The conviction that the
squatter girls words were true lifted
him Immediately from the bottom
depths of hopelessness. The sudden
thrush Of joyous relief brought with
1t mental Illumination, and he saw
himself as others had seen him. The
terrible, bllghtlng uncertainty he had
borne for a few maddening hours the
girl before him had known for
months. If she were TO blame for his
suffering, what was the measure Of
his own responsibility?
He turned swiftly to his mother-in-
law and said huskily:
"Call some one to get this child
some dry clothes. Take anything of
Ewes you can find that will keep her
warm, and for Gods sake, take those
ragged boots OF her feetw He sprang
20 the bell. "Tll order the team"
When he had given his orders to the
| sSlNulil "uV dbptditu dl luc uooit hS
sank back into a chair, and Mrs. Rob-
ertson went swiftly out.
Utterly obllvious of the squatter
girls presence, Marcus Mackenzie
buried his face in his hands. The new
Pollyop, the Polly of the Sun, crept
forward and touched him.
"Your woman's all right" she said
husklly. "Don't cry She told me
about--about the little kid a-comln' in
the summer, an she hOwled like mad
TO come along with me. But says to
her she couldn't walk all this way 70
you without dyin'."
The soft tones vibrated sympathe-
tically as she voiced the assurances.
Mackenzie thrust up his hand and
clutched the slim brown fingers.
"Tell me something about it while
we're alone" he whispered.
Pollyop shuddered.
swell, sir" she began, so low that
Mackenzie had to raise his head to
hear, "all the squatters hate you, but
none of 'em was wicked like me.
said, l did, that you couldn't be hurt
no way only through your woman, an
AMI was goin' to cut her head off
with the ak an then sling 'er In the
lake. s'pose I'm goln' to get sent up
for years, but / just had to come and
tell you"
Before Mackenzie, aghast at the
danger his dear one had faced, could
answer, Mrs. Robertson entered, fol-
lowed by Evelyn's maid.
an get my coat" exclaimed Mar
Gus, jumping up. "Dress the girl warm
and send along Evelyn's fur motor
coat"
A furtlve smile curled the maids
lips as she helped pull Off Jeremlah's
heavy coat, and then grew broader
as Pollyop slipped out of Da1dy's
great boots. Yet the woman admitted
to herself as she dried the wet feet
and attired the sQuatter girl In her
mistress beautiful clothes that she
was pretty, even prettler than Mrs.
Mackenzie.
When the roblng process was fin
ished, Mrs. Robertson glanced over the
little figure and grudgingly acknowl-
edged TO herself that there was some
thing Of elegance In the girls bearing,
even II she were a squatter.
"Come herep she said. A naughty
gesture indicated the spot. "Rlght
here before me-"
Polly's shaking legs carried her
within few inches of the august
presence.
you're very sure, girl" asked Mrs.
Robertson, "that my daughters safe
in your shackf How did she come
there"
Polly remembered Larry Bishop and
Lye Braeger. She had been instru-
meInal Ia bringing them within the
prison shadows, and II any one suffered
from the deed done that night, 1t must
not be her friends. She alone must