Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-06-08

ROXY squeezed her arm en~couragtngiy.
you're o mean dufrer, Oscar" she
thrust In. your woman's scared Of
you, thnt's al. Try bein' better. an
zee how she likes it,
"Sheis got q good right to be ID
scared" grunted Bennett. Nov out
with IT. Eve. What's the rumpus7 You
haven't sent me a cent for a month"
With shaking fingers Evelyn pushed
back her ~wind-blown hair.
II couldn't get any money, Oscar"
she walled "My allowance Is all gone:
I gave every cent of it to you. You
know very well mother won't give me
any more"
She had one card left to play. and
abe hoped 1t would take the trick.
II might as well tell you," she con
ttnued, the steel In her eyes wiping
away the blue. Mother hasn't any
money. All I thought we had belongs
to Cousin Bob"
She ceased speaking and waited an
instant to note how her news struck
her husband. He flung mp q clenched
fist.
"The devil take you, Evei" he cried.
Don't try to put anything rel on me
like that. You're the biggest liar In
Tompkins county"
That he partly believed her showed
In his manner.
"Pd never "a married you II I'd a
known that two years ago." Oscar as
serted hOarsely. you can be dead
certain of that, my lady. You were
pretty careful to keep your money
troubles to yourself. SIT down, both Of
you! You're ~shivering like two cats"
Impulsively Evelyn went toward him.
"oh, Oscar, listen, listen to me-" she
said, trying to steady her voice. II
want to be free. l can't, I can't live
this way any longer"
A coarse oath fell from Benefits
lips.
"YOu don't need to-" he shouted.
"You got a home to come tony
home. You a do the work my old
mothers doing. It's your job, not hers.
You're my wife, by ginger, and as l
said to POllyop here, you live with me,
or you pay up. / don't give a tinker's
On which you do"
His voice grew deep as he finished,
and an evil. haunting smile drew up
his lips. Evelyn shuddered and swayed.
and Polly slipped n arm around her
waist.
"You want to be free from me. Ell?
That's 1t, is it?" he sneered. "Some
other guy looming up to love, | s'pose.
Well, / don't mind who gets my leav-
ings If you make it worth my while.
But If not"
Evelyn's pale, beseeching face lifted
to his. She could not quit him with
out his promise that she should have
her freedom. Neither must he think
that she could get him a large sum
of money.
II can't get another dollar" she re-
peated hoarsely. II simply can't. And
and / must be Free"
A frown drew the mans heavy
brows together until they touched, and
he lifted his fist to strike; but Polly
Hopkins, by n swift movement,
thrust Evelyn from under the mans
appraised arm and crowded In between
them. Because Evelyn was his wife,
he had the right to beat her II he
pleased, Polly thought, but he would
not dare to strike Polly.
"If you've got to swat some one, aos-
car" she gritted between her teeth,
E"swat mel" 1T
The beautiful white face came close
to Benefits, and the challenge In the
sQuatter girls flashing eyes stirred q
feeling within him that he never had
had for Evelyn Robertson. Oscar had
always believed that a woman must
fear q man to respect him, and that to
respect him meant to love him. He
did not want Evelyn Robertson in the
farmhouse, but he did want money and
Polly Hopkins. If he could master
her as he had Eve, she would come to
him willingly when he was ready for
her.
Working on that principle, he struck
out. AS the huge fist anne in contact
with Pollyop's shoulder, she staggered
backward. Her low cry was followed
by Evelyn's scream. The squatter girl
sank to the floor Imply. No n had
ever struck her before.
you've killed her." cried Evelyn
and Oscar Bennett, fearful that the
girls clamor would summon some In
Quisitive squatter. turned swiftly Il
90.
Both Of you keep mum about this
my lady" he ordered. I'm off Seer
With that he tore open the shanty
door; and Evelyn stood painting witt
her hand on her heart until the sounC
Of his running footsteps was lost IL
the windstorm.
Then Evelyn led Polly Hopkins
home. One arm hung at the squattel
girls side; and the pain in. her shout
der, where Oscars fist had landed, wa
terrific. On nearing the shack, Poll!
whispered:
"Mebbe he'll be quiet a while now
You'd best scoot home, huhT
A small box passed from Evelyn
handbag to the squatter girls pocket.
IT brought them for Jerry" SAT-
Evelyn softly, "and oh, Polly. what
ever can l do for you to even Vi
things7 Perhaps"
"Scoot home" interrupted Polly
"Tm goin' In"
Pollyop stole into the shanty in tn,
greatest torment she had ever known