The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-05-05

! which he had used when pulling oxss
his shaggy WHISPERS with the tweezers.
| BY the aid of It, she could get glimpses
of her slim young figure and the grace
| full sweep Of the skirt. Holding the
| glass higher up. she studied her slen-
der neck where the sun had tanned ii.
But tan did not matter, for Daddy
Hopkins loved her 10 spite Of IT.
| All at once she heard knock
against the side OF the hut. Hastily
slipping out Of flie dress and folding
II. she showed IT under her pillow.
Then She pnt on her old dress and
opened the door.
/ Larry Bishop was there, extending
her letter Taking the note In
amazement, she smiled and thanked
/ him.
Amt you comm In, Isarryr' she
asked. kinda chilly tonight. huhY'
The squatter stepped inside, his cap
| In his hand.
Yep. too cold for summer, Poli.~
he returned. "Say. brat. how Won
gettln' on? Got 'nough beans left for
while?"
Sure, more'n enough. Larry" she
replied. Il writ Daddy In my letter
yesterday how blessed good you'd ali
been to me. ! bet, when get face to
face with I'm, I'll tell things / can't
scribble. An now you so bringin me-
| this
SHE tapped the letter with her I'm
gers as q mysterious smile touched
her lips.
The man shook his head grimly.
you won't be seein' your dad very
soon, P0llyop," he muttered, mot IL
guess right p
.Mebbe / WILL" she told him, finger
Ing the letter.
She liked Larry Bishop very much,
but she was eaten up with curiosity to
know the contents of the envelope In
her hand. Perhaps, oh, might 1t be-
"Where'd you get this, Larry?" she
asked. holding 1t up.
II was comm down the lane" ex-
planned Bishop, FAN Teller asked
me If I knowed where the Hopkins
hut was. / says, Yep, I'm goin' there
now He says, Take this letter to
the Hopkins girl an says, Yep an
an' brung IT."
He paused. hoping she would open
1t In his presence. Being persuaded
she did not intend to, he went out.
His footsteps had no sooner died away
than Polly sprang to the door and
barred 1t. Then she turned the letter
over and over and looked at 1t. Her
name was on 1t; SO it must be meant
for her to read. A thrill of pleasure
ran over her. Perhaps Robert had
sent her word of forgiveness. He
might have written that some day he
would come again.
With sparkling anticipation she cut
open the envelope and by the light Of
the candle spelled out its contents.
Dear Polly she read. Il couldn't
manage that trip to Auburn SO sorry.
"E."
Polly looked duly at the paper, the
words running into black smudgy
lines. Then she could not 60 to Daddy
Hopkins after all; and Jerry might
del Old Marc had once more laid his
powerful land upon her. Overcome
with grief, she wept while. Then
she took the dress from under the
pillow, rolled II carefully In a clean
cloth and put 1t away.
The shock of Evelyn's cold note
brought back the shadows to PolIyop's
brown eyes. AS the days passed slow
~ by, and the rich girl did not come
70 the shack again. Polly lost all hope
OF seeing her father.
Her decision to go to Auburn in spite
of Old Marc followed letter that she
received from Daddy Hopkins. He
was very lonely. he said. He was
counting of each day as so many hours
nearer the time when he could see his
dear children. With the picture of
Daddy's loneliness stamped In misery
on her mind came the thought that no
one had the right to keep Jerry from
his father
From the time she conceived this
Idea, It never left her thoughts. She
had often stolen rides on the Lehigh
Valley train from ithaca to the Silent
City and dropped off where the engine
took switch while the Buffalo Spe-
cial dashed by Why could she not
steal ride clear TO Auburn?
While the squatter girl was making
arrangements to carry out this
mighty plan, preparations for the
Mackenzie Robertson wedding were
going RAPIDLY forward, Evelyn, happy
in her new love, untroubled by sym
pathy for the dead Oscar. passed the
days mostly at dressmakers and In
the shops. Her contentment would
have been complete If her cousin Rob-
ert had not looked so sad, or II she
could have rid herself OF the sense OF |
responsibility for his unhappiness.
But hoping In her fiippant way that
all would come ont well after she was
married. she gnve little heed to him
md none at all to Polly Hopkins.
Early one morning Polly hoped |