Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-09-21

-Wnen OdQQyS coat lell Gown, an inc
big nanny an Granny Hope smiled
at me. quilt hatin' you an wantin'
to kill your woman" g-
She struggled up and moving to the
wall, leaned against 1.-THE Greatest
Mother in the World" as If she. too.
would add herself to the vast family
Of hurt ones.
Every one Of her words was directed
to Mackenzie.
"Then I'm to understand" he asked
slowly. shat you deliberately took my
wife away to kill herr"
"But she didn't, Marc" interjected
Evelyn.
Marcus made 4 wide gesture with
one arm. ...5.
"Hush, Eve" he muttered n wnnt
to hear what Miss Hopkins has to
say" ..s. sa
"Yep, I took her." trailed on Polly,
IAN 1 meant to croak her. too. an
throw 'er in the lake. Just to get even
with you, SIR" sa
'1Then why didn't you do 1T" de-
mandcd Marcus.
Pollyop threw a short glance at the
other man, standing white and silent.
She cleared her throat, and leaned
only the harder against the wall.
ION a sudden" she continued, as If
eager to finish her tale, II somehow
remembered everything Granny Hope
learned me when she was In the shack
here. She always said, mister. when
you was devillsh enough to snake a
squatter from the Silent City"-Polly
paused and coughed, then proceeded
in the dead silence: Granny sald
you was the image and likeness Of the
good Cod up in the sky an a brother
to Jesus, the same as US squatters.
But l said l didn't ever want to fly
away to God II He looked like you'll"
Leaving the will she came forward
and hurried on: "An' meant 1t them
times. an much more after you rail-
roaded my daddy and swiped Jerry
away from me-"
Marcus placed his wife In the chair
and stood up. He started to speak to
Pollyop; but Evelyn's cry caused him
to turn swiftly. The drabness Of her
face startled him.
"AIarc! Robert |" she said. II can't
go back home until I've told you some
thing. No, Marc. don't stop me. I
will tnlk. Now. listeni Oh, honey!"
This appeal was to her husband who
had laid his fingers on her shoulder.
won't you hold my hand while tell
it,"
Much moved, Marcus did as she re-
quested. His firm clasp seemed to
encourage Evelyn. and she went on:
Darling, I've always been-dread-
full toto Polly Hopkins. and-and
she's been an angel to me-"
She was going to tell 1t all. ragged
through Polly's mind. Was she going
to bring to light her relations with
the dead Oscar7 Old Marc would
never forgive It'll Thinking more now
of the baby coming next summer to
the almost incoherent woman than of
her own happiness, Pollyop made
movement as IL to contradict the state
ment; but Evelyn's impetuous rush Of
words halted her.
"No, Polly, I'm going to put things
right now, even II Marc leaves me to-
night" she declared, clearing her
throat. "Robert, dear boy. lied to
you. I lied to Polly and to you, Mar
Gus. Oscar Bennett wasn't Polly's
sweetheart at all. He-he was my
Mackenzie stiffered,- but did not
drop the cold fingers he held; and
wept bitterly. unable to go on.
A horse whinnied outside; but iii
the shanty no sound could be heard
save the hysterical sobbing Of Evelyn.
It seemed to Robert as II he must,
shake from his cousin the rest of the
dark story, SO impatient was he to
hear 1t.
"Then-then when you came, my
my beloved" Evelyn raised her tired
eyes to her husband, II tried to get
rid Of him. ! did my best to get Polly
hopkins to promise she'd marry Oscar
after he had freed me. wanted to
get him out Of the country" i.
Unwilling to- spare herself the least
humlliation, she enoeo IN plte0us con-
fusion: II was glad when I knew he
was dead"
"Then how did he der came swift
y from Mackenzie. H.
"Oh, just as the doctor told you,
Marc. dear" replied Evelyn. "He was
struck by lightning and died from tho
,hock. was free then, and-and I
made Polly swear over and over again
he'd never tell any onel And-and
gave her the silk dress she wore that
lay In the Auburn car. I-I-1ied
bout that, too. But, Marc, dear love,
knew you hated her and"
Robert bounded to his feet ~ the
Iirl's words trailed away into silence.
)vsr MacKenxie's face were speeding
% many different expressions that the
brown syss ef Polly Hop
Eins could not ten whether he In