Middletown transcript., 1922-06-10
CHAPTER xvI-continued.

halr from Evelyn'S wet brow.
Now, While I'm gone you Just lay
quiet-like, askin' Jesus every minute
that your manll be hikin' here Eastern
a crow can fly"
Evelyn raised her head.
"kiss me, Polly dear" she begged
with streaming eyes.
"All right" murmured the squat
ter girl. "Kisses're mighty comfortin'
amt they?"
She stopped and laid her lips on
Evelyn's and, turning swiftly, left the
room. Evelyn heard her snuffing the
candles outside and then heard the
latch click as Pollyop closed the door
behind her.
Bounding out into the snow. Pollyop
raced through the road toward Bish-
ops hut, for she had decided to speak
to him before going on. She lifted
the latch and peeped in.
Larry sat by the stove, putting his
pipe. He gave her but a glance then
dropped his head mournfully.
where's Lye, Larry?" Polly asked
in kissing whisper.
"Gone home," came in grunt.
Hes sick to his stummick, an so be
i. I'm most froze, too"
With her hand on the latch Of the
door which she had closed against
the storm, the girl stood in shivering
indecision. She felt intuitively the
inner emotions going on inside the
stolld speaker. She wanted to throw
her arms about him and tell him all
that had passed In her home during the
last hour. But If she did, Larry would
take the blame of the crime on him
self. OF course he would. Polly Hop
kins knew the heart of Larry Bishop
as If she had made it herself from
Gods own clay. If the person in her
shack had been Old Marc, he would
have had no cOmpunctiOn in putting
Aim out of the way, but woman
II don't want you for anything to-
night. Larry Bishop" she broke out,
fumbling with the latch. "An', mind
you, dearie, never tell nobody you an
Lye swiped Old Mares woman. That's
promise. Larry, amt it?"
"Yep," replied Bishop, nauseated.
"Then go to bed an sleep." returned
POllyOp. you'll get warm, an'-an'-
I'll see you tomorrow-mebbe. won't
be needin' you in my shanty tonight"
Then she went swiftly out, slammed
the door and was away like winter
bird, before the squatter could ques-
tiop her.
Swiftly she ran on, her hair almost
on end because, to save her friends.
she must face the naughty MacKen-
lie himself. 1t had been her cruelty
that had prompted their act. and now
besides saving Evelyn, she must shield
them. The nearer she came to the
Mackenzie house, the harder her heart
pounded, with dread at the task before
her.
In the meantime Marcus Mackenzie
and his wife's mother were together
the lady stretched out on the divan,
and Marcus pacing the floor. Since
Mackenzie had left the Hopkins shack,
he had ridden madly over the hills,
Urging every man available to help
him find his wife. Secretly he had
wept tears such as never had poured
from his eyes before in all his super
cilious days.
Having set in motion what aid he
could summon from town and coun-
try, he had come back home to the
hysterical mother. He had no COM
forting assurances to give her. or any
to allay the burning grief within HIM
self. Evelyn had disappeared as If
the ground had opened and swallowed
her up He paused in front of Mrs.
Robertson, his dark, handsome face
working painfully.
You're very sure she was feeling
well just before she went Out?" he
inquired "She didn't act as If she
had anything to worry over?'
Mrs. Robertson used her handker-
chief before she answered.
81 can't think of anything" she hes
itated, "unless it was about Bob. Late
~ he's been so different. l asked Eve
one day" She broke Off and dis
solved in tears.
"Yes, you asked her one day
what?" Mackenzie urged.
at was about Bob" continued the
weeping lady Eve thought he was
suffering over-over--"
"Well!" snapped Marcus.
Would the woman never cease her
everlasting crying ana give him u clue
If she had one?
"Well! :" he goaded her on more furi-
ously.
"poIIy Hopkins!" she sobbed. "Eve
said your continual pounding at the
squatters had about broken the boys
spirit"
Rubbish !" exclaimed Mackenzie.
"Eve wouldn't waste her time worry
ing over such rats. Bob's fool, I've
discovered Where is hep
81 don't KNOW" answered Mrs. Rob-
ertson. HE goes away for days at a
time without saying a word to Eve
or me. And he looks perfectly dread
full. l think Evelyn's grieved over
him."
"Why didn't you tell me so before?"
cried the man, turning on her swiftly.
I'D have soon made my young gentle
man put on smile, at least when
he's home. It's shame my poor
wife had to be tormented like that !"
That he had started the rumpus and
done his full half of the quarreling
never occurred to him. He was de-
termined to find some one to blame
for his wife's disappearance.
"Well, there's one thing certain"