The Belding banner-news., 1922-02-08
CHAPTER I.

t..
Oscar Benefits farm spread its acres
along the face of West Hill between
the Lehigh Valley tracks and the high
way leading TO Johannesburg. Oscar
Bennett was what the country people
and even the Ithaca folks called a fine
farmer. His farmhouse faced lane
that led TO the west shore of Lake
Cayuga. and from the front porch he
could see, much to his dislike, the few
struggling squatter shacks that
brought to an end northward the 81
lent City. Like all other substantial
citizens Oscar detested the squatters.
In his estimation they were a set OF
thieving loafers and sneaks, and many
times he had wished that he owned
the ground they squatted on instead
OF Marcus Mackenzie.
OF course il was no secret that
Mackenzie never let an opportunity
slip TO pop fisherman into jail, but
In Benefits opinion that treatment
was not severe enough, and besides, II
did not accomplish anything. Mac
Kenzie's idea was 10 Jail the men
whenever the chance came and for a
period as long as the law would allow.
But what good did that do? Fierce
hatred famed in the haggard faces Of
the women, and they held to their
squatter rights with the tenacity OF
leeches until their husbands were
given back TO them. Bennett would
have done away with the wives and
mothers II the job of breaking up the
Silent City had been his. No man
would hang to hut long without a
woman In II.
One morri"g In the early spring Os-
car was fiji hing his breakfast when
the door opened slowly. A girl with
small tin pail in her hand stepped
into the room. She smiled at him al
most humbly.
'Shut the door :" he shouted at her.
where's your manners, Polly Hop
kins? Can't you see the rains com
ing in after you?"
The smile faded from the girls face
Mechanically she turned, closed the
d2pr and, unlimited, seated herself in
aVthair and placed the pail at her
side
$50 you've come begging, Pollyop,"
went on the farmer, wiping his lips
on the sleeve of his gingham shirt.
"Well, you might as well turn tail
and run home again, for you're not go.
= ing to get anything more from me. ]
don't want a poacher's brat around
here"
The girls bare wet feet drew tense
ly backward under the chair; but she
remained discreetly silent Oscar al
ways abused her and called her names
but that was because she was a squat
ter. After a while, he'd change his
mind. and then she would take home
what she came for. She noted with
quick breath that Oscars eyes softened
during the time he was silent. That
boded well for her errand; but Ben
nett's mind was not on milk or any
of those suffering for the want of It,
He had just discovered that Polly
Hopkins was beautiful even If she
were barefooted and ragged. Her
straight young shoulders were covered
with wet curls that seemed 10 have
given 70 the wide eyes their shade Of
ripe chestnuts.
Polly expected every moment that
Oscar would reach out for the pail,
and, though with bad grace, ned give
her the milk just the same. She fid-
geted I'm her chair and drew a long
sigh-he was staring at her in such a
peculiar manner from under his heavy
brows.
Why had he not noticed before thar
Polly Hopkins was so pretty, Oscar
wondered. and a slow smile parted his
lips. Polly's eyes lowered, and the
long dark lashes only added to Ben
nett's sudden admiration. A quick
drawn breath slipped audibly past the
mans teeth. Pollyop sensed in his at
titude toward her new quality that
she recognized inttitively as danger
ous. To bring his attention back 10
the purpose of her visit, she ventured
to say:
II thought Ii wouldn't hurt you
none. Oscar, TO gimme little h,.lk for
GrarE, Hope an Jerry. I'm always
runnin' errands for you an your
woman"
Benefits heavy farm boots made a
scraping sound under the table.
"what good does that do me2' he
returned upon my soul ] might ms
well be without a wife as TO have one
who won't live with me or let anyone
know I'm her husband. I'm gettin
sick. good and plenty sick, ! can tell
you, Miss Polly Hopkins"
This speech did not disturb Polly
over much. for he'd made II dozen
Rimes before 1t was only the express
sion in his gaze. she did not quite
like. Her mind went to Evelyn Rob
ertson, the girl that Oscar had mar.
ried. AS II Il were but yesterday, she
remembered how two years ago she