The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-06-15
tcontinued)
CHAPTER XVI

In the meanwhile q covered carriage
containing two men and a little boy
was making slow progress along the
drifted boulevard. About two miles
from Ithaca a double cutter. with
sleigh bells ringing dashed by them,
the little light on the back OF It glow
ting like n steady red eye until a sharp
curve In the road blotied II from sight
somebody else out, II 'tis q bad
night" commented the older man. who
held the boy.
.sTbey went awful fast. too. Daddy
Hopkins" murmured the child. Didn't
'um, darlln'f"
"Yep SON." was the reply. "Sleighs
20 over the snow better'n wagons"
The words hardly penetrated the
younger mans revery His thoughts
were busy with squatter girl who
would have a real Thanksgiving the
next day Her Joy he could picture,
but he could not Join IT, All his
thoughts Of her were marred by an
other vision that poisoned his every
moment Never since he had found
Oscar Bennett dying In Pollys bed had
he known peaceful instant.
When the vehicle came to the cor
ner where MacKenzie's magnificent
turnout had swung into the lane lead
ing TO the row Of squatter shacks at
the lakeside, Robert Perciyal opened
the carriage door and thrust his head
out
This is where we turn" he shouted
TO the driver. GO slow The drifts
are deep all the way down"
when he settled again into his seat
he remarked;
"lt's bad night, Hopkins. Per
haps II would have been better to have
waited until morning. after ALL"
The other man bent over the boys
head and laid his face against IT,
"'Twould had TO be something
more'n a snowstorm to keep me In
Ithaca all night" he returned. where
my pretty brat is. / want TO be"
"of course. of course" sighed Rob
ert.
But he did not utter aloud the
thought which flung TO his lips that
he was tortured by the same wish, too.
What he did say was:
"Your daughter will be asleep, I've
no doubt"
"Mebbe," Hopkins answered "But
Pollyop'll be glad to hop out Of bed
for her daddy an Jerry baby"
Then he eoughed as u trying To add
something else.
II been wantin' to tell you all day,
Mr.. Percival." he said swkwardly.
"how grateful be TO YOU. It's kinda
hard TO say Il In words"
There's no need. assure you" re-
turned Robert. "The only thing ! re-
gret Is that you should have been COM
PEELED to stay In prison so long
"But we're home now = was the hap
py answer. An I'm thankin' you for
me an my hrats too"
"Pollyop." squealed the child, wrig-
Cling Daddy. Wee Jerry wants Pol
lop."
Hush. Jerry" soo'hed his father.
-we're a-comin' near home now
There Here We be
As they descended from the carriage.
che baby hid his face in his big faith
er's shoulder.
The snow was stn falling quietly
into the dark lake. and the sQuatter.
with a throb a. his heart. caught the
thread of light az the edge q the win
dow blind of his home. Then his Pol.
lyop was still up.
Cover your horses and wait here"
directed percival 70 the driver. Then
10 Hopkins he said ~As ! told you.
sir. your daughters suffered friEhtful.
". Poor girl I am afraid u you APP
peared without warning. the shock
would BE- to- much for her T. o. Ne
agreed Ia tow. and 81 q Bishops
shack until ] come for you. I-ll tell
Der you and the hoy arr home
A long siEh slIpfed from ne Sluat-
ser's llrs He desired o. resi- 10 and
hold hls glrl.brat % bis orerur0uEhf
heart lie had heard with suppressed
eno,ion Roberts tale 81 bis Poayop's
trials and uoE a. be NEGLECTED them.
b. could scareeiy restrain himself Yet
be realized ths young man was rizht
%. pulling the chiid's bowed leEs
anound his neck. be faded stolidly IN
70 the faiiing snow.
INSIDE the hut Polly Hopkins VAS
seated. tensely silent Der siender fn-
ge-x clasped together about her knees I
suddenly she heard voices other than
the l0N hun Sf IA ckenxie's zaestlons