American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-07-27
Storm Country
Polly
CONTINUED

Therel Here we be-"
AS they descended from the carriag e.
the baby hid his face in his big faith
er's shoulder.
' The snow was still falling quietly
into the dark lake, and the squatter,
with a throb at his heart, caught the
thread of light at the edge Of the win
dow blind of his home. Then his Pol
lyop was still up.
Cover your horses and wait here"
directed Percival to the driver. Then
to Hopkins he said: "As I told you,
sir, your daughters suffered frightful-
ly. Poor girl, l am afraid, IL you ap-
peared without warning, the shock
would be too much for her. Do as we
agreed in town, and go to Bishops
shack until l come for you. I'll tell
her you and the boy are home"
A long sigh slipped from the squat
ter's lips. He desired to rush in and
hold his girl-brat to his overweight
heart. He had heard with suppresseA
emotion Roberts tale of his POllyop's
trials, and now as he recollected them,
he could scarcely restrain himself. Yet
he realized the young man was right,
SO, pulling the child's bowed legs
around his neck, he faded stolidly In
to the falling snow.
Inside the hut Polly Hopkins was
seated, tensely silent, her slender I'm
gers clasped together about her knees.
Suddenly she heard voices other than
the low hum of MacKenzie's questions
and Bvelyn's sobbing answers In the
coop-hole.
She arose slowly, ready to spring
at Larry Bishop or Lye Braeger ie
they appeared at the door. To send
them away instantly was the decision
that she made as she saw the latch
lift and the door slowly swing in. A
figure she recognized with startled eyes
stepped acros the threshold; she sat
down, but vas up again before HI
spoke.
The man she had so longed to see
had come again. But now he was here,
she did not dare let him stay a mo-
ment. Marcus Mackenzie might come
out of the coop-hole even before she
could send the newcomer away. While
he was pressing his great coat collar
down 0ver his shoulders, she tiptoed
to him snd with uplifted hand whis-
pered
"Hush! Go away Go away
I Iuick !" Making a backward gesture,
che added: There's some one in the
cOop-hole / don't want you to see."
His errand having completely left
his mind, Robert, after a moment of
startled inspection, stopped stifiy by
the door. The resentment and jealousy
he had nursed so long Jared into &C.
tive life and licked him like flames.
Clothes such as she wore had never
been paid for with s0uatter money!
! She was beautiful! So much his eyes
told him, but he knew she was not
honest
She had said there was some one
In the
He fixed her with stern eyes and
then showed her aside.
I'm going TO see who he Is," he
snapped.
Polly's fingers caught him as ne
tried to pass her.
"No, you can't go in there" she
cried. please don't do it."
The sound of their voices brought
Marcus Mackenzie out into the kitchen
in one stride. He halted at the sight
of the ~squatter girl hanging desperate
ly to Roberts arm. An exclamation
broke from him and with one wrench
Perciyal was free and was at him.
$50 it's you !" he said in a tone that
told Polly Hopkins what was in his
mind. Damn you, you hypocrite@'
His voice broke off, and he brushed
his eyes across with shaking fingers.
There behind Marcus In the coop-hole
doorway was his pale cousin.
Evelyn !" he gasped thickly. "God,
what's this all sbout7 Every one Of
you look as if-as f."
Bewildered and overcome, he could
not finish his sentence.
Marcus had caught Evelyn to him;
and Pollyop, tearlessly ashamed, had
sunk into the big chair to hide the
finery which she knew had brought
the hurt into Roberts eyes. She
wished she was clothed In daddy's
boots and her own calico dressi
shut the door, Bob" Marcus or
dered as calmly as he could.
Mechanically Robert did as he was
hidden. When he turned again, Mar
Gus wal seated, with Evelyn clinging
ITO him, and Pollyop's face was COW
cred by one arm
Evelyn began to cry weakly.
Bob, dear" she broke out, looking
up at her cousin with streaming eyes,
"~POllyop's been SO good to me-"
That sounded to Polly as IL some
one else were to be punished for the
nights work.
mo, | ain't." she protested. lifting
her head. Il was awful bad | were
the only one to blame. l hated every
M of you. Let me tell all of you
about it,"
She began at the beginning and re-
Deated how she had concOcted the plan