The Lamar register., 1922-04-12

farm tasks. thoughts of anger toward
Eve, now so overhearing and con
temptuous, were soon crowded out,
however. by anticipation OF the time
when Polly would belong to hlm-be
his to love or abuse at his own sweet
will, for Oscar had little doubt that
the squatter girl would eventually
yield to his will.
Pollyop, meanwhile. quite uncon-
scious OF Oscars vicious intentions.
was already utterly overwhelmed with
misery.
After the meager supper was over
that night she sat crouched near the
wood-box. her arm around Billy Hop
kins' stringy neck. Granny Hope was
In bed and Wee Jerry having cried
himself to sleep. was in Jeremiahs
room, rolled up in a blanket.
For the first time In her life Polly
had seen her father weep. How i'm
petuously she had kissed away his
tears How she had hung to his neck
When they had been forced to leave
him, Jerry had shrieked his misery all
the way through the streets Of Ithaca.
To make the matter worse, 1t began
to rain. to thunder and tighten. And
now. a forlorn. lonely little creature.
she sat listening to the tempest out
side with no company but the billy
goat.
How listless ard hopeless she felt
Only when the thunder rolled over the
lake. and the lightning flashed across
the sky, did she lift her head. When
she was happy. Polly loved the
storms, but now, with Daddy in Au-
burn, how could she bear the thrash
ing rain and the moan of the willow
trees as they swung TO and fro over
the shanty roof7
She found herself wishing fearfully
that the storm would sweep OF to the
south and down behind the hills Over
and over in her mind went the thought
that perhaps she could have helped
Daddy II she had done what Evelyn
wanted her to. Why hadn't she con
sented to marry Oscar two weeks agoi
She knew why. and. blushing. blamed
herself. She could not keep the Image
her.
All OF a sudden frightful fash OF
lightning made dim the flicker from
the small candle and was followed in
stantly by thunderous roar that
shook the very earth. Mingled with il
came a woman's scream. Polly strug-
gled to her feet. Some one was In
troublel Some squatter-woman was
calling her. She dashed toward the
ins . xt-HHa
Evelyn Robertson rushed in.
Polly Hopkins" she cried. grasping
the squatter girls arm. "Poilyop.
something struck Oscar. and he's dead
In the road"
Frantically she drew the dazed Pol.
ly over the threshold. The darkness
was dense. and the torrents Of rain
pelted their faces. Another zigzag
streak OF fire ran across the sky, max.
ing a vivid picture as 1t blazed Cor
nell university into plain view. In the
white light Of it. Polly saw n man ly-
ing face down In the path leading to
the shanty. He made no effort to get
up as the two girls bent over him.
"Mebbe he amt dead" muttered
Polly. shuddering. Lets lug him in
the hut"
Between them they dragged the
heavy. inert body into the shanty and
shut the door. Oscar looked dead
when they turned him over. His face
was livid. and his eyes tightly shut.
THE thunder hit him. huh1" ques-
toned Polly. awestruck.
Shudder after shudder ran over Ev.
elyn.
81 don't know" she moaned. Yes,
I suppose SO. oh, II was dreadful -
She began to cry. wringlng her hands
desperately.
Don't do that" begged Pollyop, with
a shiver. Come on an help me get I'm
up on my bunk"
Weak from the shock. Evelyn was
Of little service in lifting Oscar. But
the bed was low. and finally after much
tugging. he was rolled lifelessly over
on his back. stretched to his full length
on the rickety cot.
Standing side by side, the girls
looked anxiously down upon him.
81 guess mebbe he's dead, amt he?"
Gueried Polly woefully.