Middletown transcript., 1922-06-17

"Awful much" she sighed; then she
turned and looked at Bishop, standing
against the wall.
"What about Larry?" she murmured
softly. "Poor. poor Larry"
"Tll help him, too" Marcus agreed
eagerly.
Polly cogitated one small moment.
"There's Lye Braeger," she sighed
again. "He amt got many friends.
Lye anti"
MacKenzie's laugh sent a sense of
relief over the gloomy group.
"Then Lye Braeger. too," he ex-
claimed, "and any other squatter who
wants TO work."
POllyop, overwhelmed with this gen.
erosity, stood up before him, curls
showering each shoulder and framing
her lovely, eager face.
II guess mebbe you were an angel
all the time, like Granny Hope said
once" she said shyly "I'm thankin'
you, sir, an I'm hopin' the little
one Gods sendin' in the summer'll look
Just like-like"-a smile touched her
llps-"just like jerry" she ended.
Because she was so simply natural,
Mackenzie replied solemnly:
"If my child looks as much like me
as Jerry looks like his father, I'll be
satisfied"
Then he hurried his wife away, Of
fering to carry Robert home with
them.
mo, sir" said that young man
stoutly. "Fve got to talk to Polly Hop
kins."
"Tm goin' now, too," grunted Larry
Bishop. Got to go an see Lye Brae-
ger He's sicS in bed with STUN
mick ache. Good night, Poll! See
you tomorrow, Jerry Hopkins"
He made n gesture of farewell to
Robert; and Pollyop went to the dosr
with him. There she brought n wry,
twitching smile to his lips by throw
ing her arms about his neck and kiss
ing him.
"It's all right now, Larry, DEAR!
she whispered "Good-by."
When she turned slowly to Robert
her face was suffused with crirason
blood.
saint your horses gettin' cold, sir?
she queried. ITS worse outside than
when you Gamer
jeremiah blinked at them, went tC
the cot and picked up the drowsy
baby. To hide his embarrassment, he
seated himself and rocked the child
back and forth He was almost afrai(
of his beautiful daughter, dressed Sc
unlike herself, her hair hanging il
glistening curls over Evelyn Robert
sons exquisite clothes.
"The horses are well covered, Polly
answered Robert. "I'll make it wortl
the drivers while to.wait bit"
Then unable to bear the strain an,
longer, he burst out:
Darling, can you ever forgive me?'
-, She gave him one melting ganc,
and like fluttering bird sped into hi
arms and stayed there. And thus th'
two young things, with nothing be
tween them and long stretches of hap
4 piness, clung to each other until tn
tinkle-tinkle of the Mackenzie sleigl
bells was lost in the night.
Then the squatter girl, disengagin
herself from her sweetheart's arms
went to her father.
Daddy" she breathed, bendin
over him, lever since l mended tn
roof that day-the same day Old Mar
came home, I've been lovin' "-sh
reached back her hand, and Rober
clasped it, 1--WE been lovin'-" ChoB
. ing she could get no farther In tina
j important explanation.
Robert stepped beside her, and res
ed his hand on the down-bent heat
= He knew now that though she was
, sQuatter, one of the despised of tn
y earth, he loved her better than tn
whole world.
e ITS just like Granny Hope sai,
It Daddy" Pollyop went on, the velvet
brown softening the misty eyes. "Sh
It said. Granny Hope did, that loves bi.
If ger an better'n hate any day. An it
d true, amt it?"
"Yep," nodded Hopkins, smoothin
e her face with one great hand. II gues
SO, brat"
p, at sure is" added Robert In he
,r ear.
Then he looked at jeremiah.
c. "May 1 have her some day. sir?" /
1t asked in reverent tones. "Pll mal
II her so happy you won't regret it."
lie Jeremiah's big frame shook, nm
IN Pollyop, ever devoted to him, kisse
o. him tenderly.
"Tll never leave you. Daddy darlr
IL precious old Daddy" she cried. "Me
be" She looked up at the tall ma
= standing by her. "Mebbe," she r
e. peated, you'd take Jerry an Dadt
too, huh? They're awful good n
It. never get in nnybody's way"
p "And Jerry and your father to
my darling" laughed Robert. in {
n outburst of happiness. 81 can ha,
h. your little girl, Mr.. Hopkins, can't
w "Yep." whispered Jeremiah, sighir
mt heavily.
Then while Robert was biddil
ce Polly goodnight, Jeremiah. with
faraway look upon his face gather'
st the bow-legged child closer to him al
,e- rocked him gently to and fro.
IN 1.-THE END.]
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