The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-08-03
CHAPTER xlv-cortinved.


Larry. "Me an Lye gagged 'er."
Holy smut e. fell from Pollyop. as
the picture his words had made burned
Itself across her mind.
"Her mans been gone all day to
Cortland" continued the squatter ln a
monotone. "Lye found out Old Miss
Robertson's been tryin' to reach hold
of him"
Hope she dontr' interjected Polly.
"Not TIL we get done with his woman.
Are you goin' to tote her over hereT-
The man nodded.
Don't dare to til later, when the
squatters is In bed" he answered.
Shaping on his cap. Tiff you
change your mlad, Poll. come along
over; an III cut er loose an ret 'er
60"
harsh sound something like
chuckle Of malicious satisfaction,
slipped through Polly's lips and stopped
the man at the door
THAT amt no ways likely. Larry"
she said husklly. Bring er here. an'
when I'm done with her, she'll have
10 be took"
She caught Bishop by the arm.
whlrling him around.
"An' listen, Larry" she continued
with cruel emphasis IAN all the time
keep rememberin' how Betty walled
her life into the grave. an'-an' that
Old Mare done IT,"
Overcome by the words she had
thrown at him so deliberately. Bishop
hung away, and the girl, quaklng at |
what was about to happen, heard him |
running along the shore toward his /
shack.
II seemed TO Polly Hopkins that
every minute was an hour long. and |
every second filled with lntolerable
anxiety. Would the sOft-hearted Larry
repent and surrender the prize she
longed to get her fingers on?
In extreme nervousness she went
from one thing 10 another, never fin
ishlng what she began. She paced the
hut floor until she was dripping wet
with apprehensIveness She had no
means OF knowing when I've and
Larry would come; so she dared not
HAN iioul blt shNCk.
Many times she showed aside the
window blind and looked out. But
the world outside was wrapped In n
white silence. She could not even
glimpse the peaked roof OF a fisher
mans hut, for between her and the
Silent City was flowing curtain OF
snow, the flakes falling like feathers
from an open bag.
Larry would keep his word, she told
herself over and over. She was glad
Il was such a night The better could
the squatters carry out their death
plan.
Unnoticed by the girl, the wood
burned 10 embers In the stove. and the ,
hut grew Nolder by degrees. In one
or her half hours OF measuring the
shanty's length, she halted, breathing ,
On her frost-bltten fingers She drew
about her shoulders the blanket which I
had covered Wee Jerry ln his hut
lays. I
Her mind brought back 10 the baby
away on in some unknown place, she I
,ried weakly as she replenlshed the a
IRE Had the wicked ones OF the
sarth made Jerry forget Daddy Hop
Sins who up in Auburn was ignorant
u his whereahouts1 Many times Polly
lad taken up her pencil to write him /
u the child, but II always dropped
rom her fingers before Il reached the d
'aper. Daddy could not do anything:
md she would not add to his heavy /
,urden.
She was at the stove, her cold stiff |
myers spread over Il. when the sound
4 footsteps outside sent her hendlopp
o the door. Appallingly terrified. she {
ragged II open.
Then, IN deadcnlng silence. I've |
'rnerer and Larry Bishop carried . I
lrge bundle through the doorway and |,
hrew II down on Polly's bed. IN
Heayy-lidded. the girl gazed upon II
er eyes widening In Joy, Joy At the !,
hought Of Old Mares misery: ioy nj
be thought OF getting even. The k
rightful emotion that surged through
er bore relation only by contrast TO
ne delights OF few months back |
.hen her willing legs had trotted the
puhtry oSer to help every one that
eeded her. II wasn't the same Polly |
all. This Polly lifted her foot aud |
icked the bundle none too lightly.
we had HI OF time gettin' 'er
ere Poll" growled Lye Braeger.
Outside It's like II a million crazy
evils "As hcwlin' over the hills. But
e brought 'er just the Samel Now
what you Ike with 'er, bratr'
White teeth cleaned through the So
aniacal smile that parted the girls IN
ps' AT lastl She had not lived nm
trough inteminable days for moth.
g! =.
"Seoot out, youl" she ordered. wny. or,
g her hand at them, IAN keen n n,
ateh about TIL get done" pI
Braeger made for the door as II
lxious TO be gone; but Larry Bishop br,