Mexico weekly ledger., 1922-08-10

unable to speak q word Of greeting %
those she met. So sympathetic were
her sQuattsr friends that many q fish
and pan Of baked beans found their
way into the Hopkins hut.
Several times Poliyop had made an
effort to see Evelyn. but the rich girl
never appeared as the little trill
sounded just after nightfall In the
Robertson garden.
In July came rumors that Evelyn
Robertson was to marry Marcus Mac.
Kenzie: and that he had bought the
Bennett farm Of Oscars heirs. Terri
hed whispers went from mouth to
mouth In the settlement that he had
boasted how he was going to clear the
sQuatters from the Silent City before
the coming Of Christmas.
One night the dark messenger to
whom no home Is closed slipped into
the Hopkins shanty and summoned
Granny Hope. Although the absence
Of the old withered mouth made n
less to feed, Pollyop missed the oft re-
peated assurance that somehow. some
time. love would make crooked things
straight.
Late q day, she took Jerry and.
the billy goat and walked through the
Silent City and on toward the Bad
Mans Ravine. The picture she had
grown to love In those long-ago spring
days stiIl gazed out at her from Mar
u MacKenzie's fence.
There for a moment Polly halted
and solemnly contemplated the beauti-
full face. When she had been happy,
and that was ages past, she had not
realized what the call In the mother
plea meant. But al n after another,
her loved ones had dwindled away,
and none but Jerry was left, q clearer
understanding took possession Of her.
The same cruel force had attacked her
and the woman there. They were nv-
ing in q warning world, trying by might
and main to cling to their own, Polly
op and this giant mother. The woman
asked aid for her vast army Of sick
sons; and Polly's sorrow. touched by
her broad compassion. lightened a
little.
, Behind her she heard footsteps.
Slowly she turned her head; and al
most at the same instant the person
stopped. Pollyop could not move or
force a word Of greeting from her
tongue, for Robert Percival was look
ing at her, his serious white face hold
ing no hint Of smile or welcome. For
a long minute they stared at each 9TH
err; then the young man swung about
swiftly and strobe away.
Crushed almost into insensibility,
Pollyop sank lower and lower until
Jerry slid away from her shoulders to
the ground. Her beloved had not
spoken, 0 had the panied lines about
his mouth softened ven a little bitl
Afternoon shadows began to stretch
long owe the lake and crowd down
upon the Silent City, and still the
sQuatter girl knelt and wept out her
sorrow and loneliness with NO one
near but the large-eyed, sad little
child, leaning across the thin back Of
B~iily-goat Hopkins.
At length Pollyop arose. wiping her
worn face on her sleeve. Then she
holsted Jerry to her shoulders and
turned for a last look at the lofty
mother Of the world.
For a minute she gazed steadily.
And then, through the gathering
gloom, she thought she saw a smile
lowering about the beautiful mouth.
Pciiyop went nearer by two steps, The
woman was smiling at her. and the
squatter girl, overwhelmed with q Joy
that hurt keenly like d knife's blade.
smiled back, the first smile since
Granny Hope had left her.
Holding Jerry by one arm, she
thrust the other hand upward. . II
Biggest an beautifulest nanny In
all the world" she faltered, "bless me
an Jerry an'-ap' Daddy Hopkins
away off up In Auburn prison"
Reverently she knelt with her cling
ing burden, and then, swiftly rising,
went back to the shanty, her pale face
radiant with a worldwide blessing.