The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-05-12

by the blank expression of his fac
! that his wits had gone completely
: Ignoring the woman whom she de
tested, she went rapidly to MacKen
zle's side.
Il had her roped up in the bed whel
you was there tonight. mister" sh
told him. the words tumbling owe
each other In the haste Of confession
II were goIn' 10 chop her head OF t.
get even with you. But-but--my deat
Granny Hope. an the Biggest Nam
my In All the World wouldn't let me.
1t seemed an eternity to the quak-
Ing young speaker before Marcus
threw up his head and took a long
breath.
"She-she's aliver he demanded
hoarsely. You're very sure she isn't
dead? Girl" he bounded up and
grasped Pollyops arm, IF you lie to
me-
II alnt lynn to you, mister" inter
rupted Polly duly. you don't need
to be scared for Miss Eve, but now
you'd best come nlong to my hut an
get her. She's mournin' for you In
Granny Hopes coop-hole, covered up
with blankets"
Something like 4 huge fist struck
Mackenzie The conviction that the
squatter girls words were true lifted
him Immediately from the bottom
depths of hopelessness. The sudden
thrush of Joyous relief brought with
1t mental illumination. and he saw
himself as others had seen him. The
terrible, bllghtlng uncertainty he had
borne for a few maddening hours the
girl before him had known for
months. II she were to blame for his
suffering, what was the measure of
his own responsibility?
He turned swiftly to his mother-In-
law and said huskily:
Call some one to get this child
some dry clothes. Take anything of
Ewes you can find that viii keep her
warm, and for Gods sake. take those
ragged boots off her feet |" He sprang
to the bell. "I'll order the team"
When he had given his orders to the
servant who appeared at the door, he
ertson went swiftly out.
Utterly obivious of the squatter
girls presence, Marcus Mackenzie |
buried his face in his hands. The new
Pollyop. the Polly OF the Sun, crept |
forward and touched him.
"Your womnn's all right" she said |
huskily Don't cry She told me
about-about the little kid a-comln' In
the summer, an she howled like mad
to come along with me. But says to
her she couldn't walk all this way to
you without dyin'."
The soft tones vlbrated sympathe-
ticaIly as she voiced the assurances.
Mackenzie thrust up mis- hand and
clutched the slim brown fingers.
Tell me something about it while
we're alone" he whispered
pollyop shuddered
"Well sir" she began, so low that
had TO raise his head to
hear, ''all the squatters hate you, but
none of 'em was wicked like me.
said, ! did. that you couldn't be hurt
40 way only through your woman, an
AMI was goin' to cut her head Off
With the ak an then sling 'er In the
axe. | s'pose I'm goin' to get sent up
or years. but Just had to come and
ell you"
Before Mackenzie. aghast at the
LANCER his dear one had faced could
answer. Mrs. Robertson entered fol-
owed by Evelyn's maid.
an get my coat" exclaimed Mar
u.s. jumping up. "Dress the girl warm
md send along Evelyn's fur motor
oat."
A furtive smile curled the maids !
Fps as she helped pull off Jeremiah's
eavy coat. and then grew broader
5 PoIlyop slipped out OF Daddy's
reat boots. Yet the woman admitted q
D herself as she dried the wet feet
nd attired the squatter girl In her e
distress beautiful clothes that she
as pretty, even prettier than Mrs. q
IacKenzie. h
When the robing process was fin
he'd. Mrs. Robertson glanced over the
tile figure and grudglngly acknowl- n
iged 10 herself that there was some
ling of elegance in the girls bearing. I
zen II she were a squatter.
Come here" she said naughty
.sture indicated the spot. fright g
re before me-"
Polly's shaking legs carried her "
thin few inches of the august
essence. NJ
You're very sure. GIRL" asked Mrs
'bertson. that my daughters safe u
your shackY How did she come y
ere?" ~
Polly remembered Larry Bishop and
e Braeger. She had been Instru- ~
,ntal in bringing them within the ="
son shadows. and II any one suffered !,
M the deed done that night. II must :.
be her friends. She alone must :"
'e the blamei ..r
I wheedled 'er there. ma'am," she ~,
lied humbly I'm goin' TO tell her
n all about IT. -,
iarcus entered and started back as -,
caught sight of Polly. How beaut-