American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-05-12

wished he would and then take back
all the cruel words he had hurled at
heri
when you said you loved me, you
lied" he gritted savagely. "You knew
all the time you had him. You let me
kiss you You said love was the
greatest thing in the world !-Oh. God!
How I wish could hate youT"
Polly could not speak, neither could
she move. Imprisoned tragedy lay in
the depths of her eyes. If he had been
less violent, she would have implored
him to trust her.
Percival really hoped she would re-
sent his accusations. Stormy denials
would have been sweet music to his
ears. He would have welcomed even
a torrent of abuse from her. Anything
was less %maddening than this sinister
silence that seemed to put the stamp
of truth upon his Cousins explanation
of Benefits presence.
why don't you speak?" he rasped.
When she showed no signs of an
swering, he turned to go. The door
was swinging in his hand, but he did
not pass out. 1t was as though the
agony scorching him fused all his emo
lions; and in a flash he realized that
he loved her just the same! No matter
what she had done, he loved her, and
no woman in the world could or would
take her place.
L nn uuhirIod arNN1pI onl I'LL -.
sweep gathered her into his arms, IN
mindful Of the man on the bed, he
showered kisses upon her hair, her
eyes and lastly scared her lips by his
passionate caresses.
Trust mel" she gasped. "Please
trust me-"
A contemptuous laugh fell from him.
Trust you?" he grated. "That L
will not! I'll never trust you again.
But you're mine just the same. Do
you hear? You belong to me. But
after this I'll watch every step you
take and-and-"
He almost crushed her into uncon-
seriousness. and she hung in his arms
a fragile, beaten thing, too tired to cry
out, too weak to plead.
Then, all of a sudden, Robert loos-
ened his hold upon her, strobe to the
door and, without a backward glance,
opened it and was gone.
For a long time after he had left the
hut, prone upon the rough shanty
boards, she strained her eyes at the
door, as If a ghost had just passed
through it.
Granny Hopes voice called her
name; and she came limping out of
her on her stick.
Il heard a lot of folks talkin', Pol
lyop," she said, IAN 1 got awful pains
tonight. It's the storm, 1 guess"
Almost exhausted, Pollyop forced
herself to stand up.
"You hadn't ought to be out Of bed,
Granny" she demonstrated. yep, 1
guess It's the rain what makes you
ache.'
Then Mrs. Hope noticed Bennett.
His eyes gazed at her a moment and
then moved back to Polly.
The old woman hobbled to the cot,
and Polly came to her side silently.
Hes awful sick, l guess, amt he?"
observed Mrs Hope, looking up into
the girls face.
"Yep" The affirmative was but a
breath.
Coin to die, huhY" whispered the
other.
A deep sob rose to the girls lips,
brought almost to u~tterance by her in
tense suffering.
"Mebbe J" vas all she could say.
poor man." the woman muttered,
wrinkling up her face. "Dyln's awful
hard thing for some folks"
A startled expression, smoothing
away some of the hard lines, spread
over Oscars face. In the presence
of death, which every squatter held
in superstitious awe, Polly dropped
down upon her knees beside the bed.
Her own hurt had been overcome by
the desire to help him if she could.
And there, while the rain dashed its
fury into the lake, and the wind shook
the shanty, the three kept quiet vigil.
Large drops appeared ON Benefits
brow; and Granny Hope lifted one
withered hand and brushed them away.
Lowell carry you over weary places,
big dear" she wheezed. ITS all pow
erful, love is, sir"