American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-04-14
~What Do You Want7" She Asked Sui
ienly, FroWning at Him.

what Do You Want7" She Asked Sui
lenly, browning at Him.
Bennett took the offensive, his fists
flying like fails. He wanted to get
his arms around the other fellow, to
trip him and make the fight a rough
and tumble on the ground, but Percl-
val avoided the rush, and struck as
Bennett went by. Again and again
Bennett tried to come TO close quar-
tiers. But he could not neither could
he hit his elusive opponent. At length
he hesitated, distressed as much by
his own efforts as the blows he had
received.
Then Percival stepped in, and quick
ly it was all over. Two well-planted
thumps laid Bennett like a log on the
ground.
Robert busted off his hands, picked
Wee Jerry up, and handed him to his
sister.
ibid he hurt you, Polly?" he queried,
and her answer was positively gleeful:
"Nary a bit, sir, an l reckon the big
luHlluoA > 6Ol a piChly lhio liuuCs
Robert brushed off his clothes slow
ly. The farmer still lay on the ground.
''Get up" ordered Percival s~cornful-
ly, touching the PROSTATE man with
the toe of his boot. Get up and make
of If you don't want me to lick you
again."
Oscar rolled over and crawled slow
ly to his hands and knees.
"The grounds kinda wabbly, amt It.
Oscar?" Polly gibed.
Get OUT commanded Robert, once
more.
Bennett scrambled to his feet, shook
his fist at Polly, snatched up the little
dead lamb, and in another moment
had climbed the fence and was gone.
what were you fighting abOutf"~
began Robert, looking keenly at Pol
lyop. i!
Tears hung on the girls Iashes. and
the sensitive underlip %quivered.
oscar said as how Nannyop were
his" she murmured. Weren't it awful
for him to swat it with that stone that
way?"
ibid you" He broke OFF the Ques-
tion abruptly. He was going to ask
her If she had stolen the lamb but AN
expression in the pleading, misty eyes
stopped him. d
II found the little Teller drownin' i'm
the creek, sir" she explained with
bowed head. 81 just took him home to
love him, that was all"
The strange, thrilling emotion hat
had overcome Robert but a short time
ago in the presence Of this sQuatter
girl attacked him again. .
what can l do to help you, childT'
he demanded sharply.
Polly flung out her hand. Helpl
that was what the sQuatters wanted.
The little lamb was dead. Nothing
could eyer hurt 1t any more. But there
were her people
"Just help Daddy. Hopkins"-she
choked and went On-"an' all the poor
folks in the Silent City, an'-all-Im
love you forever and fOrever!"
After that the '~ittlest mother
made large strides upward toward the
greatest mother" Every little wOr-
ried thing in the woods, every heavy
heart in the squatter settlement felt
the difference in Polly Hopkins. She
smiled more, she talked more; and,
when she found a group of her women
folks wondering how their absent lad
dies were, she led them in smiling as
surance to Old Mares fence and there
repeated what Robert Percival had
said about the Greatest Mother In the
World.
One morning Pollyop was cleaning
The shanty and Granny Hope vas seat
ed by the stove. A sharp rap came on
the door. When Polly opened it and
recognized the caller, she would have
closed. the door and barred it if a
mans heavy boot, thrust across the
threshold, had not prevented her.
There in his riding clothes, naughty
and frowning, stood Marcus MacKen-
zie.
"Where's jeremiah H~opkins1" he
demanded, cycling PollyOp sternly.
She hdgeted with the edge of her
apron. Had Mackenzie come to harm
her best beloved1
: "My daddy's gone out" she returned
finally, in a low tone.
"Then I'll wait said Marcus. "Pn
sit down and wait"
To Re Continued