The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-05-25
CHAPTER WI


To des0ribs Oscar Bennett'a rage
when be left the two girls IN Granny
Hope's shack would indeed be a task.
OF late Evelyn had ceased 10 attract
him. In the Excitement Of the court
ship be had put his best foot forward.
and for time after the marriage be
had found q great satisfaction In the
thought that she was bis. When the
giamOr ~ their secret honeymoon
time had worn OF, and the farmers
crude. cruel nature had been disclosed,
Eyeiyn'E mad infatuatlOn had dlssp-
peared IN terror-siricken horror.
A. EVELYN was finding in Marcus
Mackenzie a mate more 10 her taste,
Bennett's primitive passions had burst
into q sudden fame for Polly Hopkins
The sqdatier girls seOTn Of him. her
drawing ridicule. only made him de-
sire her the more
A couple Of days after the night
scene with the girls. he left bis house
and took bis way 10 the lake. lie
crossed his fodder lot snd plunged
into the Mackenzie forest which lay
between the railroad tracks and the
water. In his pocket be had letter
for Evelyn. lie Intended 20 XIII two
birds with one stone n he could ind
Polly Hopkins alone. be would tell her
the decision he had come 20 and give
her the note 20 deliver.
Oscar did not relish entering the
Silent City by the highway. The
squafters hated him as much rs he
did them. more. IN all probability; and
II was his habit 20 give the settlement
a wide berth. II he discovered any Of
them on bis land. with the exception
Of Polly Hopkins, he drove them away
furiously. Oscar was one Of those who
would rather have produced rot on
his land than give II 10 the needy.
Before ynulting the Mackenzie
fence, the sound Of people talking on
the other side halted him. POllyOp's
voice came distinctly 10 him. and an
other voice, a mans, answered her.
The deep weIl-bred tones Bennett was
sure did not belong 10 a squatter. He
listened carefully 10 pick Up the I'm
port Of the cOnversHtlOn. The bass
voice mumbied something about Il
mother. In response. the sguntter
girls tones feli upon his ear: "Some
day you1l be the biggest an most
benutfulest daddy In the world" Then
followed the rush of Departing hoofs
Jealousy tore OF the euyesdrOpper. It
did not take him long TO get TO the top
Of the fence.
Some sound he made brought the
Equatter girls head around sharply
from her survey of the picture.
"what do you wnntT' she asked sui.
lenly, frownlng at him.
Oscar jumped 10 the ground.
81 come down 10 see you. Pollyop,"
he reIolned. coming forward, "who
were you taik,5g tor
The only safe way 10 get along with
the farmer. Polly had concluded, was
10 have nothing 10 do with him.
leave me be, oscar Bennett :" she
Hhrilled. II don't want nOthin' 10 90
with you. I'm goln' home"
To cut on her retreat. Oscar needed
10 take but couple Of strides, and he
promptly took them
"Jeminy cricketsl' he eEpostulnted.
'Don't be so confounded short, Porlyop
You needn't be mad because swatted
you one. You aren't my woman yet,
but you're going 20 be Just as soon as
] can get SHUT Of my lady Robertson"
Observing no signs OF sOftenlng In the
girls face. be switched his attack.
"say, where'd you get that lambT
This query unfolded new terrors for
Polly. She had not thought OF the
lamb belonging to anyone but herself.