Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1922-06-01

Then she put on her old dress and
opened the door.
Larry Bishop was there, extending
her letter. Taking the note in
amaZement, she smiled and thanked
him.
"Ain't you comm in, Larry2" she
asked. kinda chilly tonight, huh p
The squatter stepped inside, his car
in his hand.
"Yep too cold for summer, Poll,
he returned. Say, brat, how you
gettin' on? Got 'nough beans left fol
a while?"
"Sure, more'n enough, Larry" she
replied. II writ Daddy in my letter
yesterday how blessed good you'd all
been tome. bet, when l get face to
face with i'm, I'll tell things l can't
scribbie. An now you go bringin' me
| this"
She tapped the letter with her fin.
| gers as mysterious smile touched
her lips.
The man shook his head grimly.
"You won't be SEEM your dad very
soon, Pollyop," he muttered, mot il
l guess rightv'
"Mebbe l WILL" she told him, finger.
ing the letter.
She liked Larry Bishop very much,
but she was eaten up with curiosity to
know the contents of the envelope in
her hand. Perhaps, oh, might it be-
"Where'd you get this, Larry?" she
asked, holding it up.
II was comm down the lane" ex.
planned Bishop, "an' a Teller asked
me If l knowed where the Hopkins
hut was. says, Yep, I'm goin' there
now He says, Take this letter to
the Hopkins girl an says, Yep an
an brung it."
He paused, hoping she would open
1t in his presence. Being persuaded
she did not intend to, he went out
His footsteps had no sooner died away
than Polly sprang to the door and
barred it. Then she turned the letter
over and over and looked at it. Her
name was on it; so it must be meant
for her to read. A thrill of pleasure
ran over her. Perhaps Robert had
sent her word Of forgiveness. He
might have written that some day he
would come again.
With sparkling anticipation she cut
open the envelope and by the light OF
the candle spelled out it's contents.
Dear Polly" she read. Il couldn't
manage that trip to Auburn. So sorry,
&C."
Polly locked duly at the paper, the
words running into black smudgy
lines. Then she could not go to Daddy
Hopkins after all; and Jerry might
die! Old Marc had once more laid his
powerful hand upon her. Overcome
with grief, she wept while. Then
she took the dress from under the
pillow, rolled it carefully in clean
cloth and put 1t away.
The shock of Evelyn's cold note
brought back the shadows to Pollyop's
brown eyes. AS the days passed slow.
ly by, and the rich girl did not come
to the shack again, Polly lost all hGpe
of seeing her father.
Her decision to go to Auburn in spite
Of Old Marc followed a letter that she
received from Daddy Hopkins. He
was very lonely, he said. He was
counting off each day as so many hours
nearer the time when he could see his
dear children. With the picture Of
Daddy's loneliness stamped in misery
on her mind came the thought that no
one had the right to keep Jerry from
his father.
From the time she conceived this
idea, it never left her thoughts. She
had often stolen rides on the Lehigh
Valley train from Ithaca to the Silent
City and dropped off where the engine
took switch while the Buffalo Spe-
cial dashed by. Why could she not
steal ride clear to Auburn?
While the squatter girl was making
arrangements to carry out this
mighty plan, preparations for the
MacKenzie-R Robertson wedding were
going rapidly forward. Evelyn, happy
III her new love, untroubled by SYM
pathy for the dead Oscar. passed the
days mostly at dressmakers and in
the shops. Her contentment would
have been complete If her cousin Rob.
ert had not looked so sad, or If she
could have rid herself of the sense Of
responsibility for his unhappiness.
But hoping in her flippant way that
all would come out well after she was
married, she gave little heed to him
and none at all to Polly Hopkins.
Early one morning Polly hoped |
quickly out Of bed and after a break
fast Of bread and beans, began to dress
Jerry In the best he had. The day
was chilly, and a fine rain drizzled
over the lake.
Pollyop wrapped Granny Hopes
old shawl around the little boy and
tied warm rag about his head; and
the child, satisfied with his sisters
assurance that he was going to see
his father, sat on the cot wlde-eyed
watching her In silence.
(TO BE CONTINUED)