Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-08-16
CHAPTER XVI

In the meanwhile covered carriage
containing two men and little boy
was making slow progress along the
drifted boulevard About two miles
from Ithaca double cutter. with
sleigh bells ringing. dashed by them.
the little light on the back of it glow
ing like a steady red eye until a sharp
curve in the road blotted it from sight.
Somebody else out, If it's a bad
night" commented the older man, who
held the boy.
"They went awful fast, too, Daddy
Hopkins murmured the child. Didn't
um, darlin'?"
Yep, son." was the reply. "Sleighs
60 over the snow better'n wagons"
The words hardly penetrated the
younger mans revery. His thoughts
were busy with a seuatter girl who
would have a real Thanksgiving the
next day. Her Joy he could picture,
but he could not Join II. All his
thoughts of her were marred by an
other vision that poisoned his every
moment. Never since he had found
Oscar Bennett dying in Polly's bed had
he known peaceful instant.
When the vehicle came to the cor
ner where MacKenzie's magnificent
turnout had swung into the lane lead
Ing to the row of squatter shacks at
the lakeside, Robert Percival opened
the carriage door and thrust his head
out.
"This is where we turn" he shouted
TO the driver. $50 slowl The drifts
are deep all the way down."
When he settled again into his seat,
he remarked:
tits a bad night, Hopkins. Per-
haps 1t would have been better to have
waited until morning, after ALL"
The other man bent over the boys
head and laid his face against 1t.
"'TwOuld had TO be something
moren snowstorm to keep me In
Ithaca all night" he returned. Where
my pretty brat is. l want to be-"
-Of course, of course" sighed Rob-
ert.
But he did not utter aloud the
thought which flung to his lips that
he was tortured by the same wish, too.
What he did say was:
"Your daughter will be asleep, I've
no doubt"
"Mebbe," Hopkins answered. "But
Pollyopfl be glad to hop out of bed
for her daddy an Jerry babyr'
Then he coughed as IL trying to add
something else.
Il been wantin' to tell you all day,
Mr.. Percival," he said awkwardly,
"how grateful be to you. It's kinda
hard to say it in words"
There's no need. / assure you" re-
turned Robert. 1.-THE only thing re-
greet is that you should have been COM
PEELED to stay in prison so long"
''But we're home now p was the hap
by answer. "An' I'm thankin' you for
me an my brats too"
"Pollyop," squealed the child. wrig-
Cling. Daddy, Wee Jerry wants Pol
lop."
"Hush, jerry" soothed his father.
"We're a-comin' near home now
ThereI Here we be"
AS they descended from the carriage,
the baby hid his face in his big faith
er's shoulder.
The snow was still falling quietly
into the dark lake, and the squatter,
with throb at his heart, caught the
thread of light at the edge of the win
dow blind of his home. Then his Pol
lyop was still up.
"CoVer your horses and wait here"
directed Percival to the driver. Then
to Hopkins he said: GAS l told you.
sir, your daughters suffered frightful-
". Poor girl, / am afraid, If you ap-
peared without warning, the shock
would be too much for her. Do as we
agreed in town, and go to Bishops
shack until / come for you. I'll tell
her you and the boy are home"
A long sigh Slipped from the squat
ter's lips. He desired to rush in and
hold his girl-brat to his overweight
heart. He had heard with suppressed
emotion Roberts tale of his Pollyop's
trials, and now as he recollected them,
he could scarcely restrain himself. Yet
he realized the young man was right,
so, pulling the ehild's bowed legs
around his neck, ne faded stolidly In
to the falling snow
Inside the hut Polly Hopkins was
seated, tensely silent, her slender fin
gers clasped together about her knees.
Suddenly she heard voices other than
the low hum of MacKenz;e's questions
and Evelyns sobbing answers in the
cOop-hole.
She arose slowly, ready to spring
at Larry Bishop or Lye Braeger If
they appeared at the door. To send
them away instantly was the decision
that she made as she saw the latch
lift and the door slowly swing in. A
figure she recognized with startled eyes
stepped across the threshold; she sat
down. but was up again before he
spoke.
The man she bad so Ionged to see
he's -os,ae a 90 in R1ff NOW he WAS here.