Middletown transcript., 1922-06-17
CHAPTER xvII-Contlnued.

The snow was still falling quietly
into the dark lake, aud 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: "As 1 told you,
sir, your daughters suffered frightful-
ly. Poor girl, I 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 overwrought
heart. He had heard with suppressed
emotion Roberts tale Of his PoilyOp's,
trials, and now as he recollected them,
he could scarcely restrain himself. Yet
he realized the young man was right,
so, pulling the chlld's bowed legs
around his neck, he 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 MacKenzie's questions
and Evelyn's sobbing answers in the
cOop-hole.
She arose slowly, ready to spring
ut Larry Bishop or Lye Braeger il
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 had SO longed to see
had come again. But now he was here,
she did not dare let him stay mo-
ment. Marcus Mackenzie might come
out of the coop-hole even before she
could send the newcomer away. While
he was pressing his great coat collar
down over his shoulders, she tiptoed
to him and with uplifted hand whis-
pered:
flush! Go away! Go away
quick y Making a backward gesture,
she added There's some one in the
coop-hole l don't want you to see."
His errand having completely left
his mind, Robert after moment of
startled inspection, stopped stiffiy by
the door. The resentment and jealousy
he had nursed so long flared into ac-
tive life and licked him like flames.
Clothes such as she wore had never
been paid for with squatter money
She was beautiful! So much his eyes
told him, but he knew she was not
honest
She had said there was some one
in the
He fixed her with stern eyes and
then showed her aside.
I'm going to see who he is," he
snapped.
Polly's fingers caught him as he
tried to pass her.
"No, you can't go in there" Shit
cried. please don't do it,
The sound of their voices brought
Marcus Mackenzie out into the kitcher
in one stride. He halted at the sigh
of the squatter girl hanging desperate
ly to Roberts arm. An exclamation
broke from him; and with one wrench
Percival was free and was at him.
$50 it's you! y he snid in tone tina
told Polly Hopkins what was in hi
mind. damn you, you hypocrite-
His voice broke off, and he brushed
his eyes across with shaking fingers
There behind Marcus in the coop-hol
doorway was his pale cousin.
"Evelyn!" he gasped thickly "God
what's this all about? Every one O
you look as if-as if"
Bewildered and overcome, he coul
not finish his sentence.
Marcus had caught Evelyn to him
and Pollyop. tearlessly ashamed, ha
sunk into the big chair to hide tn
finery which she knew had brough
the hurt into Roberts eyes. Sh
wished she was clothed in daddy
boots and her own calico dress
"Shut the door, Bob" Marcus o,
dered as calmly as he could.
Mechanically Robert did as he wa
hidden. When he turned again. Maj
Gus was seated, with Evelyn clingin
to him, and Pollyop's face was CO,
cred by one arm.
Evelyn began to cry weakly.
Bob, dear" she broke out, lookin
up at her cousin with streaming eye
"Pollyop's been so good to me-"
That sounded to Polly as If som
one else were to be punished for til
nights work.
mo, l amt" she protested, liftin
her head. II was awful bad! / wei
the only one to blame. hated ever
one of you. Let me tell all Of yo
about it,"
She began at the beginning and r
peated how she had concocted the pla
to steal Mrs. Mackenzie. She spoil
of Larry and Lye as her two friend
but did not mention their names.
~ thought could kill 'er, SIR" 81
added, raising streaming eyes. "b'
when daddy's coat fell down, an Il
big nanny an Granny Hope smile
at me, l quit hatin' you an wanti
to kill your woman.
She struggled up and moving to Il
wall, leaned against "The Create
Mother in the World" as If she, to
would add herself to the vast fami
of hurt ones.
Every one of her words was direct'
to Mackenzie.
"Then Pm TO understand" he ask
slowly, that you deliberately took 4
wife AWAY to kill herT'e