Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-03-17

lance"
Sternly he directed a look of disgust
at Polly. He hated attending the
squatters anyway, and never would
have consented to enter the Silent City
if Robert Percival had not come for
him.
Aghast at the horror of the emer-
gency, POllyop seemed not to notice
the physicians contempt.
SIS he goin' to die, mister?" she
queried plaintively.
81 don't know" he replied in gruff
indecision, as he prepared a draught.
When everything within human
power had been done for Oscar Ben
nett, Robert allowed the doctor to pass
out of the hut before him. Then, like
a shot, he turned back to Polly's side.
His eyes blazed with jealousy; and
quickly it crossed her mind that he
was going to strike her. oh How she
wished he would and then take back
all the cruel words he had hurled at
herl
"When you said you loved me, you
lied" he gritted savagely. You knew
all the time you had him. You let me
kiss you! You said love was the
greatest thing in the world oh, God
How 1 wish l could hate you!"
Polly could not speak, neither could
she move. Imprisoned tragedy lay in
the depths of her eyes. If he had been
less violent, she would have implored
him to trust her.
Percival really hoped she would re-
sent his accusations. Stormy denials
would have been sweet music to his
ears. He would have welcomed even
a torrent of abuse from her. Anything
was less maddening than this sinister
silence that seemed to put the stamp
of truth upon his cousins explanation
of Benefits presence.
"Why don't you speak?' he rasped.
When she showed no signs of an
swering, he turned to go. The door
was swinging in his hand, but he did
not pass out. 1t was as though the
agony scorching him fused ali his emo
tons; and in a flash he realized that
he loved her just the same No matter
what she had done, he loved her, and
no woman in the world could or would
take her place.
He whirled around and with one
sweep gathered her into his arms. On
mindful of the man on the bed, he
showered kisses upon her hair, hel
eyes and lastly scared her lips by his
passionate caresses.
"Trust mel" she gasped. "Pleasf
trust me-"
A contemptuous laugh fell from him
"Trust your he grated. THAT
will not! I'll never trust you again
But you're mine just the same. d.
you hear? You belong to me. Blu
after this I'll watch every step yol
take and-and-"
He almost crushed her into uncon
sciousness. ant she hung in his arm'
a fragile, beaten thing, too tired to or!
out, too weak to plead.
Then, all of a sudden, Robert loos
ened his hold upon her, strobe to the
door and, without a backward glance
opened it and was gone.
For a long time after he had left the
hut, prone upon the rough shanty
boards, she strained her eyes at the
door, as if a ghost had just passed
through it.
Granny Hopes voice called hel
name; and she came limping out Of
her room on her stick.
II heard a lot of folks talkin', Pol
lyop," she said, IAN l got awful pains
tonight. It's the storm, 1 guess"
Almost exhausted, Pollyop forced
herself to stand up.
"You hadn't ought to be out of bed
Granny" she demonstrated. yep, ]
guess it's the rain what makes you
ache"
Then Mrs. Hope noticed Bennett.
His eyes gazed at her a moment and
then moved back to Polly.
The old woman hobbled to the cot,
and Polly came to her side silently.
He's awful sick, I guess, amt hep
observed Mrs. Hope, looking up into
the girls, face.
"Yep!" The affirmative was but a
breath.
"Goin' to die, huh?' whispered the
other.
A deep sob rose to the girls lips,
brought almost to utterance by her in
tense suffering.
"Mebbe !" was all she could say.
"Poor man." the muttered,
wrinkling up her face. "Dyin's awful
hard thing for some folks"
A startled expression, smoothing
away some of the hard lines, spread
over Oscars face. In the presence
of death, which every squatter held
in superstitious awe, Polly dropped
down upon her knees beside the bed.
Her own hurt had been overcome by
the desire to help him if she could.
And there, while the rain dashed its
fury into the lake, and the wind shook