Evening star., 1924-09-06
from Yesterdays Starr
CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VI.
In the meanwhile the Penhale
brothers grew and grew. Martha
took sketchy charge of their in
fancy, but as soon as they could
toddle they made use of their legs TO
gain the out o doors and freedom.
At first Martha basted them gener-
ously when they came in for meals,
but they soon put stop to that by
not showing up at the fixed feeding
times, watching her movements from
CoignS of vantage in the yard and
robbing the larder when her back
was turned. Martha, thereupon, post
poned the whippings till they came
in to bed. Once more they defeated
her by not coming in to bed; when
trouble lcomed they spent the night
in the loft, curled up like puppies
in the hay. Martha could not reach
them there. She dared not trust her
self on the crazy ladder and Bohemia
would give her no assistance; he was
hired to tend stock, he said, not
children
For all that the woman caught the
little Savages now and again, and
when she did she dressed them faith
uflly with birch of her own making
But she did not long maintain her
physical advantage.
eight and Eli six she caught them
red-handed. The pair had been out
Ill the morning. sailing cork boats
and mudlarking in the marshes
They had had no dinner Martha
knew they would be homing wolfish
hungry some time during the after
noon and that Il raid was indicated.
There We're two big apple pasties on
the hearth waiting the mistress sup
nd No
her life for them. since it was she
that got the blame if anything ran
short and she had suffered severely
of late.
At about o'clock she heard the
old sheep dog lift up its voice in
asthmatic excitement and then cease
abruptly; it had recognized friends
The raiders We're at hand. She hid
behind the settle near the door
Presently she saw dark patch slide
across the east door-post-the shad-
ow of Ortho's head. The shadow
Slid on until she knew he was
peering into the kitchen. Ortho en-
tered the kitchen. stepping delicate
ly, on bare, grimy toes. He paused
and glanced round the room. His
eye lit on the paSties and spark led
He moved chair carefully, SO that
his line of retreat might be clear,
bethoHtu " the iINlSlDlt ELL. ana
went straight for the mark. AS his
hands closed the loot Martha
broke cover Ortho did not look
frightened or even surprised: he did
not drop the paSty. He grinned,
lodged behind the table and shouted
to his brother, who took station in
the doorway
Martha, sGualling horrid threats.
hobbed halfway round the table
after Ortho, who skipped in the op-
posite direction and nearly eScal tG
her. She just cut him off in tine,
but she could not save the pasty He
Siung il under her arm to his con-
federate and lodged behind the table
again. Eli was fat and short-legged
Martha could have caught him with
ease, but she did not try. knowing
that If she did Ortho would have the
second paSty. AS it was. Ortho was
hopelessly cornered; he should suffer
for both. Ortho was behind the table
again and difficult to reach She
the other side of the kitchen; if she
turned to get it Ortho would Slip
away.
Eli reappeared in the doorway
lumpish and stolid; he had hidden
the booty and come back to see the
fun. Martha considered, pushed the
table against the wall and upturaed
it Ortho sprang for the door, almost
gained it, but not quite. Martha
graSped him by the tail of his smock,
drew him to her and laid on. But
Ortho, instead of squrming and