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Show BfiVfl ;"""" ' " i ii iiiiiiiniiiiiiiiii i in i n i i mum i mi iiuii in i i ina M" INI ' T I I I Storm Country Polly by Grace Miller White H Copyright by Little, Brown & Co. t, ,,.. H CHAPTER XIII Continued. bbb 1 "So you're here, young man," lie snnrlod. "Well, muddling in thin busl- tiess won't do you any good. Didn't I toll you yesterday what I Intended to BBJ do; mid you had the nerve to upset BBH my wife nbout It. You're making BBS yourself the lnughlng stock of the whole town I Now you'd hotter go If BBflflj you don't want to witness a little BBflflj comedy that'll stick In your memory BBflflj for many n Ions day." BJ The speaker turned to Pollyori. BBS "Where's that boy?" he demanded. Involuntarily Polly looked toward BBH tho cot where Woe Jerry lay asleep. Bflflfli "You mean the bahy Oh, you don't flflfl! moan .Terry?" she Questioned dully. H s IIe ,l0ltl out a paper which tbojpquut- BflB tcr girl took as If she had been In a BBH stupor. Hlio held It up, tried to make out what was printed on It, then Bflflfl dropped her hand hopelessly to her flflfl H With an exclnmatlon of pity, Robert BflB went to her and took tho fingers that flB clutched the paper. BB "Polly," he snld swiftly, "you'll hnve BBBj to give Jerry up for a little white, Just n llitlo while" BflB She snatched her hand away, tho BflB document fluttering to the floor. In a B Polly Struggled Madly, and the Child H Shrieked and Clung to His Sister B With All tho Puny Strength He Had. H moment she hod picked up the child BflBB from the cot and hugged him tc hur flBB J "Old Mare ain't come for tho baby, SSSS has lieT" she shrieked, her tono high- I pitched and strained. "He's mine, BBB jerry Is. I'm coin' to keep 'lm hero SSSS till Daddy comes homo; so you mleht I nswetl scoot.''- H In the stillness that fell as her voice SSSS broke, each man was Impressed with I tho martyrdom sho was passing flBB through. Itohcrt lmd never Imagined SSSSJ r person could go so white and still be I alive. With an ejaculation, hoarse and BHBBJ defiant, he sprang to her side, BflBJ "'oily." ho cried. "My God. don't BflBflj look that way I Listen to met" BBB, "Can ho take tho baby?" fell monot- BflBBj onously from her bluo lips. H "That's Just what he can do, Miss flflfl Hopkins," thrust In MncKenzle. "Tho BflBB law says a child can't stay In a place BflflB like this. You'd have seen that If BBBfl you'd taken tho pulns to read the pa- Bflflflflj ler. l'ut somo wraps on tho child, BflBl BBfl Polly stood with Jerry gripped tight flHj ly against her; und, frightened, the BBflj little boy begun to cry. BfH "I want my Duddy Hopkins, Polly fl op," ho whimpered brokenly. BJH Polly looked so dreadful that for a flBBJ moment MacKenzlu was silent. Her BBB eyes bad an expression of such hate BBJBBJ and deadly determination In their flBB singular brown depths thut for a mo- BHBfl ment he held his breath. BBBfl "If you take htm," she spoke nt last, flflflflj "why. d n you, I'll kill you I" BflflflB At first MaclCendo eyed tier con- BflflB temptuously. Whut did such a girl's I threats mean to hlmT Then he BBB laughed. And that laugh stung the BBBJ sensitive girl more than If he had bbh BBs "You took oar Daddy Hopkins," she BflflBE told him, drooping a little at the teil- BBH lnir.a "but Jerry lltki my baby, un' I flf keep him In tho shanty till his puppy H comes homo. You hear, the hull of Bflflflflj you, don't you?" Bflflflflt Her eyes were roving from one to BBBH I other.Jiut ber voice towered on each BflflB word. bemuse In tho steady gate of Bflflflflj Old Mare and his deputies sho saw no BBVB' "I'd rather b'd die," she screamed. BBflflfl 'I'd rather he'd bo noxt to Granny BflflB Hope In the graveyard I Get out of BBflflJw say." BBBV Tlie scene was even more nerve- flBH racking than MucKentlo had expected. BBH "Take him away from her, Bowers," BflflflB lit ordered, turning to one of the men. BBBJr The man spoken to stepped forward BBH lu eviderff unwillingness; but shout HBHo from ofacKetuIe made htm grab fcr tho child. With one hand the frenzied girl bent at him with all her energy, but he struck down her sllra young lingers as If' they had bocm twigs. Thrusting ono arm around her. ho cnught Wfe: Jerry by tho shoulders. But to disengage tho boy's clutch from the chestnut curls called forth all tW quickness the mnn possessed Polly struggled tnudly, and the child shrieked and clung to his sister with nil the puny strength ho lmd. "Keep away, Perclval," snapped MncKenzle. pushing Robert backward. "If you lay one linger on my men, I'll take the girl along to Jail." To save the girl ho loved, Itobert compelled himself to stum! by while the boy was torn bodily from her. He saw ono of the then drag a blanket from tho bed and throw It around Wee Jerry. Then ho snatched at the girl, hut she iiulckly eluded his grasp. How awfully her eyes glowed, und how lur face twitched I "Get out with him before sho cuts up any more," growled Mnrcus, as Polly bounded forward only to be met by tho sjieakcr'a outstretched arms. "If 'you moke another scene, my lady," ho rapped out, "I'll have you arrested ar-rested for obstructing tho law. And remember this, huzzy, I'm going to get you next." Ills threat against herself meant nothing to Polly Hopkins. Hut tho word "lnw" It struck at her bruin like a hammer. She suddenly felt us If a tidal wave, strong and relentless, ha 1 broken over her. It was tho same law taking Jerry that had Imprisoned Duddy Dud-dy Hopkins, that hud carried away Larry Illshop from his woman. The thought brought her up with a sharp gasp. She did not euro whut they did with her, but little Jerry, Weo Buby Jerry I "What you goln' to do with him, mister?" mis-ter?" sho begged, wringing her hands. "Tell mo that! f can't let 'lm go' till you do I" Sho cnught at his arm, -and the strong brown fingers dug deep Into his, llcsb, "Look Into tho paper there and you'll seo where I'm going to tako him," answered an-swered MnclCcuzle. "Let go of my arm I There I" Ho wrenched himself free. Tli"n, enraged and with eyes flashing, ho shouted, "Get out with the kid, you men, and start off I" Glad to be gone, tho ofllclals stepped Into the open, onu of them cnrrylng tho writhing Jerry. Then Polly Hopkins Hop-kins stood upright In tho middle of tho shatty, grief, consternation, and then an expression of Insunlty passing over her face. - Itobert Perclval was nenr her, not daring to utter n word; her deep-set agony was too terrible for sympathy. Al at oncusho started forward; und ho mudb a desperate effort to stop her. "Pollyop," bo pleaded. As she raced through the doorway, he called: "Wult wult " In nu Instant ho was out beside ber, speaking her name softly, Imploringly. She paid no heed to him, but Hung up Iter arms. And then she tnughodt MarcuS MncKenzle was standing beside his horse, nnd on beyond in tho lunn a cnrrlago was rolling away, from which came piteous screams from Jerry. "Pollyop," entreated Itobert. Hut Polly had bounded from him toward to-ward thcman and the horse. "I hope," sho shrieked at MacKenzto, "I hope your hrnds'll wither off; I'm wlahln' all you love'll die before your eyes, an every dry I'll bo askln' Granny Gran-ny Hope's lovln' Ood to d n you till you drop rottln' In your grave." Marcus hnd halted with his font In tho stirrup. Ho had heurd every word she had uttered; and drops of cold sweat gathered on bis brow, Then, with an oath, he vaulted Into the sad-dto,'put sad-dto,'put the spurs to his horse and got-lopod got-lopod up the hill after tho retreating carriage. ItoUbrt wns leaning limply against tho side of tho shanty whon Polly Hopkins turned swiftly back. He spoke to ber ; and she looked dazedly at him. Then she laughed again, directly Into his face; nnd the young man, almost as distraught as sho, tried to take hold of her. "You scoot, too," she said to him; "get oat, an way out; an' an' tell your lily-livered cousin, I say, I hope If she ever has a baby it won't have no eyes to see 'er with, nor no mouth to kiss 'er with I hope "Oh, God J" groaned Robert. llofore be could get back his wits, sho had rushed past him Into the shack, slammed the door and barred It agnnst him. For more than two hours Polly Hopkins Hop-kins lay fuce down on her cot. During thut time her loving heart 1iad broken and died within her. Sho bad no longer an incentive to live, no more a deslro to look forward to Daddy's home-coming. When at length she crawled to the floor, all signs of tears had disappeared, disap-peared, leatlng the once glowing eye dull and expressionless. There wfcs no one left to love save the billy goat, nnd to him she gave no heed. In her aimless wandering about tbo shanty she paused before the reproduction re-production of "The Greatest Mother hi the World." Pally did not cam foi her any more either. Deliberately she took un old coat and hung It caref'j '' over tho glorious solemn face. She never wanted to look upon Itngnln-Never Itngnln-Never Never I Then, tuklng 'the ax, she went out nnd, as dellberutel'y as sho hud hidden ' from view the picture, so did sho lrnk from above the door the welcoming slgn. When It lay at her feet, buttered nnd partly broken, she muttered over the words, "If your-heart Is loving nnd kind come right in. If it ain't scoot oir." She hnd learned her lesson nt Inst. Heurts were not loving nnd kind, lifter all, Then, with powerful strokes of the ax, alio split the slab In pieces Unfuthomable depth? of hate and revenge re-venge had swallowed her soul I Polly Hopkins was douo with tovo forever I '. CHAPTER XIV. V. "Ood-Almlghly, Polly brntl" exclaimed ex-claimed Larry Illshop one evening, "what mndo you como out a night like this, huh?" e The girl went to the stcve nnd la silence extended her hnnds over Its top. "Whut's up, Pollyop?" the mnn demanded de-manded again, curiously, dropping Into u chair. "You look something nwfult" And so she did I The long-lushed eyes hud gathered and held an Indellu-uble Indellu-uble expression of hatred. The fnlr, lovely fuce knew tender sympathy no more. She was no longer Polly of the Sun. For her that orb hud become merely i( ball In the sky, hot like the stove and bright like the candle flame, only more so. Nor did the pule winter moon ever catch b.r dazzling smiles. The winking' stars bad forgotten weeks ngo that once a squatter girl had stolen out nightly to throw upwurd n kiss, begging them to deliver it to the cruel-fled cruel-fled one there beyond them the good Jesus who sat on the golden throne nnd who had sent her tho message by Granny Hope that "Lovo wore strong-er'n strong-er'n hute any day." , As usual her feet were In Jeremiah's boots, and us usual she wore his oout. Her curls were covered with snow, und as she studied the dark-faced mnn she shook drops of water from them. Sho udvanccd toward him, choking with emotion. Since Wee Jerry bad gone, her hours, spent lu planning re-vengo, re-vengo, hnd completely exhausted ber. Sho was so. tired thut when 'she reached Larry she crouched before him on the floor and turned a pule, beseeching be-seeching fare up to him. "I've come, 'Lnrry Illshop," sho ho-, gnn gruvcly, "to ask you to help mo to even up a little with Old Marc." ' Tho squatter's head went up, nnd a startled, expression shot Into his tierce eyes. Then liu sank lower In his chair, und tho Are died out of his countenance. counte-nance. "Who can get even with that d n brute?" ho muttered after a while. "Squutters can't I We'd all go to Au burn If Ave muss up him or hls'n." A white young face shoved so close to his thut Illshop drew hack. "Who cares a d n about Auburn?" Pollyop exclaimed roughly. "We won't go there till we've tore Old -Marc's heart to pieces an' made It hurt like yours does, Larry, Ijko mine does for Jerry an' Dnddy Hopkins. Wouldn't you bo wllllu' to spend n few years In Jull If you could make him howl an' go ulmoHt mnd like me ha' you have, Laity?" Illshop looked beyond her bend Into a dark corner. It was In that spot he often Imagined he saw tho wntlth of his woman, His unsteady regard nettled; net-tled; and tho ghost woman rose mistily, mist-ily, gazing nt him with unearthly eyes. Then the pnle, unsmiling phuntnm extended ex-tended her arms and within them appeared ap-peared a frail infant. "God I" burst from bis lips like u shot from a gun. Pollyop glanced bnckward.nvcr her shoulder. Hut the s'uuhler that ran over him brought her liuggnrd face back to his. "Ain't your heart hurtln' something awful for your Betty woman an' your brat now, thts very minute?" she queried abruptly, as If shn. too, had seen the ghastly thin; In the comer. "God, yes I" he shlvored taking Arm hold of bis chin to hide tbv tremble of It She seized his arm viselike, the grip-drawing grip-drawing a groan from the squuttcr. "An wouldn't you Just love to see Old Marc twist an' squirm like a stepped-on baby suako, huh?" came In one long, sobbing breath. Again the shifty look of the tortured man came to rest on the gloom heyond; "I'd die for It, so I would, Pollyop," he cried, "Out with what you got In your bean. Poll; an' I'll listen, so help me God I" Pollyop letned henvlly ngalnst him, panting. S was making un effort to toll him her plun With a swift up. wnrd motion of her head, she begun to talk In broken tones; and ns she proceeded, pro-ceeded, Larry Ulshop rnlsed stralghter lu his chair. Polly's voice trailed Into silence; nnd Larry sent one hasty look over her head. The wraith smiled sadly ut him nnd was gone. He shook himself und, struggled to' his feet. Then u broad, wicked grin spread his lips apart, and he laughed aloud. Pollyop, still on the or, Isughed. too. hystorirul sob i-atchlug at hvr throat, and a desire to scream forcing her bonds to her mouth. Such awful sounds were unusual un-usual In the Silent City, where even honest mirth wns no longer heard bo-eouse bo-eouse the men nnd women scarcely dared breathe for fenr an enemy from Ithncu would suddenly appear. "Glory bo to Godl" ejaculated tho man, hoarsely, "that's the how of It. brut I It'll be a whack for my dead woman, un' '' "An' a good whack for the Hopkins tribe, too." cried Polly, scrambling up. "It'll be a black Thanksgiving for Old Marc, huh, Lurry ? I'm coin' back home now." She turned to the door, but hulted with her hand on the latch. "You promised I could do It. Lorry,' sho reminded him. "You'll tell Lye llrneger that, too, won't you?" Sinking limply Into his chulr, Illshop wiped his wet lips. "Yep, lass," ho assented with a groan. "You can turn the trick; I promise you thnt." If Jeremiah Hopkins hnd seen his girl, his Polly of tho Sun, when sho went home that night, he would not have recognized her. Her fuce wus crafty, pitiless, and ns white as the snow under her feet. Then she waited stoically day after day, feeding the billy goat but absent-mlndedly, absent-mlndedly, nsklng no questions of Lnrry or Lye llraegcr how soon her Iden could be curried out. She believed thut they would leave no stone unturned un-turned to even up with Marcus Mac-Kenzle. Mac-Kenzle. KnHy one evening Larry Bishop burst Into tho Hopkins hut without tho formality of a knock. He looked years older than ho Hud but yesterday ; and Pollyup got up,. locking and interlocking interlock-ing her lingers. "Well?" sho asked from between chattering teeth. "It's done, by Godl" he hissed, almost al-most strangling behind a shaking hand. "It were most awful, Polly. If I'd stuck a hog In the gizzard, the squeal-In squeal-In couldn't 'a' been worsen" The speaker's tones, his hulf-bcnt figure, fig-ure, hla shifty glances, brought a grunt from the girl. "An' you're gettln' sorry by the minute, min-ute, Larry Bishop, I can see that," she returned, giving htm a smurt rap. "Stand up, Larry man. Once " A sudden rush of emotion thrust Into her thront such an ache that for several seconds she was unable to conclude. "Once," she repented, after clearing nwny tho husklness with a hacking cough, "I thought lovo were tho greatest great-est thing In tho world. But It ain't, Lnrry Bishop, It uln't I" , Bishop lldgeted with his cap, turning It around nnd around by Its brltn. When he looked up, the burning glow had died from the depths of his eyes, "It's a slckenln' thing to see a woman wom-an suffer that bad," he muttered. "God, brut! Nope I Don't say nothln' till I tell you what mo an Lye did 1" At tho memory of It, tho spenker wiped drops of sweat from his face. "She bellered about lovln' her mo," droned Bishop, "an' t v ti jl0l. flfffl mm n Pfflllllnl iM She Turned to the Door but Halted With Her Hand on the Latch. lered In my hi- for her man was something some-thing scnnd'lous." "Llko your Betty died a-bowlln' for you. I s'pose, Larry." come back the girl promptly. "An' I been thlnkln' nil day how Granny Hope tucked your dead brat alongside his mammy lu the collln. Some awful thlnklu'. Jjibty man!" ' The squatter's sudden grayness una swallowing hard as If something had stuck In his windpipe was the only ev deuce he gavo thut he huo heard the rinjt words. "We got 'er Just aftei lark," he continued, con-tinued, woefully. "Sheii been tied up n my shark ever since." CTO UE CONTINUED.) |