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Show H ' rr- I ptonn Country I Ir:Po llv A fjGelerWtete 4 H "YOU DARI.INQ1" J BYNGPSlg. Occupying a dllapl- 11H datsd shark in tha Klltnt Ctly, a 111H MiuatUr settlement near Ithaca, ilHj Mew York, folly Hopkins live. iH with her fnlher, small Jerry, and 1 an old woman, Cranny Hope. On iM an alljocent fnrm, Oscar Hennett, 111M toporoua farinar. In a iieUhbor. ilMj lie la secretly married to Kvelyn 11H Robertson, supposedly wealthy slrj m of the nelRlvburhood. Murcun Mao- illH Ktnzle, who owns the Kround the illHj aoualtors occupy, la their dettr- illHj mined enemy. I'olly ovorhenrs a 111M conversation between MncKenzle t And a stramrer, In which the former mM$ j avowa hla Intention of driving- the 11K squatters from lila lurid. The Btrun- H r sympathises with the auuattera, illHI and earns folly's gratitude. Kvelyn H llobertson illucovers from her moth- UM$ er.tlmt Ihny are not rich, but prac- illK llrally IU(nar on the bounty of illM Itoert Perclvnl, Kvelyn'a coualn. iH I'olly learna from Kvelyn that the illH sympathetic atraiiKcr I Itoltrt j I'erclvnl. Kvelyn charKea Tolly H with a message to Il-nnett, telling liK Mm the can glva him no mere H money. fill already bitterly regret illH her marriage to the Ignorant farm H er. I'olly convey her mtisnge and H Oscui makea threats. He Instita H Rielyn meet him that night. I'olly H ha her rather and Ivirry Ulahop, iiB a snuntler, take nn onth to do Mao- H Kemle no Injury. Kvelyn unsuc- H ceHifully trlea to get money from fiB her moth r with which to buy on H Dennett and Induce him to leave th H country, giving her her freedom. iH Bha and MnoKenxle avow their fK love. At the arranged meeting that H night Hennett threatena lCvetyn H with expoeuro unless she glvea hlni H money. lolly tntets llohert Per- iiH clval, and they ara mutually at- i-i-H traded. Polly's feeling being adorn- H tlon, Oscar kills Polly's lamb and B I'erclvnl thrashes Oscar. M CHAPTER VII Continued. H A Kiumt of boots moving nn hoards' HH H only answer. Polly coughed H nervously. H "Now (his Is wlmt I'm going to H offer," went on, MncKenzle. "No one B ran make mo rnlso tlio price one. cent. H HI elvo you men twcnty-flvo dollars H aijlwtj; you bIkii over to mo your H nqunlter rlKlit: then tuko your wont- H ei nii'l ktdu tied go," H There wim not n word In mmwer to H HiIr. Only Wee Jerry felt Dnddy ltop- H kins clnfip Mm Hehtcr. H Ucnllr.InK tlutt the stony silence that H inct his ofTer was practically n re- H fttKot. tlacKcnxlo Rot to his feet. H "You can take It, or or go to h I H for all I carol" ho exclaimed. H lie tunicd toward the door; and H thf-n roily op got hack her hreath, and 1 while the nquattcr men watched sul- H lefily, stio Bleppcd In front of him. B "You're In wrong, mister," Mo flared. H "You're d d generous, ain't you? 1 'Xenty-flvo dollars wouldn't tnko ui 1 anywhere, an' where would we ga H miyhow? This nln't movln' day In th H tMknt City. You'vo made your talk, H now scoot nlong." B Iftrcna flied her with eye.i angry H Veyoad description. Her own biased B Imrk at him as she pointed toward the H dow. H Sceet out," she repeated, "an' don't Hj be ce49ki' agalfi." H MacKeficle lined his riding whip H threatwtngl, and every raHn with a B grewl started forward; but as the H wWp fell back to his side, they sank HBVH dwu B Then It was that ho shifted tho whip JB to his left hand and took from bis BVfl pocket a shining pistol; aud although KVH Pplly whitened, alio held her ground. "Ami you, you impudent huzzy," PJflH snapped MacKenxle, "what Imve you BVH cojt to do with It? What ure you, nny- PfH n spite of the deadly thine held In the white, strong angers. Tolly's head PfH Jwent up a bit. PJBJH "1111 tho littlest mammy in tho H world," she snld simply. "I'm mammy J to this hull settlement, An' us sipiut- Tlcrs stays ,lti the Silent City see?" I '11e pistol came up with n click, and JJH MacKensle, enraged heyoml control, struck Poll op two stinging blows with the rkllng whip. Then ho strode out InlQ Ike open, and, holding high the PJH weapon, passed tlirough the frowning PHbV "no of wntclilny women. Il gave tliem 1 hut a flo8Wng disdainful glunce, and J when botumed around, I'olly Hopkins BHjjH was stnndltrg la Urn door, motioning ipH the women Into the shack. He came JJH to o direct halt and shouted at her: PHR "I'll never offer money ugaln, but pHJH out you'll all so, ir I have to hum your jHK hats about your heads," HH Ah If he had not cioken, I'olly gave HpH Idin no heed but ushered woman after HJH woman Into the shanty. BpH "I'd rather he'd 'it' 'alt me than any PJSb one of you," she sad, her flesh tint,'- piH ling with pnln. "If you'd 'a' pounced HH -ou m, Paddy, or you, Ijirry. he,'d 'n' PhhH popped one of you dead. Now listen PJB, to Hf Thcii she told tnem that Itobort Por- l clval had said the equattera should PHH stay In the settlement, SIia said she HRH luid bad u protnluu from a man better than Old Marc that he would help them. And thus'sho brought smites hack to tho faces of her miserable friends; and as they went nwoy, each woman kissed her, nnd each limn reverently rev-erently plnced ills hand on her curly head In blessing. CHAPTER VIII. Then came the dnys through which the Inhabitants of the Silent City lived with nothing to comfort them but I'olly Hopkins. Hcnrcely an hmir passed without strangers wnlklng over tho rough road through tho settlement and cvciy one knew thnt these men, so curious und yet so unwlllInK to spenk etcn a "cood-dny," were doing service for Marcus MncKenzle. At last ouo day, crushed with apprehension ap-prehension and despair, Jeremiah Hopkins decided thnt one of them should ko to Itobert Perclvnl to ask his aid In keeping the settlement together. to-gether. I'olly wns so suro ho would keep his word to her now they would elvo him the chance. "It'a n choice of tho three of you, Poll,"' mild I.ye Ilruegcr, "you or your dnddy or Larry Illshop." "Ho wouldn't listen to nm, lussU," Hopkins mourned. "Mchbe he would to ou. I dunno, but mebbe." Ilefore tho girl's sensitive mind flashed tho face of Itobert, nnd she hid her red cheeks arnlnst tho speaker's knee. "Oh, I couldn't never go to 'Im, Daddy honey," she murmured. "Please, Daddy." "We ain't got a chance without some one's help, Poll," insisted Ilrnc-ger. Ilrnc-ger. "You go along, an' do your d dest for the squatters I" "All rlghtI,ye," she managed to sny. "I'll go after Jerry's In bed, an' the supper's over." Ho lt"cnmo to pass that nlghtfull found Polly Hopkins struggling up the hill to the railroad tracks. She turned south on tho boulevard and etolo cautiously cau-tiously along tho edge of tho road. Shu bnd no desire to meet Old More or Evelyn. As she went on sho murmured mur-mured to herself some of the love words Granny Hopo had planted In her memory, and when sho turned Into tho carrlugcwny leading to the Rob-crtBou Rob-crtBou home, she held her bead a llttlD higher and walked with less nervousness. nervous-ness. Around nnd around the house she crept, until with trepidation she mounted tho steps lending to the front porch aud tiptoed to a long French window. It wns partly open and there, seated before a table, was the man she sought, Polly knocked once, but the sound wns so faint Itobert did not hear It. "Hist," came from between Polly's lips, and tho young man glanced up. At the sight of her he got to his feet slowly. Then Polly shoved tho window win-dow open a crack and squeezed into tho room, A strange mixture of conflicting expressions ex-pressions swept over his face, bat pleasure at the sight of her predominated predomi-nated them all. "Poilyopl" he exclaimed. "Polly Hopkins, what's the matter?" "Old Marc's goln to turn as all out, mister," she whispered huskily, searching search-ing his face, "an' Dnddy sent me to ask you to help us." Itobert drew one hand across his brow helplessly. "Pvq said everything 1 cpuld to make him understand the crime of It all," he apologized. "He's like a crazy man I I can't see how he can think of such a thing, even though your people peo-ple were willing to go, Polly," "We nln't; we can't ko," she replied, quivering. "There nln't a pluco In the world for squatters but the Silent City." "I know it," he returned gloomily. "And can't Iovc do nothln' for usl" Implored the girl. 'Granny Hoiio Buys It can, an' once I-1 heard you sny 'twas the the " Just at that moment the sound nf footsteps wus heard outside In the hall. Itobert thrust out his hand, grasped Polly by the shoulders, and In another moment she found herself behind the thick rurtiiln banging In heavy folds over rows of books which rose to tho celling. The door opened ; and Perclvnl spun around to meet Marcus MncKenzle.. He crushed down his embarrassment' und offered his visitor a chair. "Kvelyn sent me for a book," Marcus Mar-cus explained. "Pardon me for disturbing dis-turbing you, old chup." "Sit down," Robert requested with", pn effort. Maicus shook his head. "I can't," ho replied. "Kve and I ore cor..'a)lug over something. I told her 4 . get a ook nnd come right bock," He made u movement to walk toward to-ward the book shelves; but Robert stopped him. "You've got to sit down," he said Kruflly. "I want to talk to you." "In a minute, then," returned Mar-ius. Mar-ius. "I'll get tho book first." Very whjte, Robert walked before MncKenzle to the bookcase. Then with one sweep of his, arm he moved aside the curtain nnd with It I'olly Hopkins. Ho could feel beneath the thick material the slender, quivering body. And there, ns the two men stood facing the shelves laden with the mnKtcrpleces of the world, and Marcus was running his eye up and down, Robert felt that first wonderful wonder-ful protective, love that comes to a mnii when he Is shielding n woman. "Kvelyn snld It wns here," observed MncKenzle carelessly. "Let mo look I A It C Here's D. It ought to be on this shelf." He rend nloud tlio names of tho books under his eye; while still the strong hand of Ills companion held up the curtain and tho g(rl. "Ah, hero (lt Is," enmo In exclamation. exclama-tion. "Theri)t ' Thanks. IJobl Now I'll sit down n minute." , Ho walked bqck to the tnble, and Perch nl carefully dropped the draperies. drap-eries. Keeping hid eye on tho other man's buck, he ran Ids lingers over the curtain until he enmo to the curly head of Polly Hopkins. Two tender pats fell upon It. Then he, too, crossed to tho renter of the room. "You're n hoepltuhle chap, Hob," laughed Marcus.' "Heigh-ho I but today to-day I've been some busy. I'll bet you A quarter of a dollar It won't bo thrcp Aionths before I get every squatter off Mint shore. Tho fact of It Is, I've only ot to catch Hopkins, nnd the rest'll be easy. He's a bad nctor; und thnt girl of his U a saucy baggage." "She's a very good girl," Robert In-terposed In-terposed In deep tones, "nnd very pretty, pret-ty, too." Tlio bookcuse draperies moved ever so little. Polly Hopkins nlmo.it burst '.with Joy when she henrd thoso words. t "Pretty enough, 1 suppose," Marcus conceded,' "but' pot good. She's. liko tho rest bnd clean through." The curtains moved a little more; nnd Robert caught the sway of them out of the tnll of his eye. He felt that lf MncKenzle did not go soon, he would throw htnl out. What the girl would 'do If Marc started a tirade against her father, Robert did not daro content-'plate. content-'plate. "Look here, Marc." ho burst forth, "you're nil wrong about thoso people, all dead wrong. They don't harm any one, as I cun rice. AVhy cnu't you live and let live?" His eyes Hashing, Marcus stood up. "No harm, no harm, you say," he flared, "Why, they steal everything In sight, and in a few more years there won't bo a fish left In the Iuke. There Robert Drew One Hand Across Hla Brow Helplessly. won't bo anything to catch in season or out. If the squatters keep up their Infernal poaching. Hunting and fish-lug fish-lug ure for gentlemen, my dear Hobt Don't forget thatt" "Ucntlemcn be d dr ejaculated Robert, und then the curtains swryed so that he got to hla feet and sturted toWard tho door. "Mnrc," he continued, "perhaps w cpn't agree on thla matter at all, but I really dovant a heart-to-heart talk With you about It. But not now t The fact Is I wns busy when you came In" "Thinking up a few more pleas for tfie squutters, ehr; the other mnn teased. "Well, old fellow. Just rvinetn-her rvinetn-her this, I've got ut least twenty-the men watching everything (bat scamp of u Hopkns does, und when I get something on him, there won't bo twen-ty-four hours between that time und his. arrest." Robert almost shoved the speaker out of the door; but Marcus only chuckled good-naturedly as he went away. When Robert tunicd the key In tho Jock, ho stood quite still, breathing breath-ing linVd. From behind tho curtain, Polly thrust out her head, her small face wrinkled and tears standing thick In her eyes. "I'm a-goln' after hut pup an' swat him," sho hissed stnrmlly. "He lies when ho says my daddy's a scamp." Perclvnl lifted n precautionary hand. "Not too loud," ho warned. "Come here." She went slowly forward, her head hanging; but when ho held out his hands she snatched them und bent her curly bend over the1 strong lingers and kissed them passionately. "Poor little girl, --.r "' murmured Robert, brokenly. Then i nl glieswn,ed townM blm. his .nn . around her, and for n moment li pressed her head apaln-t his breast. I'olly. Poll) op." be whispered, k m-Ing m-Ing her hair. "Oh. Ool. If 1 owned that lake properly I'd-l'd " A certain deep tone In his voice brought up I'ollyop's head, and sh mw In his eyes an expression thnt made her struggle from his arms. Pleelng to the porch window, she was gone before Robert could stop her. e Hob's n queer fish. Kve," Inughed JIocKenzlc. us he cninc Into the music room where Kvelyn Robertson wns walling for him. "if I hndn't kept my temper JiM now, nc should novo j parted bad friends." "That's like yon. dear," she smiled. "Hut then, of course, you wouldn't let ' blm bother joit. timing about the j sqiintters agr.ln, I suppose." Kvelyn look his big lingers In her hand and occupied herself In exnmln- , Ing the white spots on one nf the polished pol-ished nails. "My big mnn initiln't mind Rob", she exclaimed persuasively, noting Ibo frowning lines that bnd come In bis face. "He's sentimental, llohert Is, full of bulf-bcked notions about brotherly broth-erly love nnd helping the downtrodden, and thnt sort of thing." The mnn laughed Indulgently. It delighted him to have the girl of his choice express his own sentiments so well. "You precious 1" he murmured. "7hey can't fool my Kve much, can theyr y n simple twist of his wrist he captured her hand. Then he took up a favorite topic with new zest "I want to improve my property, denr. The Silent City's nn eyesore I If I could get the squatters off tho lakeside lake-side and buy the Rennelt furju, I could make my place the handsomest in the county." At tho suggestion about Oscar's farm, a different light flashed Into the girl's eyes. Her hand twitched In his. "Thnt would be wonderful, dear," she ejaculated. "If If the squntterfl weren't there, you could mnkc n vcty lovely drive right along where their rond runs, couldn't your This bnd been MncKenzle's Idea, also. Whnt a capable girl Kve was I He took her pretty face between his hands and kissed her once nnd then again nnd again. "You darling V he murmured. "You're the wisest little womnn In tho world I My whole nmbltlon Is to mnko our home Jnst to suit yon. I was talk-Ing talk-Ing to one of those landscape chaps up at the college the other dny, and he snld the lake section could be made charming. Wc can build our bouso on the hill Just above there I" "And the fnrm." Kvelyn Interposed, "thnt would Just round out your plnce perfectly. Oh, honey, do that right awny. Mr. llennett will ask more for It us soon ns yon get rid of the squatters." squat-ters." Marcus lighted a cigarette thoughtfully. thought-fully. "The Bennett fnrm wouldn't be of nny use to me," he cxplnlned slowly, "unlets 1 can mako a clean sweep of the whoto thing. It's n crime, I tell you, Evelyn. Think of It I I hud to send out of tho county to get mj men to wnteb thone fellows down there. Ithncn makes mo tired. It's n good thing I enmo back to put some snap Into the fight against tho squatters." The girl's white lids mudo n curtnln between his shining eyes nnd her own. Kvelyn, wns wishing, oh, how very much she desired thnt Marcus would huy the farm. Then Oscar could leave the country, und In another stnte he would set her free! She studied MncKenzle's Mnc-Kenzle's face covertly through half-closed half-closed eyes, considering what to say and how to sny It. MncKenzle f.ung his cigarette Into the grate. He found the suggestion of her veljed look so alluring thnt he gathered her Into-bls arms and rained kisses upon her face. "I love- you so. Bweet. I could almost eat your he panted. A happy sigh, like the perfumed breath pf a roie, slipped from her parted lips, and when sho Inughed ngnln, his deep chuckles Joined hers. "Loefe at m. dear!. I love you, RttU girl." (TO UE CONTINUKU ) |