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Show I Stotai Country rilly I I by Grace Miller White J Copyright by Little, Brown &. Co. CHAPTER XIV Continued. 10 ' "flood 'nough for 'erl" gn$p"cd Polly, tensely, rolling her linnds In nor apron. "An' she yelled bo hard you could've heard her near to Ithncn, Toll," moaned Larry. "Me nn' Lyo gagged 'or," "Holy smut I" fell from I'ollyop, ns ' the picture his words had made burned Itself across her tnlnd. "Her man's been, gone nil day to Cortlnnd," continued tho Bqunttcr lit n monotone. "Ly6 found out Old MIhi Robertson's been tryln' to reach hold of him." "Hope she don't I" Interjected Polly. "Not till wo get done with his woman. Are you goln' to tote her over hero?" The man nodded. "Don't daro to till later, when tho iquntters Is In bed," he answered, flapping on his cap. "If If you change your mind, Toll, coino along over; an' I'll cut 'er looso an' let 'cr to." A harsh sound, something tike a chucklo of mnllclous satisfaction, flipped through Polly's lips and stopped the man at tho door. "That ain't no ways likely, Larry," the said huskily. "Ilrlng er here, an' when I'm done with her, she'll havo to be took." Sho caught Bishop by the arm, whirling htm around. "An listen, Larry," sho continued with cruel emphasis, "an' all tho time keep rememberln' how Deity walled her llfo Into tho grave, an' an' that Old Marc done It" Overcome by the words sho hnd thrown at hlra so deliberately, Bishop ' flang away, and the girl, quaking at what was about to happen, heard him running along tho shore toward his iback. It seemed to Polly Hopkins that every minute was nn hour long, and every second filled with Intolerable anxiety. Would tho soft-hearted Larry repent and surrender tho prize she longed to get her Angers on? In cxtrcmo nervousness sho went from one thing to another, never finishing fin-ishing whnt sho began. Sho paced tho hut floor until sho was dripping wet with apprchcnslveness. She bad no eans of knowing when Lyo and Larry would come; so she dnrcd not Ir from the shack. Many umos she shoved aside the window blind and looked out. Dut e world outside was wrapped In a white silence. She could not even illmpso tho peaked roof of a fisher-man's fisher-man's hut, for between her nnd tho Silent City was n flowing curtain of ovv, the flakes falling llko feathers from an open bng. Larry would keep his word, she told wraclf over nnd over. Sho was glod was such n night I Tho better could e squatters carry out their death plan. Unnoticed by tho girl, tho wood wrned to embers In tho stove, nnd tho m grew colder by degrees. In mio saasCr Wlfe Il0B h0m t00' B Ly5 - "What do I care where the pup Is?" sie thrust In vehemently. "'Course shosnwomanl So bo I; an' so were your dead Hetsy." Tlien sho stamped her foot tempestuously. tem-pestuously. "Clet out of here nn' watch for Mac-Kenzle Mac-Kenzle ,llg folk ho Bn(lppc4 Us about time be woro stonnln' tho Silent City, I'm thlnkln'." Houghly sho shoved tho men out Into the blizzard and closed the door. 1 hen sho stood with her back to It, deep sobs racking her body. Now as she had almost died, and Wee Jerry too, so would Marcus Mac-Kenzle. Mac-Kenzle. Tho vicious hope that she could see him wrltho In his grief took possession of her. Dlstraughtly sho placed tho bar across the door, making sure It wns locked. Then, creeping to tho cot, she gazed down at the wet bundle. There, whero she had helped Oscar Hennott over dark rough places Into the light of Eternity, lay tho dearest dear of her bitterest enemy. Sho uttered nn exclamation when sho saw a lifting shudder go over tho thing on tho bed. A smile flitted across her face, and her hands camo together convulsively. Slowly she knelt down nnd unwrapped un-wrapped tho thick blanket; and Evelyn Eve-lyn MacKenzIe wns staring out at her, .dull eyed and terrified. A dark rag completely tilled her mouth; and Polly grinned nt her. "Do you know what squatters do to chickens they swlpo from you rich folks?" sho asked huskily. Although sho could not speak, Evelyn Eve-lyn heard nnd understood. Sho closed her eyes, her face going drabber In tho flickering light, but nt a sound the '""'j '" new upun again. Polly had stepped to tho wood-box and was picking up tho ax. She brought It forward, and smiling the same sinister smile, showed It to the pallid girl. "Tills," was all sho said, tapping the handle. Evelyn. struggled; nnd Polly laughed, n wicked laugh, no more llko the ripple which Daddy Hopkins hnd loved to hear than tho bark of .a wolf Is like tho lark's morning song. Tears roso Into Evelyn's eyes and rolled down her cheeks. The smile faded slowly from Polly's face. Ever had excruciating agony touched her; llko a sunbeam through a rift In a storm cloud, the old Polly leaped up to tako heed of another's hurt This feel-Ing feel-Ing sho crushed down ; but sho put the nx on the floor and squatted beside tho bed. Scarcely had sho dono this before a loud knock came on the door. Sho threw tho blankets over Evelyn nnd went swiftly fonvard and lifted tho I , bnr. I Larry Ulshop thrust the upper half J of his body Into tho room. "Old Marc an' his gnng nro In tho Silent City lookln' for his woman," ha whispered honrsely. "Where's Lyo?" camo In a hiss from the squuttcr girl. "Off up tho rond watching," returned Bishop. "What'd you do to 'cr, brnt?" "Qome In," said Polly, In nn undertone, under-tone, grasping tho end of his scarf and pullliur him through tho doorway, 'This," Was All 8ho Said, Tapplno the Handle "un' If MncKcnzlu conies here, ynppln' for his woman, laugh at him laugh, an' laugh till your sides split, Lnrry," She closed the door, pushed Ulshop Into a chair, and then deliberately crawled Into bed boalde Evelyn. Upon the Inert figure of the bound girl tho plied two pillows. Then she and Lnrry wnltcd, scarcely breathing, until volcc seemed to como through the clapboards from every direction. di-rection. a rush of feet brought Bishop bolt upright. "Keep sctg brcnthed Pollyop. "They'll bo atRj' here fn'st enough ! Of a suddorgdoor burst open, nnd Jinrcus Matizle, covered with snow, cntcredVIth him were two of his neighbors) sovcrnl squnttors. Polly enjos a giimpso of Old Marc's ngonhjaco; then sho grinned at him. jg "What's tlwattcr, mister?"'' she asked, jhowffan cxpnnso of oven white teeth, ftrhnt do you mean by bustln'Jnto ijjouso llko this, sir?" MacICcnzterew a glanco from the Klrl to tho sdter In tho clmlr. "My wlfo'enol" ho cried In desperation. des-peration. "I "So? Noi7Bhor broko In Tolly, smiling wldcou don't say I Well, golly mo I Tstoobad. Somo other fellor run of 1th 'cr mobbo I" And whcrtie saw him trying to master his ilon, forcing bnck tho heavy groannat interfered with his efforts to nnjr, sho laughed. Never before had ijbecn reckless In his presence. Bliow this was one tlmo Marcus Macnr.lo did not want to fight. He need tho help of tho squatters squat-ters to soarcino Storm country for his wlfer-hlsjfde, tho very apple of his eye. gj Ho did not nt nil llko tho flash-Ingcyed flash-Ingcyed encnef her people. All nt once he hnd inged from n cynical, handsomo mnii tho world to a pleading, plead-ing, pale-faceii8band. Just then tlwlnd shook tho shanty violently; anvcr his big frnmo passed shuddaiftcr shudder. "She's boenSne, oh (Jod, I don't know how lonSlie crooned aloud, tho Mnrc, or shotnlght freeze to death somewhercs. X'a a bad night." The last sltcmcnt, true to every word, broughn deep sob from Mac-Kcnzlc's Mac-Kcnzlc's tlirJt. It was Immediately followed by aore of the bitter laughter. laugh-ter. So chnngid was Polly of the Silent City that tip gaping squatters who did not know what was going to happen wondered 'at her. They knew her no longer at Polly, the lovc-Inss, or ua Polly of the Sun. A low rumble sounded In tho girl's throat She coughed, then' flung out: "I said. 'It's n bad night I' Scoot out, mister, an' Jook for your d u Illy-Htered Illy-Htered woman somewhercs else." Uttering uu oath, MucKcnzle Hod, followed by his companions, leaving Larry Bishop sturlng nt thu palo squuttcr squut-tcr girl. CHAPTER XV. There wns gloomy silence In tho ihnnty until the horses' hoofH could e heard no logger In tho snow out-Me. out-Me. Larry Bishop crouched low In uremluh'a rocking chair, pulling In rtcrvouu tension at his fingers until the Joints cracked. He nhot Polly Hopkins a furtive glanco but dropped his thick lids before tho unearthly expression ex-pression In the girl's eyes. She hud lust tho look of heavenly compassion that hnd given cheer to tho squatters; iU tnlnd went back to the spring dujs when she had so often smiled comfort Into his own aching heart, he heaved a deep sigh. The sound of his breath, catching In his throat, brought Polly scrambling from the cot, Unmindful of the morose squatter, she begun pacing the floor, holding Icy lingers to her aching temples. "Best take the pillows ofTn her, Poll," muttered Bishop. "She'll smother smoth-er If you don't." The girl paused i and threw hlra u glance over her shoulder. "Oet out of here, you Lurry," she bndo him In fierce emphnsls. "She'd better Bmother thun get what's comln' to 'er. You an' Lye hang around n whllo till I rail you. When I'm done with er, you'll have to sink her m the lake." Staggering to his feet, Larry brushed nwny the water that had gathered In glistening drops upon his brow. sevm human no mora, It's alt n d d terrible I'm guttln' haunted. If you-chnngH you-chnngH your mlrid, Poll, an' not kill 'cr ' A gurgling nolso enme from under the pillows on tho cot, and ns it an unseen hand wero pushing her forward, for-ward, Pollyop strode to tho bed and Jnrkod away the small feather ticks. Evelyn's eyes sought out tho squatter squat-ter man In mut pleading. Polly laughed; nnd gray with horror at her merciless attitude, Larry slunk to the door. "I guess thts ain't nono of my business," busi-ness," ho mumbled, nud opening It, he fled ns if pursued by a vindictive spirit of tho Rtorra country. Again with swift, long strides tho gtrl went to tho door and bnrred It. Then with utmost deliberation she lighted several other candles nnd set them In different parts of the hut until un-til a flood of light was diffused through tho room. A long deep sigh fell frtm her lips as she finished her task. Sho wanted to seo every wavo of pnta that shot across Evelyn MacKonzlo's pallid faco; and that was why she approached ap-proached tho cot and stood looking down upon the twisted figure. All tho had endured through tha rich girl's perfidy swept over her like a tidal wave. Out of the dark dream He Fled as If Pursued by a Vindictive Spirit of the Storm Country. of, Jerry's going she could hear through tho moaning willows the weird lost cries of the bnby. Tho memory almost drew a shriek from her. Then she rolled the living bundle from tho bed and propped In Into a sitting position. As wickedly deliberate as her every act had been, so did sho lift tho ox from the floor. "Ltke a chicken," she taunted, smiling smil-ing down into Evelyn's haggard face. Evelyn struggled, and a muffled sound camo from back of the gag In her mouth. Whllo Polly contemplated her, an emotion sho used to know so often roso within her and tugged at her heart until the hurt mado her clutch at her side. Sho dropped down and run her fingers under tho heavy cord with which the girl was bound, "nopo's hurtln you, huh?" sho queried. An afllrmntlve boh of her head was the only answer Mrs. MacKensle could give. "I'll untlo 'em a bit," said Polly sulkily. "Looseuln up a few strings don't say you won't get what's comln to you." With her strong, whlto teeth and deft fingers sho untied tho heavy knots that pinioned the slender arms. "Did tho squatters give you anything any-thing to eat?" she asked, rocking back on her heels. "If you wns In Larry's hut so tong with that thing In your mouth, then I bet you're hungry J" It wns Bcorcoly perceptible, tho negative shake that followed this question. "If you've got to die you might as well go on u full belly," ended Polly, getting up. She took n piece of hard bread and pourwl somo hot water on It. Watching Watch-ing Evelyn frownlngly, sho beat them together with n tin spoon. Of course, tho stuff was tastelcsi without sugar I Polly knew It very well, because that wns what sho had for supper ovcry night. She turned away from tho cup In her bund nnd went to a smnlt cup-honrd cup-honrd over which hung a flimsy curtain. cur-tain. Buck behind a few bid dishes sho hnd hidden n little sugar one of the squatter women had given her. She hnd kept It against Daddy Hopkins' Hop-kins' home-coming and fat Jerry, too pernips, With woeful In-caught sobs, she poured half of lt Into the cup. Then she crossed to Evelyn and picked up the nx. "I'm goln' to take tills rng out of your mouth," she suld, "an' mind you don't sqflvnl, or I'll send you double-quick double-quick to your first man, Now hold still i Thls'll hurt n bit I" (TO nB CONTINUED.) |