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Show ptormCoantrp Grace Mller "White J si in i n mm if i ii nwMW la i Hj "A ANGEL" BjBM jnrNOHIS.-Occupylni a oilnpl- MB dated shack In tha Silent City, a MM squattor sottlemant nr IthncA, MS- Now York, I'olly Hopkins lives MMM with her father, small Jtrfry, and MMH an old woman, arnnny Hope, On MBI an adjacent farm, Oscar Bennett, rrosperous farmer, la a nelshbor. le Is secretly married to Kvelyn MMMl Hobortson, supposedly wealthy girl Ml of the nelnhborhood. Polly alone MH knows their secret Marcus Mac- Ml Kcnsle, who owns the around the I squatters occupy, Is their deter MB mined enemy, roily overhears a MB conversation between MacKenzle MW and s stranger. In which the for MBM mer avows his Intention of drlv- MBMH Inn the squatters from his land MK The straMer sympathizes with the BBB6 squatters, and earns I'olly's gratl- MBMH tude, Evelyn Hobertson discovers MBMMj from her mother that they are not (MB rich, as she supposed, but practl- MH call living on tha bounty of Hob. MBM) ert Pcrclval, ICvelyn's cousin. Pn. Ml ly learns from Kvelyn that the MMMBJ svsipathetlc stranger Is Ilobort (MM Perrival. ICvelyn charges Polly MBMH with a message to Dennett telling MM) lilm she ran give him no more MMMMv money, and urging him to be pa- MBMBj tlrnt. Bhe already bitterly regrets MM her Infatuation w'.th and marriage to the Ignorant farmer. B u i m CHAPTER IV Continued. flVsll "n"'v ''Chitntod it moment, coughed BjBjjl hnd cleared Iter throat. BjBBi "A llttlo milk for Jerry, please," sho BjBflj suggested, extending lier riin. BjflB Itennott nnntrliud It from her hand. BjBfl "Oood aoil, you squnttors're nothing BBB but bepgnrs," he grumbled, hut bo- BjBjfl cnuso he was eager to get her message, BjBjB bo (Iliad llio pnll full. Smilingly Polly BjBB took II tmrk. BjBfl "Tin tlmnkln' ynti, Oscar," sho Hflflj gurgled, "nn' now mebbo u fresh egg Bjflfl for Granny Hopc7" BjflflJ He made on nnry motion with his Bjflfl Bjflfl "Up In thnt box,", he snapped. 'Then Hflflj (ell what you came fort What'd Eve flBH HHH "Yonr woinn sent word by mo," sho Hflflj began BHHJ Tell It. nnd don't be nil dny about BHi It," ordered the farmer. BHH I'ollyop took n coitplo of steps back- BHBJ ward townnl the door, ready to lly If HB Oscar showed nny signs of unusual HHH HHH "She said you wnsn't to write her HHH any more letters," alio replied. "She's HHH nw,ful senred. She trembled nil over HHJ when sho told me." flflj "What did she say nbout money!" BpVH Itennett demanded gruffly. B Through tha dim light of the Inn- B tern, Tolly looked at him pleadingly. AVH "Slio JiiHt enn't got another cent." VAVH aho returned, Hnn' abe'a fcelln tcrrlblo j bad nbout H Although hQ hnd not finished his B (ask, IWnnett Jumpod up from his H atoot, nnd one step took him very close BBBB to the nervous young speaker. BBBB "She enn't, ehl" ho cried. "She BBBjj menus she won't, I guexs. lly Ood, ahe BBBB will, or I'll come out with the whole BBBB thing. You go nnd tell her so. Shi's BBBB got rich folks, and I didn't marry her BBBI to keep quiet nil my life. Tell her BBBV. fit her she coined home bora to mo, bBBJ or fthc pays up, if she pnys " he BBBB panted, then Inttghed. "Oh, you need BBBB n't look ns If I wns goln to swnt you BBB one, Polly op," he wont on, "but ns I BBBB wnn snyln', If she pays up nnd I get BBBJ rid of her, thenmo for you, Tolly BBBB II Li vntro wns harsh, nnd his man- BBBB pen rough. Tolly retreated to the BBBB "Tl'C 'line's here," Oscar went on, BBBB "when both you women will be lenp- BBBjj lug to my gitd, Thorol Got homo and BBB nv to my Indy Just what I sold" BBJ flgiiln ho broko off, only to continue, BBBB "lenvl'ic nut the part nbout you, 'See, BBB rotiyopr BBBB Dumb with dread, Tolly sngged BBBB wenkly ngnlnst the door casing. No BBBB wonder Kvelyn Hobertson didn't want BBBB to live with such n mnnt BBBB "Anil you enn tell her to come to- H night nt nine o'clock, to Ornnny Hope's BJ old shnck," ho proceeded, "I want to BBBB talk to her. Now get nlong nnd don't Bj como nrouud fter nny mora milk, or RmV I'll throw you out of the bom." B Obiil to be gone, Tolly pnsscd out to H the Ituio. In n little ravine nt her left H n noisy at renin minblcd down the hill. H With vlstful eyes alio wntched It B lliroufcb the fast withering dusk flow B itwny to the lake. It wns then ahe anw BBVJ gmnclhlng miivliig about In n snmll B pchiI of wnter In n rork hnHln, t'nrc- BBBB fully hIh- put the milk nnd eggs on n BBBB bit nf smooth turf. Down tho hnnk BBBB she Miintied. nnd thero In tho fnlllng BBBj pii.otr siruggllng In tho wnter. was a ' BBJB liiibv liimti. Tollynp tucked her skirts B up iiIkivii tier wnlst nnd vvnded Into tho ' H vn'ir Several times she full, nnd, BBABJ lriiinff ue' aur'imhled up ngaln. ' H ) on iln puDeil ;."!e lunib to, Jhe bank, : KH she dr.p.H'd jo the .rounil, gasping H tot In with. H "Tour little duffer," she iinitinitifed. ' H "Vnu wns 'must gone, wngu't you? HVAv Come mi lionie wltji Tolly op nn' get HBB loved up a bit!". BBBJ In ) romt' fihe picked up the pall, I t BBB '- Vrr lxt tl milk and J I ssil'l ii ri i flf " - went awlftly down tho lune, the Inuib under ono nrm. Polly's heart sans lh gludness. Out of tho rigors of the Storm country, out of the cold rnvine water, sha hnd found another llttlo thing to enro for. Jorciulnh Hopkins and Lnrry Ulshop worn In tho shack when Tolly nrrlved wlib her burdens.. With much pride sho displayed tho Inmb; then sho fed him a portion of tho milk with n spoon. While she wns preparing tho evening meal, she Invited her father's friend to tnke potluck with them. After supper alio settled her family. Wee Jerry she tucked Into Daddy's bed, and branny Hopo was made comfortable com-fortable In a chair by tho stove, where sho Soon nodded off to sleep. Then, tho Inmb In her Inp and tho billy goat nt her kneo, Tollyop ant down on tho edgo of her cot, fnclng tho two men. She know by tho dark expressions on their faces that a question of Import hnd conio up. "Me nn' Lnrry, brnt, have been try-In try-In to think of some wny of gettln' rid of Old Slnrc," begnn Hopkins grimly. Nervous brown fingers plucked nt the Iturtb's wool ns Tolly, going white, stared nt her fnthnr. "You don't menn hurtln' him, Daddy denr, do you?" sho broko out. "Oh, If Mint's uhnt you'ro tnlklu' nbout, don't do It. Don't do It. Daddy I Something benullful Is goln to happen to us squn Iters. Ood up In the sky sent n nngel smnck down from high henven to help us." Tho serious? lovely fnco turned plendlngly, truthfully up to his prevented pre-vented Hopkins from lndujglng his deslro to laugh. Tolly turned nnd looked at Lnrry. His dark faco was henvy with frown and deep, grlcf-cut lines. "Theio nln't nny nngcls nnywhoro but up there," muttered I.nrry Dlshop, making nn upwnrd thrust with bis thumb, "Yep, there is, Lnrry," contradicted Tolly Impetuously. "I seen ono. He's hlgger'n you nn' Dnddy put together, I guess; an' his fnco looks like tho sun, nil shiny nn' bright. He aays tho squnttcrs has to have a plnco to live In Just like other folks, nn' ho won't let Old Mure run us nut nf tho Silent Cfty. Mebbe nfter n while, when ho gets to v firkin' for us, you can hunt nn' fish Just tho sninn as evert" Hopkins looked nt his daughter as If sho had lost her mind. "What's eatln' you, brnt?" be grunted. "Nothln'," replied Tolly, "but I know what I lieitrd." "Splol It out to us," put In Dlshop eagerly. Then Tolly told them. Doth men laughed. "Why, ho's got more money'n Old Marc, Toll," snapped Hopkins. "It's Just because we don't happen to lie set-tin' set-tin' oti his ground that ho ain't wnut-In' wnut-In' us off." It was quite evident that both tho fishermen were of ono opinion. Tolly i It Ws Quite tvldent That Doth the Flihermen Were of One Opinion. i got up nnd placed the Inmb In n corner ( of the wood-box. ( "I hot n eel ho helps us squatters, : though," slio nodded positively. "An , you both got to promise right now on this," she picked up dmum Hone's Bible, "Hint you won't use n gun nn i Mine MncKciiilo, nor do nothln' burn). " fill to him. Let tho other man .look t jflcr us. Thorol Klsa this bore book, I in' you'll both feel better." ( There wns something compelling i ilmiit tho girl. It may have been the i rns of her voice, wonderfully sweet tod tremendous!) earnest. It may hnvo been the brilliant smllo she flashed upon hor listeners. At any rate, the mayor of the Silent City nnd Lnrry Dlshop, his benchmnn, repeated In dull apathy the oath she dictated to them, the words that niado the Storm country a safe habitation for Marcus MncKenxle. Then both men reverently kissed the niblo nnd fell back limply In their chairs. Tolly kissed the ragged edges of the book too, then she turned to Hopkins. "Dnddy, honey, I'm goln' out. Olvo your kid a lovln' smack. Til be' back qulckcr'n the billy gont can blink." CHAPTER V. The iftcrnoon hnd been unpleasant for bo'.h Mrs. Itnbcrtson nnd her daughter. Tho lndy was studiously Icy to ICvelyn, nnd tho girl wns utterly mlxci-nhle Hubert Tcrclvnl was awny with MacKenzle. In his nbsencc, although al-though Hit two women nte dinner together to-gether nnd kept each other company nflerwnrd 111 the drawing room, their convervutlotf nas limited to tho simplest sim-plest cotnmonplncos. The return of tho men cased tin tension. Tcrclvnl excused ex-cused himself almost nt onco to write somo letters, nnd ns MncKcmle mndo evident his eagerness to get Kvelyn by herself, Mrs. Hobertson seized n chance to steal nwny to her own room. For some time After her departure the girl nnd the man were silent. This wns tho llrst time In Mnrc's llfo thnt his heart hud been renlly touched by a woman, nnd In spite of his years nnd experience, ho was almost ns bashful as a young boy. At length their eyes met, nnd tho girl's lowered, whllo tho color mounted mount-ed In n flood to her hair. The man wns by her side In nn Instant. In-stant. He hnd read In tho nhy, retreating retreat-ing glnuce what he longed to see. "Evelyn! I I I believe you enro for me, I renlly bollevo you do," ho exclaimed. "You do, sweet?" ho do-mnnded, do-mnnded, his votco trembling. "Yes," whispered Evelyn. "Now, Isn't It strnnge," naked Marcus, Mar-cus, nftor they took up their conversation conversa-tion ngnln, "that whllo I was gone I alwnys thought of you, but not Just like this. Honey, girl, how long hnvo you loved mo? Ilefnro before today?" "I think nlwnys," confessed Evelyn, with n growing flush. Wbnt a fortunnto mnn Mnrcus Mnc-Kenzlo Mnc-Kenzlo considered himself Just nt thnt moment! Ho hnd won tho prettiest girl In Ithacn ; nud sho loved him. "And to think I only came homo last night," ho exulted. "This tlmo yesterday you wcro free, my Evo. At this moment no power can tnko you nwny from me." Drcndful recollections of Oscar Intruded In-truded upon Evelyn's new happiness. Oh, If she only had the courage to tell Mnrcus I Would be keep on loving her and help her to get free, or wmini be Sho glanced Into his face. , Thero were upon It tho marks of breeding, of pride In himself, his wenlth, position posi-tion nnd pocr. Sho know how highly ho rognrded the conventions of society. , If sho xliould disclose to him the secret of her mnrrlnge to tho farmer, he would see nothing but the blot upon her nnd turn nwny In disgust. No, she couldn't tell him. Despnlr overwhelmed over-whelmed her nnd made MacICenzlc's amis burdensome. With nn effort sho smiled faintly nnd withdrew from him. "I don't wnnt to let you go, darling," he laughed. "It seems like n beautiful dream I" Eve wished pnsslonntcly that she were nt liberty to make tho drenm come true. "You are my beloved." asserted Marcus, Mar-cus, and with the girl's whispered "yes," ho allowed her to leave the room. Kvntvn n-pnt Inimnillntuli, n t.- mother's npnrtment nnd, opening tlu door, slipped In and sank down upon tho floor nt Mrs. Itobcrtson's side. "I've told him I'd mnrry him," sin said, with trembling lips, "Mother dear, oh, plense. mother dear, don'l you think you could borrow some money mon-ey from Hubert for me? I must hnve It. After I'm married to Marcus, I could get t all back for you. I know I could. Tvo Just got to hnvo a lol of money, nnd you enn't expect me ti nk Mnrcus." Mrs. Hobertson drew away with a shiver. "If you so forgot yourself, your family nnd your nnme as to do such n thing, I should disown you, Evelyn," ahe said, finality hi her tones, Evelyn rose wearily. She could Imagine the heights of her mother's scorn If she discovered tho actual situation. sit-uation. Sho felt that she wou'jl rnllier tell MncKciulo than tho unsympathetic, unsympa-thetic, frowning wnmnn In the chair. "There's no use. mother, In trying to tnlk to you." she muttered. "I'll man-nge man-nge some way, though only God knows how." Mrs. Robertson took up her book and gmed sternly at her duughter over the top or It. "Very well, Evelyn." sho said, un-grnclously. un-grnclously. "You're of nge. If that's the wny you feel about It, there's noth-Ing noth-Ing more to tie sntd." Whereupon the spcuker began to rend, nnd n very hopeless girl crept out of the room. When Evelyn wns repairing tho rnv-nges rnv-nges innde by her emotions. Tolly Hopkins crept Into tho Hobertson gar den. Hor fear of Sirs. Hobertson was mingled with n thrilling hnpplness. She hnd seen Granny Hope nml Wit-Jerry Wit-Jerry witj the frtwh eggs; Daddy's prnmlBO would keep him out or trouhU-Willi trouhU-Willi Old Mure: nnd the bwutlfui stronger would help iheml ' She gnve n piercing little trill, tin. slginl she had nlwnys uaed ' to mil Evelyn from the hoiu-e. Almost nt omv u IlKine wi-pped aram the door to ihe iiorrh ullrcetly In fmnt or hor. nnd ler i tiled, sho shrunk back nmoiig tin-lios tin-lios and clung, thero. Silhouetted against the bright llht mb Hobcrt TerclTOl. He stood giflM rtralght .head of bin at tho dark !E.w.y. but turned when Evelyn ap-m-ared beside him. Tolly heard th. murmur or their voices, that was nil. They then disappeared Into the house. Evelyn laughingly poiMn. the soldl.r abend of her. Quickly the girl cam. out again; and Tolly could bear her swlft-comlng breaths as sho ran softly down tho steps. win "Shush," hissed Tolly Hopkins. "Lordy, I was scared to death some otie'd catch me," "I'ollyop," questioned Evelyn nnxlous-y nnxlous-y "What'd he any? Was he angry?" Their bends were very close together, to-gether, nnd I'olly gave the message In a low tone, "Ho wnnts you to como to Granny Hope's hut nt nine o'clock tonight, an I guess you best do It. He's as mad ns ocr a mnn enn be." "I'm afraid," Evelyn walled. "Im terribly afraid, Tolly dear." All the sympathy In Tolly's henrt came to sudden life. "I reckon you be." she returned. "But you've got to get up your spunk an' go. Oscnr'd Just ns soon como bust-In' bust-In' right In your houso bore, I guess, If you don't. You come nloug, nn' at nine o'clock I'll hlko over nn' get In the hut too. Sny, why enn't you talk Just a llttlo nicer to him? Grnnuy Hope's got n Bible, an' It says When n feller hurts you, spenk kind tof soft back, nn' ho won't hnvo nothln' more to say. Hist I WImt's that nolsol Scoot." Beforo Evelyn could sny nnotber word, tho sqtinttcr girl slipped nwaj among tho shndows. The other, nl- When Oscar Dennett Stepped Into the Hut, He Uttered an Oath. though surrounded with every luxury, went wretchedly up the steps nnd, forcing n smile to her lips, pnsscd Into In-to tho music room. Bllly-gont Hopkins had blinked mnny times before his llttlo mistress came home. Lnrry Bishop hnd gone to his lonely hut, nnd Duddy Hopkins nnd Granny Hope were dozing In front of the stove. In nervous tension Tolly wntched tbo clock crawl along townrd tho hour of the meeting between Oscar and Evelyn. About u quarter to nine, she stolo out of doors, ftv filllllllnr Mfiflia ellnn,H- . - " i'"". HiiiiiK jiiiii n . shanty here nnd there. Tollyop cntue , at length upon a lonely shnck set , on n point by Itself. She went urouud to the buck, opened the door, nnd onco , within tho room touched a match to a ; small cnndle which she hnd tnken rrom her pocket, nnd snt down quietly. When Oxcnr Bennett stepped Into the , hut, lu uttered nn oath. He wua not expectlnu to bvc Tolly Hopkins. "Sly Indy won't come, eh?" he da-mnnded da-mnnded gruffly. "Oh, she's comln nil right," nn-swered nn-swered Tolly, "but sho were nrrold. So I come along to see she got home tnte." A loud Inugh fell from Bennett's llp. "You'ro n clever kbt, Tollyop," he said, more nffnhly. "Cunning as a weasel, d d If you alntl Sit down. 1 Won't bltoyou!" Tolly squnttcd on the floor by the old table; and Oscar ensed hlmelf gingerly down onto n rickety bench. "I bet she was scored pink nt what I told you to tell 'cr," ho burst out nf-ler nf-ler n while. "She's nbout the most llly-llvered wnmnn I ever snw," For the spnee of n few seconds Polly looked nt the snenker. Then: "Tin thlnkln' she ain't lovln' you no more. Oscar, on' n wnmnn without rovo In her nln't worth nothln'." There wns no nmlle on tho lovely face when the words were finished She had spoken tho truth, and Oscar Bennett knew Ii. "I've been i. tool. I guess." ho jnc. ulnted, "n perfect fool ! i-mlght better V married you, Tollyop. Sloe you wns knee hijit, to n grnsshnppw. rVe had n loniiing toward you. Wy now I'd bad a home ami somo comfort." His glowing eyes were upon her and for an Instant Tolly lost her I'ltteith. ' i'Jlf you get to swat tomeoco. Oicsr, swat mol" '- - (TO UK CONTlNUKfo.) |