Show star storm d M coll country WL 1 ro ag wt ily by grace miller white copyright by little brown co CHAPTER XI continued ContIn ved 12 rolly opa sobbing voice penetrated tato the young minis mans darkening sensibilities ties and the ghost of a smile crept to his lips then slowly his eyes closel closed the strained muscles relaxed frota about his mouth leaving it more boyl boyish shand and thus did the storm country give back to evelyn robertson Robort son tier freedom after that came dark lays days for roily polly oil eap E even ven the reproduction of the Crea greatest test mother in the world which hung flung in its accustomed place on the shanty e wall failed to lift the heavy toad lint rested rented like a stone in tier her bosom no more did she stand before it ft and dream dream of a deep toned voice telling lier of jove and a future dream of roberts arms nebout tier her anil and tier head pressed against him up and down she went through the silent city unable to smile well nigh unable to speak n word of greeting to those she met mel so sympathetic were tier squatter friends that many a fish and pan of baked beans found then way into the hopkins lint hut several times had made tin an erfort effort to see evelyn but the rich girl appeared ns as tile the little trill sounded just after nightfall in the fl Ilo biTtson garden tn rn july came rumors that evelyn was to marry marcus anc amzle and that lie he lind had bought the farm of oscars heirs terrified whispers went from froin mouth to visuth in ili tire the settlement that lie he had wasted how flow he was going to clear the squatters front from the silent city before the coming coining ot christmas one on night lie hie dark messenger to no home Is closed slipped into the hopkins shanty hanty and summoned cranny hope although tile the absence of the old withered mouzli made one ies alfs pollion missed the oft re axenti assurance that somehow some firne love would make crooked things At straight raight on day she tools took jerry and goat and walked through tile the city and andon on toward the bad maies bavine alavi ne the picture she had grown to love lonii in those long iong ago spring dava still gazed out at her from mar actus V la 11 kenz I 1 es fence there TOT for tt a nicil ent lent polly halted md solemnly contemplated the beautiful face when she had been happy and that masv wattages wastages wa stages ages 1 past she had not what therall the call la in the mother talea meant burits one after another flier loved ones on 8 had dwindled uway away end and none hut jerry was left a clearer understanding took possession of her the sanie cruet cruel force had attacked her rand ale ae woman there athey were liv alv an lag fn in a warring world trying by might and main to cling clin to ao their own polly op and tills this giant mother the woman asked ald aid for her vast army of sick sons and pollys hollys sorrow touched by tier her broad compassion lightened a elwe her she heard footsteps slowly be turned tier head and at al rno anwa A at atthe the same instant the person stopped could not move or force corce a word of greeting from froin her tongue for robert percival val was look tang at her his serious white face hold lang mo ino hint of smile or welcome for failong minute they stared at each oth erthen eri the young man swung about autly and strode away trashed almost into insen insensibility yop sank lower and lower until slid away from tier her shoulders to the ground her beloved had not nor mor had the pained lines about bla ramouth softened even a little bill afternoon shadows began to stretch wag fong th the lake and crowd do down w n upon the silent city and still the squatter gIrl knelt and wept out tier her so sorow borrow row an d loneliness with no one near but the large arge eyed sad little e hild child leaning across the thin back of fally billy goat II ins at length arose wiping her fuce face on her sleeve then she d jerry to tier her shoulders and arned for a last look tit at thu lofty wittier of tile the world for a minute she gazed steadily and then through the gathering r goami lUm iii she thought thou glit she saw a smile to Ir vering about the beautiful mouth went sparer by two steps the oman was smiling at tier her aud and the r girl over overwhelmed helmed with it a joy that hurt keenly like a knifes blade kimlel t back tile the first smile since cranny pU ranny hope elope had b ad left tier her holding riding Il jerry by one arm she thrust the other hand upward biggest Rig gest an beaus mammy in mit ell lie world orld slie site faltered bless me tin tit lerry jerry an an daddy hopkins ciway off up tip in auburn prison she knelt with tier her clinging burden and then swiftly rising went backs back to tile shanty tier lier pale face cliant witha with a worldwide world wide bles blessing bIng CHAPTER XII IN liec il was full upon them ertl and all aud and jerry held to t their tenure of the hut A few heart irsken letters had reached tile girl irl from aub aubarn rn and she zuid ansi answered ered them yet A la in state dally of tho the folks inapt old marc gouid begin again to harass UKU roily polly was happier she could not have explained it if she had been asked why the agony of doubt had given place to a wanner glow about tier her heart when she thought of daddy hopkins away off up there in the gloom of the prison lie he had received a in mothers others benediction polly believed tills with all her soul soul jerry and she too had come in for their share and this new confidence lifted the shadow from lier ber pes ees a little and lessened the stabbing hurt in tier lier side the tiling thing lint hint tormented her most was jerrys Jerr Ns constant mom mourning nine for big father fat lier day by day she had racked her brains for ways to amuse him but ns as soon as the novelty of the play had worn olt off the old time cry would tie lie gins gin want to play horse borse bif my daddy hopkins wee jerry wants daddy II insl she was looking at him one morning after one of ills his spells of weeping and wistfully considering consla erIng if there might inight be a way may to hurry him off to auburn for a day when evelyn rob eitson sudi suddenly lenly tip appeared peare d in the slin rity door for a long time evelyns conscience had made tier lier uncomfortable kven even though tier lier lays days were exceedingly busy the remembrance of the squatter girls pale pleading face tormented tier her and slie she was fearful might not keep the promise she had made and marcus mackenzue Mac Kenzle would be lost forever so astounded was as roily polly hopkins to see the girl that she neglected to ask tier her in overlooking tills this miss robertson stepped into tile the room in embarrassment barras collop To Po llop she began catching tier her breath 1 I just had to speak to you im going to he be married to mr mckenzie and I 1 came to talk to you about it and and to bring the baby some candy her expression grave with surprise polly scrutinized her coldly jeroyd Jer ryd rather have his daddy hopkins than candy she retorted frowning miss robertson drew back a little shaking tier her head bead 1 I manage that im afraid she said soberly but shifted uneasily debbe you could get old mare marc to say I 1 could take jerry to auburn tl then she ventured jerryll Jerry 11 die if he dont see his daddy lies iles gettin thinner an thinner every day iles hes been yelling like mad all mornin evelyn pondered on tills this an Ing instant tant yes I 1 could do that im sur sure e she answered smiling broadly id I 1 loe to do it too the forlorn droop at the corners of pollys hollys mouth disappeared appended dis blebby bl ebbe if I 1 could get something to wear she hesitated it had never occurred to miss robertson how managed for clothing she had so much herself she was blind to an others need but as she had come to demand a favor then perhaps she had better offer as much as she could polly she ejaculated youve been awfully good to roe me and you can have any one of my tresses dresses you want and keep it too and ill persuade mr mackenzie Mac Kenzle to get you a permit to go to auburn polly felt her heart grow big then after all she could take wee jerry to his daddy 1 I I 1 ss pose she hesitated trembling you tell ell your cousin her throat caught in a sob but she cleared it and went on just tell im oscar my man malt ecelyn robertson had often lived over the horror of tile the minutes when the shameful secret of her marriage to oscar cennett bennett was as so nearly disclosed to robert percival more than once had she congratulated herself upon the cleverness with which she he had avoided that danger tu to be sure tier her escape had been at the expense of hollys pollys reputation she regretted the necessity but ineil med that a good name could not be much of a loss to a squatter of course I 1 do that slie she returned bliar ply aby axby liy hould you want the squatter gills gaze lifted to the speakers face awl ami tears oner oer the fringed ellz 1 I alien lien ivelyn rend read lie truth and ler fies glinted and narrowed ilen heavens vens youre oure in ili love kiive with alth my cousin she bhe t exclaimed Is that what you mean the brown head fell fo ferard forward rard and a flaque hot face nus hidden in the chestnut curls and lie loes you yon loo cried evelyn in disdain what tt a foot fool I 1 was not to discover dis coer that before how perfectly awful i kuhnt hill lias has been the matter with alth him tor for months month she snatched Pi kiili ili s arni arm all and shook tier her its absolutely ad oi 01 jv tu to think of my cousin in ili vint way any slie she continued tier her voice hoarse hoar se with felt promise Irom lse ue ile again neier tell him about oscar shook tier her head 11 le never told bothin no thin ive said I 1 the she replied thickly almost suli culy belyo evelyn sr slotted the dimples anu go seek tit nt the lie co cor r 1 neds ot of her lovely mouth the allely si ee I 1 Y blue glint faded from froin her eyes leaving then the color of heavenly tints she was s as certain tier her secret was as safe in the of 0 polly hopkins ll as it was mas in the heart of the dead oscar you shall see boiu rather father she said arit aping lier her haud and you tan ran have par dress I 1 have to wear come up tonight at seven the folks will lie ft fit dinner nil and ill slip out and bring you in then she went away leaving polly hopkins plunged into the depths of despair when she thought of 0 robert percival all and singing with gladness over the joy in store for wee jerry and daddy hopkins it was still broad day when polly folly Il left wee jerry pla playing ying by tile waters wn edge with some squatter youngsters and started for the roberton robertt ton t home true to tier lier word evelyn met inet her in the grape arbor tit at seen and hastily led her up the back stairs to her bedroom there are the closets she said take anything you like polly but hurry the cooks in the kitchen and the other maids are busy ill go down for fear someone will come to find me theres the lie dinner gong once alone in the beautiful room pollys hollys gaze swept sept its broad dimensions it did not occur to tier her to covet the least of these gorgeous surroundings she only wanted something to wear to auburn something to celebrate her visit and do daddy hopkins proud she swung open a closet door ond and peered in the sound of laughter somewhere in the hou house houe e sent a wave of terror over tier she snatched at the first gown under her hand rolled it into a bundle and fled down the stairs until she was in ili the lane again she did not breathe easily once back in tile the shanty hid bid the dress beneath her bed without even daring to look tit at it how evelyn was to arrange the visit to auburn she did not know but of one thing she was sure slie had a beautiful dress to w ear after she had put the child to bed and the door was securely locked polly drew the curtains tightly over the he small windows even the corners of V As if she had been handling eggs she sh drew on the beautiful robe her bare neck and For forearms earnis gleaming white in the candle light the room lost their shallow shadows and tile the greatest mother in the world seemed to stand out more plainly than even when the I 1 lie sun shone shine placed tier lier warm check against t the ll 11 p picture mid and smiled slie she earne earnestly believed believe this wonder mother was helping her to go am jmj see paddy she turned tin and longingly tit ni tile the sick little man mail then upward ard if ID the vi i omans face aruie thine done so much for nil me tin nn lerry in ni anin aarn slie be lie be sori etline make him smile jutt tile nt at tile me then she took the bundle from under tier 01 ot ol mid and spread out lier her biens ure tire it ns is a delicate slit in silk will in it haq llie lie color of the kun un just before lie sailed over the lie vestern hill on his tin tile earth there uld not lye be aurli u 1 I another beautiful gon goin in ili all tile horld orld polly thou glit then she slowly 1 I ow slipped arnin tier her otin on ragged dress and stopped a moment contemplating daddy Il big boots even tn pollys hollys primitive mind they did not betin scein bet in tr tit lip lie just tin thing to near hilll fill such a dress so tile the luis limits too come olt off As if sh had bron handling eggs she diew diew tile beautiful rolle robe tier lier bare arck tin and forearms gleaming white in ili the candlelight then buck bach rind and forth she balked n with its but tit arid tu turn tun n as be het bet t slie aie indo ali lw could not see the whole bue of tier her kolen goiden glory so BO she be toot tont down diciro hopkins cracked piece of marrot lie be had used hen putting pulling out ills shaggy uhl kers with the tweezers hy BY the aid of it she could set get glimpses of her suni still young figure and the graceful of 0 f the hie skirt holding the glass higher up the she studied h her er slender neck where the sun had tanned st it but tan did not matter for daddy hopkins loved her ber in spite of it all at once she heart heard a knock knoch against the side of the hut hastily slipping out of the dress and folding lr it she shoved it under her pillow then she put pur on tier lier old dress and opened the door larry bishop was there extending I 1 her a letter taking tile the note in ili aniaz ement she bhe smiled and thanked him 1 aint you voll colln in larry she sha naked kinda kanda chilly tonight buhr hull the squatter stepped inside his cap in ills his hand yep too cold for summer poll tie tic returned say brat how you gettan g on oot got nough bough beans left for a while sure luoren enough larry she replied 1 I writ daddy in my letter yesterday how blessed good all been to we me I 1 bet bei when I 1 get face to face iolj alth tin lin ill tell things I 1 cant scribble an now you go br braingin brin IngIn gln tile lue tills this she topped tapped the letter with her fingers as a mysterious smile touched tier her lips the man shook his head grimly you wont be heeln your your dad very soon poll Y yop op he muttered not it if I 1 guess righta rl glit I 1 will she told him fingering the alic letter she liked larry bishop very much but birt she was eaten up with curiosity to know the contents of the envelope in her hand perhaps oil might it be you get this larry she sha asked holding it up 1 I was comin down the lane explained bishop an a feller asked roe me it if I 1 knowel where tile the hopkins hut was I 1 says yep tep im coln there now flow he says take this letter to the hopkins II girl an I 1 saas yep an an I 1 beung it lie paused hoping she would open it in ins his presence being persuaded she did not intend to lie went out ills his footsteps had bad no sooner lied died away than polly sprang to the door tin and barred it then she turned the letter over and over and looked at it her name |