White County record. [volume], May 25, 1922, Image 2

About White County record. [volume] (Judsonia, Ark.) 1922-200?

Image provided by: Arkansas State Archives

                
race Miller White
^.Copyright ly Little, Brown and Company
“SWEETHEART!”
SYNOPSIS.—Occupying a dilapi
dated shack in the Silent City, a
squatter settlement near Ithaca,
New York, Polly Hopkins lives
with her father, small Jerry, and
an old woman, Granny Hope. On
an adjacent farm, Oscar Bennett,
prosperous farmer, is a neighbor.
He is secretly married to Evelyn
Robertson, supposedly wealthy girl
of the neighborhood, Marcus Mac
Kenzie, who owns the ground the
squatters occupy, is their deter
mined enemy. Polly overhears a
conversation between MacKenzie
and a stranger, in which the former
avows his intention of driving the
squatters from his land. The stran
ger sympathizes with the squatters,
and earns Polly’s gratitude. Evelyn
Robertson discovers from her moth
er that they are not rich, but prac
tically living on the bounty of
Robert Perclval, Evelyn's cousin.
Polly learns from Evelyn that the
sympathetic stranger is Robert
Percival. Evelyn charges Polly
with a message to Bennet, telling
him a»ie can give him no more
money. She already bitterly regrets
her marriage to the ignorant farm
er. Polly conveys her message and
Oscar makes threats. He insists
Evelyn meet him that night. Polly
has her father and Larry Bishop,
a squatter, take an oath to do Mac
Kenzie no injury. Evelyn unsuc
cessfully tries to get money from
her mother with which to buy off
Bennett and induce him to leave the
country, giving her her freedom.
She and MacKenzie avow their
love. At the arranged meeting that
night Bennett threatens Evelyn
with exposure unless Bhe gives him
money. Polly meets Robert Per
Ctval. and they are mutually at
tracted, Polly’s feeling being adora
tion. Oscar kills Polly’s lamb and
Percival thrashes Oscar. MacKen
zte orders the squatters to leave.
Evelyn plans to marry MacKenzie.
Percival and Polly confess their
love. MacKenzie's men arrest Pol
ly's father on a framed-up charge.
CHAPTER X—Continued.
—10—
“YiHi do something, ma'am!" she
Implored. “Please do It quick, an’,
an'—"'i A light leapt into her eyes and
«he burSt out: “Mebbe some day you'll
be askin' me a big favor, an' here's my
word before God,"t tfo it.”
I For a siLort space of time the two
girts stared into each other’s eyes, but
Evelyn's fell first. She sank back
limply.
“Take her away, Robert!” she
groaned. “It’s too dreadful."
After Peliyop and Robert had gone,
■he turned swiftly on Marcus.
“I wish they were all dead, those
wretched squatters,” she said fret
fully, and frowning, MacKenzie con
tinued Ms breakfast In silence.
Miserable days passed for the en
tire squatter settlement. That the
right arm of the Silent City had been
lopped off when Hopkins was impris
oned showed plainly In the abjection
of Its inhabitants. Every countenance
was wrinkled with anxiety; and still
the strange men hovered about the
Uflteslde.
tJgiy rumors circulated through the
Silent City. It was said that to fix a
felony ®n Hopkins, the officers claimed
that In searching him, before shutting
him up, they had found a revolver in
his pocket. Every one that knew him
scdoted the idea, but Jeremiah Hop
kins was promptly Indicted for carry
ing concealed weapons.
The only concession Robert had been
ttbte be obtain was permission for
Polly to visit her father, and day after
day she carried Jerry to see him.
The day of Hopkins’ trial Polly had
to stay at home to care for Oranny
Hope and the baby.
Late in the afternoon, while she
was rocking Wee Jerry, for there was
no other way to keep him quiet, there
(tune a rap on the door. Placing him
•n the cot, she called a soft: “Come
in."
xne entrance or uooert rercivat
filled her with apprehension, he looked j
•o serious, so drawn and pale.
It’s about daddy,” she exclntmed,
forgetting for the moment how embar
rassed she was.
Robert nodded.
"Bit down, Folly,” he said gravely,
’’and I'll tell you.”
Hntely she stood staring at him.
"Sit down, dear,” he insisted.
"I don’t want to sit down," she
udttned. “Tell me about daddy.
What’s happened?—He’s goin’ to Au
bnra. hnh?"
Had he been able, Robert would
haw contradicted her. Gladly would
he have chased away the welling tears
that came slowly Into the dear eyes.
"Is ft Auburn prison?” she whis
pered. “Did the jury say he vvus
galVty 7”
♦Tea, Polly, but I’ve still hopes I can
get bim another trial,” answered Rob
ert “Oh, little Polly, please don’t cry,
please don’t.”
Unmindful that he was holding ont
hi* hands to her, she sobbed hysterical
ly, utterly deprived of self-control.
The more Robert pleaded with her t*
)
cease, the more she kept up the inces
sant wail.
At the sound of her anguish, Jerry
awoke and set up a loud screaming,
and, ever true to her mother instinct
for him and all others in her wild
world, Polly op took him up and seat
ed herself, hushing and caressing him.
“The littlest mother in the world,”
breathed Robert tenderly, bending
over her. “And a brave girl you are,
too, Polly Hopkins.”
“I can’t be brave ever any more, I
can't. I need my daddy so, I do. I'm
thinkin’ my heart just busted when
they took him away.”
He understood, and Robert’s very
soul melted in sympathy. Indeed, never
had he worked so hard on any one
thing as he had done to defend the
squatter. It had been only after Mac
Kenzie had outwitted him that he had
come to the Silent City to break the
bad news to Polly Hopkins.
“Pollyop,” he began, much moved,
“you do need your father; every girl
does. But while lie’s gone, if he really
has to go, I can make living without
him much easier for you. You must
take some of the money you have for
yourself," he hastened on. “No one
needs it more than you do. No. now
don’t shake your head, dear. Some
one must help you—don’t you see?”
“ ’IVas awful good of you to give
me the money, an’ let me help the
squatter women,” came distinctly from
the sobbing lips, “but Jerry an’ me
couldn't take a cent of yours!”
Somehow Robbrt had expected this,
but her refusal did not make him any
the less determined to help her. For
a time he was silent, as Polly slowly
rocked Jerry back and forth.
After a few moments the boy fell
asleep, and his sister laid him quietly
on the bed again.
“Now what be I goin’ to do?” she
queried forlornly, looking straight at
him. “Granny Hope says love's all
powerful, an’ every night I cry out to
the good God to bring my daddy home.
It’s true, ain't it, Jesus can help a
squatter girl?”
“Of course,” Robert assured her.
“Of course, and, oh, Polly, I want you
to be different—"
“What do you mean by bein’ differ
ent?” she stopped him quickly, and
then she caught the look he cast
around the room.
“I’ll always be a squatter,” she went
on fiercely. “I love squatters, I do.”
His face burned at the emphasis on
her words, yet he liked her better for
standing by her humble friends.
"And you love me too, don’t you,
rollyop?” he asked, reaching out and
taking one of her hands.
Didn’t she love him? Ah, more than
she even dared to admit to herself I A
blush mounted to her curls.
“Yep, I’m lovin’ you, too,” she
breathed. “You an’ daddy—”
Robert stood up dizzily, bringing her
up with him. What was there in this
"Hadn't You Best Go Now?" Bho
Asked.
crude squatter lassie that made his
heart beat so?
“Polly,” he murmured, drawing her
to him. “Little Polly,” and then he
raised her face to his—“Kiss me,
sweet.”
Limp and .trembling, she leaned
against him us she had that day In his
own home She was so tired and
lonely.
“1 want you always, Polly,” he
whispered in her ear. “Some day I
want you for iny wife. I’ll take you
away from Ithaca—all Of you, your
father and the baby—and Granny
Hope too. You hear, don’t you,
Polly op?”
At that Polly clung to him. She had
lost sight of the fact that she might
have to marry Oscar Bennett to free
Daddy Hopkins, and to keep her peo
ple in the Silent City. She only real
ized that she was In Robert’s arms,
and that he was telling her over and
over nnd over that he adored her.
“Hadn’t you best go now?” she
asked. “Some one might cntch you
hero. No! Please, please don’t kiss
me no more.”
Without the slightest regard for her
protestations, Robert, smiling, gath
ered her completely into his anus.
“Perhaps," he stammered, “perhaps,
sweetheart, your father’ll come hack
in spite of Marcus MacKenzle. Good
by, dear.”
She followed him to the door nnd
watched him go up the lane. Then she
crept hack into the shanty.
“Daddy," she cried, “I’m tryin’ my
best to save you, dear, an’, an' I will,
I will, darlin’. Your brat’ll save you,
Daddy—but oh, God, it seems as how
I couldn’t do it.”
CHAPTER XI.
Over a week had passed since Hop
kins had stood before his peers to he
judged of a crime the law would not
overlook. His lawyer, a good one and
well paid by Robert Fercival, had
fought strenuously for a new trial;
but after much deliberation on the
part of the judge, the motion had been
denied; nnd this was the last day of
Jeremiah’s stay in the county jail.
It was soon after luncheon time that
a high-powered motorcar was carrying
Evelyn Robertson and Marcus Mac
Kenzie to the Bennett farmhouse. The
purchasing of the farm had been set
tled, as far as Marcus was concerned,
although Eve’s pleading and Oscar’s
stubbornness had made him offer
more for the place than it was really
worth.
When the farmer walked up to the
automobile, as it stopped before his
door, Oscar paid no attention to Eve
lyn, sitting beside MacKenzle, save to
give her an awkward bow.
“You’ve spoken to this squatter girl
about what you want, Bennett?” asked
Marcus, going to the point at once.
“Yes, sure I have," growled Oscar.
“I told you that t’other day; but Polly
seems to be always holding off for
something. If she toes the mark, then
I'll sell my farm and take her W’est.
i won’t have that brat of a Jerry,
though, but I suppose Polly’ll make a
row when I tell her that."
“You won’t be worried with the boy,
Bennett. I’m going to have the Chil
dren's society take him. Hopkins will
serve a long term, and if you marry
Polly, the rest of the pests will scatter
after a while. I’ll be glad to be rid
of the whole Hopkins tribe. But that
girl is like a burr; she sticks tighter,
the more you pull 1"
“That’s the bargain, Mr. MacKenzle.
I sell the farm at the price we talked
if I get Polly Hopkins. If I don’t get
’er, then I won’t sell. I can make a
good living here for me and my moth
er, and I don’t intend to leave this
country without Pollyop.”
The thought of his staying around
Ithaca filled Evelyn with dread. She
knew something of the tenacity with
which he clung to any notion that
might take possession of him. How
could she have ever submitted to his
caresses? And the words, “Until death
do us part," rang in her ears, filling
her with nauseating disgust.
‘1 wish he were dead this minute,”
she thought passionately.
She was waiting for Oscar to con
tinue, but he evidently did not intend
to; so, settling back as if anxious to
start, she said coldly;
“I’ll go to’ her then, as soon as I
can.”
“When—today, ma'am?” asked Oscar
eagerly.
If she had to approach Polly Hop
kins about this disagreeable matter,
the sooner the better, Evelyn thought.
“Yes,” she consented languidly. “I
might go now, I suppose.”
“But you won’t find her home till
night, Eve,” Marcus informed her.
“She's gone to see her father before
he goes to Auburn. I tried to put the
quietus on that, but Bob cut up so I
told the sheriff to let her in.”
“Then I'll telephone you later, Mr.
Bennett,” said Evelyn, lifting her chin
haughtily as if he were really beneath
her consideration. “Good afternoon 1”
The hours passed slowly by! It
seemed an eternity to Oscar while he
waited the call from Evelyn. When
he heard her voice over the telephone,
he answered gruffly.
“Now, don’t be nasty, Oscar,” or
dered Evelyn Imperiously. “I’m doing
the best I can. I’m In a booth talking,
and if you’ll meet me at seven, we’lil
go together to Polly Hopkins. Do«6
that suit you all right?”
“You don’t suit me very well,” Oscar
grumbled into the receiver. “I’d like
to give you the licking of your life,
my lady.”
Evelyn’s laugh came ringing across
the wire.
“Don’t put yourself out, my dear
man,” she taunted. “Now, don’t start
bullying me over the phone, Oscar, for
I won’t stand It. Hold your temper If
you can possibly do so. For once do
as I ten you! Will you?”
"Oh, I suppose so,” Bennett rapped
out. "Where’ll I meet you?”
“Well, let me see. At seven on the
boulevard, near the lane.”
“All right!” and Oscar slammed up
the receiver without waiting to hear
any more, and proceeded about his
farm tasks. Thoughts of anger toward
Eve, now so overbearing and con
temptuous, were soon crowded out,
however, by anticipation of the time
when Polly would belong to hAu—
his to love or abu»e at his own sweet
will, for Oscar had little doubt that
the squatter girl would eventuallj
yield to his will.
Pollyop, meanwhile, quite uncon
scious of Oscar's vicious intentions
was already utterly overwhelmed with
misery.
After the meager supper was over
that night, she sat crouched near the
wood-box, her avm around Billy Hop
kins’ stringy neck. Granny Hope was
in bed and Wee Jerry, having cried
himself to sleep, was in Jeremiah’s
room, rolled up in a blanket.
For the first time in her life Polly
had seen her father weep. How im
petuously she hp ' kissed away his
tears! How she hau hung to his neck!
When they had been forced to leave
him, Jerry had shrieked ids misery all
the way through the streets of Ithaca.
To make the matter worse, it began
to rain, to thunder and lighten. And
now, a forlorn, lonely little creature,
she sat listening to the tempest out
side with no compnny but the billy
goat.
How listless and hopeless she felt!
Only when the thunder rolled over the
lake, and the lightning flashed across
the sky, did she lift her head. When
she was happy, Tolly loved' the
storms, but now, with Daddy in Au
burn, how could she bear the thrash
ing rain and the moan of the willow
trees as they swung to and fro over
the shanty roof?
She found herself wishing fearfully
that the storm would sw-eep off to the
south and down behind the hills. Over
and over in her mind went the thoughts
that perhaps she could have helped
I TI
PefiH*
In the White Light of It Polly Saw a
Man Lying Face Down In the Path
Leading to the Shanty.
Daddy if she had done what Evelyn
vanted her to. Why hadn't she con
>ented to marry Oscar two weeks ago?
*he knew why, and, blushing, blamed
lerself. She could not keep the image
Robert Percival from smiling at
ler.
All of a sudden a frightful flash of
ightning made dim the flicker from
he small candle, and was followed in
stantly by a thunderous roar that
shook the very earth. Mingled with it
■ame a woman’s scream. Polly strug
;led to her feet. Some one was in
rouble! Some squatter-woman was
’ailing her. She dashed toward the
loor just as it flung wide open, and
Evelyn Robertson rushed in.
“Polly Hopkins," she cried, grasping
:he squatter girl’s arm, “Pollyop,
something struck Oscar, and he's dead
n the road.”
Frantically she drew the dazed Pol
ly over the threshold. The darkness
was dense, and the torrents of rain
pelted their faces. Another zigzag
streak of fire ran across the sky, mak
ing a vivid picture us it blazed Cor
nell university into plain view. In the
white light of it, Polly saw a man ly
ing face down In the path lending to
the shanty. He made no effort to get
up as the two girls bent over him.
“Mebbe he aintf dead;” muttered
Polly, shuddering. “Let’s lug him in
the hut.”
Between them, they dragged the
heavy, inert body into the shanty and
shut tile door. Oscar looked dead
when they turned him over. His face
was livid, and his eyes tightly shut.
“The thunder hit him, huh?” ques
tioned Polly, a westruck.
Shudder after shudder ran over Ev
elyn.
“I don’t know,’* she moaned. “Yes,
I suppose so. Oh, it was dreadful !**
She began to cry, wringing her hands
desperately.
“Don’t do that,” begged Pollyop, with
a shiver. “Come on an* help me get ’lm
up on my bunk."
Weak from the shock, Evelyn was
of little service in lifting Oscar. Bui
the bed was low, and finally after much
tugging, he was rolled lifelessly over
on his back, stretched to hts full length
on the rickety cot.
Standing side by side, the girl!
looked anxiously down upon him.
“I guess mebbe he’s (lend, ain’t he?’
queried Polly woefully.
“Thus did the storm country
give back to Evelyn Robertson
her freedom.”
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
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