THE NOIOTI PLATTE RI5MT-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
Storm
CHAPTER XVI Continued. .
-18-
. She stooped and smoothed bad' the
faalr from Evelyn's wet brow.
"Now, wlille I'm gone you Just lay
qulet-llko, nskln' Jesus every minute
that your innii'll he hlkln hero fuster'n
a crow can fly."
Evelyn raised her head.
"Kiss irto. Polly dear," she begged,
with streaming eyes.
"All right 1" murmured the squat
ter girl. "Klsses're mighty comfortln',
ain't they?"
She stooped and laid her lips on
Evelyn's and, turning swlftly.ileft the
room. Evelyn heard her snufllng the
andles outside and then heard the
latch click as Pollyop closed the door
behind her.
Bounding out Into the snow, Pollyop
raced through the road toward Bish
op's hut, for she had decided to speak
to him before going on. She lifted
the latch and peeped In.
Larry sat by the stove, pulling his
pipe, lie gnve her but a glance then
dropped his head mournfully.
"Where's Lye, Larry?" Polly asked
3n a hissing whisper.
"Gone home," came In a grunt.
"'He's sick to his Hfummlck, an' so be
I. I'm most froze, too."
With her hand on the latch of the
loor which she had closed against
the storm, the girl stood In shivering
Indecision. She felt Intuitively the
Inner emotions going on Inside the
stolid speaker. She wanted to throw
Iter arms about him and tell him all
Unit had passed In her home during the
last hour. But If she did, Larry would
take the blame of the crime on him
elf. Of course he would I I'olly Hop
Iclns knew the heart of Larry Bishop
as If she had made It herself from
3od's own clay. If the person In her
hack had been Old Marc, ho would
Imvc had no compunction In putting
1dm nut of the wny, but a woman
"I don't want you for anything to
night, Larry Bishop," she broke out,
-fumbling with tho latch. "An, mind
you, denrle, never tell nobody you an'
Ijye swiped Old Marc's wotnun. That's
xt prom?ji, Larry, ain't It?" ,
"Yep," replied Bishop, uwtiseated.
"Then go to bed an sleep '" returned
l'ollyop. "You'll get warm, an' urV-
"I'll see you tomorrow1 mebbe. I won't
ibe needln' you In my shanty tonight."
Then sho went swiftly out, slammed
tho door and was away like a winter
folrd, boforo the squatter could ques
ilon her.
Swiftly she ran on,-her hair almost
-on end becnuso, to save her friends,
alio must face the haughty MaelCen
Ize himself. It bad been her cruelty
that had prompted their act, and now,
'besides saving Evelyn, she must shield
them. The nearer sho came to the
IMacKenzIo house, tho harder her heart
pounded, with dread at the task before
lier.
In the meantime Marcus MncKcnzle
innd hla wife's mother were together,
Ulio lady stretched out on the divan,
and Mnrcus pacing the floor. Since
IMacKenzIo had left the Hopkins shack,
Hie had ridden madly over the hills,
;irglng every man uvnllablo to help
llitm llnd his wife. Socrotly he had
iwept tears such as never had poured
ifrom'hls eyes beforo In all bis super
cilious days.
Having sot In motion what aid ho
icould summon from town and coun
try, he had come back homo to tho
'hysterical mother. Ho had no com
fortlng assurances to give her, or nny
ito allny the burning grief within him
iclf. Evelyn had disappeared as If
the ground had opened add swallowed
lier up. Ho paused In front of Mrs,
ltobertson, his dark, handsome face
working nnlnfully.
"You're very slire sho was feeling
well Just before she went out?" ho
Innulred. "Sho didn't uct as It she
Iliad anything, to worry over?"
Mrs. Robertson used her handker
chief beforo she answered.
"I can't think of anything," she lies
Itated, "unless It was about Bob. Late
ily bo's been so different. I naked Evo
no dny " Sho broke off and dls
(solved In tears.
"Yes, you asked her one day
Mmt?" MacKenzIe urged.
"It was about Bob," continued the
keeping lady. "Kvo thought bo was
jwfferlng over over "
"Well!" snapped Marcus.
Would tho woninn never cease her
irvotjlnstlng crying and give him a cluo
yS. she bad one?
"Well 1" bo goaded her on more furl
Busly.
"I'olly Hopkins t" she sobbed. "Kvo
fcald your continual pounding at tho
Wiuuttors had about broken tho boy'
spirit."
"Hubblsb I" exclaimed MacIConzle
"Eve wouldn't waste bur time worry
Ing over such rats. Bob's a fool, I'v
discovered I Whore Is bo?"
"I don't know," answered Mrs. Bob
prison. "Ho goes away for days at a
time without saying a word to Kvo
!ur me. And bo looks porfectly dread
pat. I think Evelyn's grieved over
Why didn't you tell mo so before?'
WeW.A tho man, turning on her swiftly,
rvd bnvo sooa iauo my young gentle
jnuin put oc u lanlle, at least when
luAar, U'a a ahumo my poor
Country
bv Grace Miller White
Copyright by Little, Brown &. Co.
wife had to be tormented like that I"
That be bad started the rumpus and
done his full half of the quarreling
never occurred to him. Ho was de
termined to llnd some one to blame
for his wife's disappearance.
"Well, there's one thing certain,"
he ejaculated, after measuring the
room several times with long strides.
"I can't stay here, but good God I I
don't know where to go."
A deep groan fell from his lips, nnd
be began with heavy tread to walk
up and down again.
"Can't you think of any place she
might have gone?;' he begged. "You
know all her friends. . Where would
she go If she had determined to leave
home?"
"Leave home?" gasped Mrs. Rob
ertson, her Jaw dropping.
"Yes I" faltered Marcus. "I don't
know whether she told you or not,
but we bad some words before I start
ed for Cortland."
"Of course she didn't tell me," came
from behind the lady's handkerchief.
"She never tells nic anything, but I
heard It. You were quarreling over
the squatters, and In Eve's condition,
I think you might spare her a little.
She's not strong I So much wrang
ling makes her slckl I wish Bob were
borne. Oh, denr, I can't stand It."
"It's Bob that's made all this trou
ble," snarled Marcus. "He's spent
several months trying to circumvent
me ulJbut the squatters, and Eve and
I would have bad no quarrels at all
If lie had attended to bis own af
fairs."
lie spoke moodily, conscious that ho
had treated his wife harshly, yet un
willing to admit it.
Mrs. Robertson, touched with the
same feeling, sat up, wiping her face
"Why Didn't You Tell Me So Before?"
Cried tho Man, Turning on Her
Swiftly.
nnd brushing back her hair. She, too,
remembered now all tho bitter words
sho had Hung nt her daughter.
"Marcus," she said. "If we get
Eve back again "
"If wo get her I" he Interjected, bis
fnco going snow-wiute. "or. course,
we'll get her. Why say such ridiculous
things?" Ho turned away to hide the
emotion lier tremulous question had
filled him with. "It will bo my death
If we don't," ho ended.
Mrs. Robertson raised on her el
bow.
"But Marcus," she exclaimed
"there's been something on my mind
ever since since Oh, you don't
think tho squatters have her, do you?"
"I don't know," moaned Marcus, and
he snt down quickly as If his legs
would no longer bear the weight of
his body.
And thoy woro sitting thus, each
busy with his own unspeakable unhap
plnoss, when tho sorvnnt entered,
"There's a girl bore, sir," she be
gan, and Marcus sprang up.
"Bring her In," he cried. "Bring her
In Instantly I"
Tho maid hesitated.
"She's queer looking, sir," she said
timidly, "and she's wet throirgh. She';
one of them squat tors."
"Bring her In, I said," ordered Mar
cus once more, and tho girl went out
closing tho door softly.
l'ollyop crept Into tho warm room
her teeth chattering, her legs un
steady, tier llrst glunco feu upon
Mrs. uonertson who, when sho saw
her, made a husky throat sound. Then
tho brown, fearful eyes traveled to
the tall man, no longer an enemy to be
hated, merely u wounded human crea
ture, Hko her dear ones In tho Silent
City, to be loved and comforted.
"I got your woman In my shack,'
said l'ollyop, straight to him, swallow
lug.
"God bo thanked," screamed airs
Robertson.
Something snapped In MacKenzIe'
boftd, uni for a moment bo feared he
Polly
was losing tils mind, roily tnougnt
by the blank expression of bis face
that his wile had gone completely.
Ignoring the woman whom she de
tested, she went rapidly to Macken
zie's side.
"I had her roped up In the bed when
you was there tonight, mister," she
told him, the words tumbling over
each other In the liasto of confession.
"I were goln to chop her head off to
get qven with you. But but my dead
Granny Hope, an' the Biggest Mam
my In All the World wouldn't let me."
It seemed an eternity to the quak
ing young speaker before Marcus
threw up his head and took a long
breath.
"She she's alive?" he- demanded
hoarsely. "You're very sure she Isn't
dead? Girl," he bounded up nnd
grasped I'ollyop's arm, "If you He to
me "
"I ain't lyln to you, mister," Inter
rupted I'olly dully. "You don't need
to be scared for Miss Eve, but now
you'd best come along to my but nn'
get her. She's mournln' for you In
Grutfny Hope's coop-hole, covered up
with blankets."
Something like a huge (1st struck
MacKenzIe. The conviction that the
squatter girl's words were true lifted
him Immediately from the bottom
depths of hopelessness. The sudden
Inrush of Joyous relief brought with
It u mental lllumlnntlon, and be saw
himself as others had seen him. The
terrible, blighting uncertainty he had
borne for a few maddening hours the
girl before him had1 known for
months. If she were to blame for his
suffering, what was the measure of
his own responsibility?
He turned swiftly to his mother-In
law and said huskily:
"Call some one to get this child
some dry clothes. Take anything of
Eve's you can And that will keep her
warm, and for God's sake, take those
ragged boots off her feet!" He sprang
to the bell. "I'll order the team."
When he had given bis orders to tho
servant who appeared at the door, he
sank back Into a chair, and Mrs. Rob
crtson went swiftly out.
Utterly oblivious of the squnttcr
girl's presence, Marcus MacKenzIe
burled his face In his bands. The new
l'ollyop, tho Polly of the Sun, crept
forward and touched him.
"Your woman's nil right," she said
huskily. "Don't cryl She told me
about about the little kid a-comln' In
the summer, an' she howled like mad
to come along with me. But I says to
her she couldn't walk all this way to
you without dyln'."
Tho soft tones vibrated sympnthe
tlcally as she voiced the assurances,
MncKcnzle thrust up his band and
clutched the slim brown fingers.
"Tell me something about It while
we're alone," he whispered.
l'ollyop shuddered.
"Well, sir," she began, so low that
MacKenzIe had to raise bis bead to
hear, "all .the squatters hato you, but
none of 'em was wicked like me. I
said, I did, that you couldn't be hurt
no way only through your woman, an
nn' I was goln to cut her head off
with thp ax an' then sling 'or In tho
lake. I s'pose I'm goln' to get sent up
for yenrs, but I Just had to come and
toll you."
Before MacKenzIe, nghast nt tho
danger his dear one had faced, could
answer, Mrs. Robertson entered, fol
lowed by Evelyn's mnld.
"I'll get my cont," exclaimed Mar
cus, Jumping up. "Dress the girl wnrm
nnd send along Evelyn's fur motor
coat."
A, furtive smile curled tho mnld's
Hps as she helped pull off Jeremiah's
heavy coat, and then grew broader
as l'ollyop supped out or Daddy's
great boots. Yet the woman admitted
to herself as. she dried the wfct I ret
and attired the squatter girl In her
mistress' beautiful clothes that she
was pretty, even prettier than Mrs.
MacKenzIe.
When the robing process was fin
ished, Mrs. Robertson glnnced over the
little llgurc and grudgingly acknowl
edged to herself that thera was some
thing of elegance In tho girl's bearing,
even if she wcro a squatter.
"Como hero I" she said. A haughty
gesture lndlcnted the spot. "Right
here before me."
Polly's sbnklilg legs carried her
within n few Inches of tho august
presence.
"You're very sure, girl," asked Mrs.
Robertson, "that my daughter's safe
In your shack? How did sho come
there?"
Polly remembered Larry Bishop and
Lye Braeger. Sho had been Instru
mental In bringing them within the
prison shndows, and If any one suffered
from tho deed dono that night, It must
not bo her friends. Sho alone must
take the blamol
"I wheedled 'er there, ma'am," she
replied humbly. "I'm goln' to tell her
man all about It."
Marcus entered1 and started back ns
ho caught sight of I'olly, How beauti
ful she was, bedecked In bis wife's
clothes! Thon It enmo to him that
even In her rngs slw had had a dis
tinctive loveliness. Both Bob and Eve
lyn As that precious name weut
through his mind, his thoughts flew to
the squatter's hut where bis fruit youug
wife awaited blm.
"Come along quickly," be said, go
ing directly to Polly.
How changed he seemed, how gen
tle he was as he took bold of her unn
nid led her away; and so preoccupied
was she with this thought that the
beauty of the clothes which she wore
inn do no Impression upon her. She
wondered dully when 'MacKenzIe lifted
her bodily Into the sleigh nnd the
coachman chirruped to the horses, Just
what he Intended to do with her to
morrow. She looked bnck upon the time the
authorities had sent Meg Wllllnms to
a reform school and also recalled the
girl's home-coming after her term bad
been served. Now that she, herself.
was In danger of the Hko treatment,
l'ollyop searched her mind for the do
tails that Meg had given of the hor
rible place.
As the horses trotted along the bou
levard, I'ollyop's chin sank Into the
warm fur about her neck, and until
they turned Into the narrow lane from
the rond, no one spoke u word.
"Go straight to the lake, Hank,"
ordered Mackenzie, and at the sound
of his deep voice, Pollyop felt another
shock of surprise. She had beard It
so often In strident abuse 1 Now It
was actually pleasant to listen to I
Down the hill through the furry
Hakes of snow the strong horses picked
their wny. Onco the cutter nearly
turned on Its side but righted Itself.
The Hopkins hut was dark when they
drove up before It. Marcus jumped
Into tho snow, picked Polly out of the
cutter us If she had been a kitten, nnd
waded through tho drift to the nar
row path leading Into, the house.
He put the girl down before the
door, nnd turning, called to the coach
man :
"Drive the team down the rond,
Hank, out pf the wind I I'll call you
when I want you 1"
It was I'ollyop's trembling hand that
uniatcneu tue snanty door, it was
she who struck a match and touched
It to tho candle. Then she pointed to
Granny Hope's room.
'She's. In there, mister," she said,
trembling like an aspen leaf.
Then because she was about to face
an outruged wife In the presence of
a powerful husband, she snt down,
shaking with fear from heud to foot.
CHAPTER XVII
In the meanwhile a covered carriage
containing two men and a little boy
was making slow progress along the
drifted boulevard. About two miles
from Ithaca a double cutter, with
sleigh bells ringing, dnsbed by them,
the little light on the back of It glow
lng like a steady red eye until a sharp
curve In tue road blotted It from sight,
"Somebody else out, If 'tis a bad
night," commented the older man, who
held the boy.
"They went awful fast, too, Daddy
nopklns," murmured the child. "Didn't
urn, darlln'?"
"Yep, son," wns the reply. "Sleighs
go over the snow better'n wagons."
Tho words hardly penetrated the
younger man's revery. His thoughts
were busy with a squatter girl who
would have a real Thanksgiving the
next day. Her Joy he could picture,
but he could not join It. All his
thoughts of her were marred by an
other vision that poisoned his every
moment. Never since he had found
Oscar Bennett dying In Polly's bed bad
ho known a peaceful Instant.
When the vehicle came to the cor
ner where MacKenzlo's magnificent
turnout had swung into the lane lead'
Ing to the row of squatter shacks at
the lakeside, Robert Perclval opened
the carriage door and thrust his head
out.
"This Is where we turn," he shouted
to the driver. "Go slow! The drifts
are deep till the way down."
When he settled ugaln Into his seat,
he remurked:
"It's a bad night, Hopkins. Per
haps It wouldftiive been better to have
wulted until morning, after all."
The other man bent over the boy's
bend and laid his face against It.
" 'Twould hail to be something
more'n a snowstorau to keep me in
Ithaca all night," be returned. "Where
my pretty brat Is. I want to be."
"Of course, of course," sighed Rob
ert.
But (he did not utter aloud the
thought which flung to his lips that
he was tortured by the snme wish, too.
What ho did say was:
"Your daughter will Je asleep, I've
no doubt."
"Mebbo" nopklns answered. "But
Pollyop'll be glad to hop out of bed
for her daddy an' Jerry baby 1"
Then ho coughed as If trying to add
something else.
"I been wnntln' to tell you nil day,
Mr. Perclval," he said awkwardly,
"bow grateful I be to you. It's klndu
bard to say It In words."
"There s no need, I nssuro you," re
turned Robert. "The only thing I re
gret Is that you should have been com
polled to stay In prison so long."
"But we're home now !" was the hap
py answer. "An I'm thnnkln' you for
me an my brats too."
"Pollyop." squealed the child, wrig
gling. "Daddy, Wee Jerry wants Pol
lop."
"Hush, Jerry," soothed his father.
"We'ro a-comln near home now.
There I Here we be."
As they descended from tho carriage.
the baby bid his face In his big fath
er'H shoulder.
(TO nn CONTINUED.)
Highbrow Bowwow.
June Is your dog Intelligent?
Freddie He's so wise that lt'i
bore to associate with blm.
NAVY PROPOSAL
IS UNDER FIRE
Bill to Cut Strength to 67,000
Men and 6,356 Officers
is Attacked.'
80,000 PERSONNEL URGED
Reduction of Forces to the Extent
Recommended by the 'Committee
Would Ignore Basic Naval
Policy by Conference.
"Washington, D. C The proposal of
the house appropriations committee
for a navy In 1023 to 07,000 men nnd
OSO ofllccrs was vigorously attacked
In a minority report signed by flvo re
publicans and one democrat nnd In
statements Issued by Representatives
Britten of Illinois and McArthur, Or
egon, republican members of the house
naval committee..
A reduction of the naval forces of
the United States to. the extent recom
mended by the committee would Ignoro
the basic nnval policy set down by the
arms conference, the minority report
declared, asserting that an enlisted
personnel of SO.000 with 0,000 appren
tices would be necessary to, keep the
United States abreast of Great Britain
and nhead of Japan.
Representative Britten said If tho
hill "had been framed by British and
Japanese delegates with the Intention
of wrecking the American nnvy, they
could not hnve more deliberately re
duced the United Stntes to a third
rate power," wlille Representative Mc
Arthur said a canvas be bad made
gave blm hope of the adoption of an
amendment providing for 80,000 men.
"For the llrst time In its history,"
said the minority report filed by six
members of the appropriations com
mitten "this country has ndopted a
naval policy. It means eqtinllty with
tho strongest. If that policy Is now
disregarded by adoption of the -naval
bill we will sink to the rank of n third-
rate nnval power with little voice In
any future world councils.
"No one doubts that the, potential
superiority of the American navy was
the controlling fnctor in the negotia
tions of the recent conference. Had
our delegates negotiated n treaty that
placed this country below Great Brit
ain or Japan in naval strength, they
would live been denounced ns traitors
not n single vote of the senate would
have been recorded In its favor yet
this bill proposes to place the country
In that very position."
Finds $10,000 In New Bills.
Washington, D. C. A bundle of 2,000
now ?fi bills which showed no deterlor
ntion was found by a boatman floating
In the Potomac river near the Virginia
side, across from Washington, It was
learned. Tho bontmnn turned the
$10,000 over to the department of just-
Ice.
Whether tho bills came orlginnlly
from the bureau of engraving and
printing or whether their finding had
nnytbing to do with the order for an
Inventory to be taken in the division of
tho bureau which makes bank notes
nnd other government securities, could
not be learned.
U. P. To Spend1 $19,000,000.
Now York. Approximately $19,000,-
000 will bo spent by the Union Pacific
railroad this year for Improvements,
new equipment nnd short line exten
sion, Robert S. Lovett, chairman of the
bonrd of directors, announced. Two
extensions, one in southern Utah, and
another In southern Cnllfomla, soon
will be under construction, lie said.
Irish Ship Line Chartered.
Dover, Del. A charter was filed at
the state department for the United
Stntes Trans-Atlantic Lines, Inc., with
n capital of ?21,000,000. The concern
Is said to own and operate vessels.
German Floating Debt.
Berlin. Germany's floating debt on
March 20 was 272,000,000,000 marks,
an increase since April 1, 1921, of 100,-
500,000,000,000 marks.
Gives 300,000 Francs for Stamp.
Paris. A 1-cent British Gulnnn
stnmp, sold for SOO.OOO francs at the
auction sale of tho famous Baron Fer
rari collection..
Man Late Fined $1 Minute.
Chicago, III. Held In contempt of
court for being fiO minutes Into in ap
pearing, Paul' Beranek was fined at
tho rate of $1 n minute by Judge Cnv-
erly, the total being $50. Beranel was
Biinimoned on a fradulent cheek charge.
Girl Mother Is Awarded $10,000.
Fort Dodge, la. Myrtle Freed, 18,
mother of a baby IS months old, was
awarded $10,000 In n breach of prom
ise suit against William Carlson, son
of n prominent Fort Dodge family, by
a jury in district court here,
Children Burn to Death.
South St. Paul, Minn. Matthew
smitn, u. ami Artnur smith, 7 year
old, wore burned to death when they
woro trapped by Are which broko out
In a grocery store over which they
lived. Their parents, escaped.
Rail Workers Laid Off,
noboken, N. J. One hundred and
fifty employes of the Lackawanna rail
road havo beon lnld off becauso of
conditions growing out of tho coal
minors' strike, an official of the road
announced.
'
Mrs. W. H. Avis
Pminrii Bluffs. Iowa "A few years
ago after motlierhood I could not gain
back my strength. I developed quite a
severe case of woman's trouble, suf
fered with bearing pains which would
be so severe I would have to He down.
I beenme so weak that all I wanted to
do was He and rest. It seemed that
every spark of vitality had left me. I
consulted a doctor and ho said nothing
but an operation would help me, but I
would not consent. I had seen Dr.
Pierce's medicines advertised, so at
onco began taking the 'Favorite Pre
scription' and the 'Golden Medical Dis
covery' and It was not long until I no
ticed my appetite wns returning, I
could eat, so I knew the meuicme wns
doing me good. I took about twelve
bottles nnd It was well worth It for
It completely restored mo to 'health,
without tho operation." Mrs. W. H.
Avis, 314 S. 10th St.
All druggists sell Dr. Pierce's Family
medicines tablets or liquid.
Dizzy Spells
Are Usually Due
to Constipation
When you are constipat
ed, there is not enough
lubricant produced by
your system to keep tho
food waste soft. Doctors
prescribe Nujol because
its action is so close to
this natural lubricant.
Nujol is a lubricant not
a medicine or laxative
so cannot gripe. Try it
today.
LARGEST AND STRONGEST
IN
THE CENTRAL WEST
He a dquarters
OMAHA, NEBRASKA
TOTAC
ASSETS
$110,000,000
Keep Nebraska Money in Nebraska
Patronize Home Industries
OTTHE FIRST SIGH
OF A COLD '-USE
WOULD Atuitr CM U U Grim
ra4r D4 t mx UtrUf Mr.
HOT rtrU m4 tpittrk
v. u. mix co r any. pmorT
She Didn't Want Much.
The marine, serving at Pearl Harbor
In the Hawaiian islands, wrote to his
sweetheart that he would soon bo
homo, and that he would be glad to
bring her n souvenir If she would only
tell him what sho wanted. Shortly
afterward he received this reply:
"Dear George : Don't go to any expense.
Just bring me a nice string of pearls
from Pearl Harbor, and I'll bo more
than satisfied."
Every department of housekeeping
needs Red Bross Ball Blue. Equally
good for kitchen towels, tablo linen,
sheets and pillowcases, etc. Adver
tisement.
There is a tendency to believe that
tho farther away apples are raised the
better tbev are.
The things that come to tho man
who waits are seldom the things that
he has been waiting for.
Sure Relief
FOR INDIGESTION
6 Bell-ans
Hot water
Sure Relief
ELL-ANS
25$ and 75$ Packages. Everywhere
PARKER'S
HAIR BALSAM
nomoTfiDcnarun-RtopiIlalrl'alllDtl
Ilettores Color and
Beauty to Gray and Faded Halt
00c. ana 11.00 ki ururcui".
niwoi Chem. Wki.rtf hmtiif.H.T
HINDERCORNS RemoTM Corn. C&I.
oasfi. (., (tori all pain, tnturi comfort to tha
ret. makta walking eur. Ito. by roall or at Drug..
etiU.. llUcoiCb.mlcAl Work.Ptchopn.N.Y.. J
KeepYourSkin-Pores
Active and Healthy
With Cuticura Soap
Sop 25c, Ointment 25 and 50c, Talcum 25c
WW
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