THE FIGHT
SYNOPSIS. Occupying a
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 jennett,
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 enémy. 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
Robert Percival, Evelyn's cousin
Polly learns from Evelyn that the
sympathetic stranger Is Robert
Percival. Evelyn charges Polly
with a message to Bennett, tel
him she can give him no
money. Bhe already bitterly
her marriage to the Ig 1
er. Polly conveys her message §
Oscar makes threats. He
Evelyn meet him that night
has her father and Larry
a squatter, take an oath t
Kenzie no injury. Evelyn y
fully tries to get
dilapl-
of
money
to
her
nett and induce him
country, giving her
She and MacKenzie v
Jol. At the arranged meetin
night Bennett
with exposure unless s
money. Polly me Rot
cival, and they are tually
tracted, Polly's feeling being adora-
tion.
ets
m
CHAPTER VIL
see Grr
To describe Oscar Bennett's
when he left
Hope's shack would indeed be a task
Of late Evelyn had ceased to
him. In the excitement of the of
ship he had put his best foot forward,
and for a time the
had found a fact
thought that
Of
the two girls
attract
¥
secret h
was his, hen
glamo their oney!
time
crude, cruel nature had been disci
Evelyn's mad fatun
peared in terre
As I i
MacKenzie a
Bennett's |
into a flame for Polly Hopkin
The rn of him,
drawling ridicule, only made
had worn off, and the fi
more to
passions
sudden
squatter girl's se«
sire her the
Ac
scene
and
crossed his
into the MacKe
between the
water. In his pocket he
for Evelyn. He
birds with one stone,
more,
took
intended to
If he could find
|
Had she vot found him dying in the
and loved and fed him ever
since? She looked first at the man,
then down at the lamb,
“He's mine, Oscar,” she hesitated.
“I've had him two hull days now."
Oscar laughed,
“A likely story!” he jeered.
long since squatters raised
Where'd you get him?”
“Found him,” she answered, putting
her hand on the little animal,
“Then he isn't yours,” he retorted,
“and he can't be anybody's but mine,
I thought I was missing some lambs.”
Polly's eyes filled with alarm. She
was trying to frame an argument in
favor of herself dnd the creature she
loved,
“When you find a thing dyin’ In a
creek, Oscar,” she faltered at length,
“you can tnke him home an’ love him,
sts PF
you?
water
“How
sheep?
now can't
The man's loud guff:
flush to the
herself directly
aw brought a
girl's face
him
placed between
“He's mine she insisted,
if 1 ha
pulled him
farmer
came from.
sure mped nto
ink
words
an’ out.
Her made the certain
creature
he
“Dead
claimed.
or alive,
Besides coveting the
I's way
When
he
he
would take
out of
» sweep of
weep of
mals
3
her a
he
the decision he had come
her the note to deliver.
to and give
Oscar did not
Silent City by the
squatters hated him much as
did them, more, in all probability ;
it was his habit to give the settlement
a wide berth,
them on his
relish entering the
The
he
and
as
land, with the exception
would rather have
his land than give it to the
Before vaulting the
fence, the sound of people talking on
the other side hnolted him.
volee came distinctly to him,
other
produced rot
on
needs
and
voice, a answered her,
man's,
sure did not belong to a squatter.
listened carefully up the
port of the The
wolee mumbled something about a
mother. In the
girl's tones fell upon his ear:
day you'll be the biggest an’
beautifulest daddy in the world.” Then
followed the rush of departing hoofs.
im-
bass
to pick
conversation.
response,
y +
most
; Jealousy tore at the eavesdropper. It
id not take him long to get
of the fence,
Some sound he made brought
squatter head around
from her survey of the pleture
“What do you want?’ she asked suj-
jenly, frowning at him,
Oscar jumped to the ground,
“]
he rejoined, coming forward,
were you talking to?”
girl's
come down to
the farmer, Polly had concluded,
to have nothing to do with him
was
“Leave me be, Oscar Bennett 1”
shrilled. “1 don't want
with you. I'm goin’ home."
To cut off her retreat, Oscar needed
take but a couple of strides, and he
promptly took them,
she
nothin’ to do
py
“Jeminy crickets!” he expostulated,
“pon’t be so confounded short, Pollyop !
You needn't be mad because I swatted
you one. You aren't my woman yet,
put you're golng to be just as soon as
I ean get shut of my lady Robertson.”
Observing no signs of softening in the
girl's face, he switched his attack,
“gay, where'd you get that lamb?"
This query unfolded new terrors for
Polly. She had not thought of the
jamb belonging to anyone but herself.
car picked
P 11+
Rit
fronn the
Jerry's
fought
ner
of sight
poster and the lit
it, Perc cl
ival woeked
lenly, Frowning at Him,
Dexter shook his head and champed
his bit in digapproval. He was ac
customed to mad, harum-gcaram gal
and he loved them; but this
morning, especially since the pause by
the fence corner, he had been com.
pelled to mog along like a worn-out,
old nag.
flis master was thinking, really and
seriously thinking. Happily born and
the heir to an immense fortune, his
way through life so far had been
marked out for him. He had gone to
war carelessly, in a mood of hot pa-
triotism and because it was the thing
to do, Over there he had done his
share and gained, especially from his
French comrades. an inkling of life's
vital purpose. He had decided that,
lops,
he would do some-
something to make
better because he
when he returned,
thing worth while,
the world a little
had lived In It
Now he was home; and almost the
first day had come to him this appeal.
He smiled ruefully at.the recollection
of Pollyop's plea. He had promised to
help the squatters, and he meant to do
it. Suppose it did bring him into con
filet with Marcus MacKenzie! He
knew how to fight, and a good fight
wis not bad fun,
Faintly from the direction he had
ridden, the sound of cries came to his
Idly he wondered what the row
Some squatter man disciplining
his wife, he decided; but he could not
stand to have a woman beaten!
He vaulted into the saddle and raced
hack road It
hefore the place where the
Then Bay
to show all
ears.
Was,
over the wis not
jong
he located
from. Dex
the
speed he had
i
Ri 1 he did not
and freed
nbled to his feet, shook
ved
Bennet
his fist at Polly, snatcl up the little
i and in another moment
“What
tobert,
ut?
Pol
were alu
at
fighting
keenly
You
looking
Tears hung on the girl's lashes,
ive underlip quivered
Nannyop
his.” she “Weren't it awful
for him to swat it with that stone that
“Oscar said as how
murmured
way?
“Did you —
tion
He broke off the ques
He
abruptly was going to
but an
expression in the pleading, misty eyes
stopped him
“I found the little feller drownin’ in
the creek,
bowed head
love him, that was all.”
The
had overcome
sir,” she explained
strange, thrilling emotion that
in the of this
girl attacked him again,
“What #an I do to help you,
d sharply
flung
what the
ago re KenNcey
child?
he demands
Polly
that was
The little lamb
could ever hurt it any
were her pe ople-
“Just help Daddy Hopkins”
choked and went on—"an’ all the poor
folks in the Silent City, an'——all-Ill
love you forever and forever!”
- - - ® . » -
After that the “littlest mother”
made large strides upward toward the
“greatest mother.” Every little
ried thing in the woods, every heavy
heart in the squatter settlement felt
the difference in Polly Hopkins, She
smiled more, she talked more; and
when she found a group of her women.
folks wondering how their "absent lad-
dies were, she led them in smiling as
surance to Old Marc's fence and there
repeated what Robert Percival had
said about the Greatest Mother in the
World.
One morning Pollyop was cleaning
the shanty and Granny Hope was seat
ed by the stove, A sharp rap came on
the door. - When Polly opened it and
recognized the caller, she would have
etsed the door and barred it W a
man's heavy boot, thrust across the
threshola, had not prevented her.
»
otit her hand Help!
wanted
csthing
Sothing
But
squatters
wns dead
nore, there
she
wor
There in hi%
and frowning,
zie
“Where's Jereminh Hopkins?”
demanded, eyeing Pollyop sternly,
She fidgeted with of
apron. Had MacKenzie to harm
her best heloved?
“My daddy's gone out,” she
finally, In a low tone,
“Then I''l walt”
sit down and walt’
Polly set out a chair for him, her
legs trembling she could scarcely
stand. Granny Hope grunted out a
word of greeting, but the man gave
her no answer; and, after blinking at
him a few times, th? old woman fell
asleep,
“This Is a rotten
MacKenzie presently,
girl.
This scornful comment on the quar.
ters Daddy Hopkins worked hard
to support touched the squatter girl
to the quick. She kept the hut as
clean as broom and lake water could
mnke it!
“It's our home, mister; all we got,”
haudgly
Marcus MacKen-
riding
stood
clothes,
he
the edge her
come
returned
upg
suid Marcus,
80
"
ont
the
hole,” spat
looking at
#0
stioulders
“Rotten, just
Marcus, “Say,
here before
He touched a spot
with dignity,
the same,”
you! Come
me,"
the
Polly
on oor with
his riding whip; and stepped
upan it
“Now
sterniy
you listen
“T've come
ither
“Now You Listen
Sterniy.”
oot
g any
the
“Then cal}
some
1
snapped
about it I want to know what's
ing to be done before I go.”
Polly flashed a glance
“(oo get
bring 1:
long
at her father
“An'
he directed
settlement she went,
the
ANgErs
she into
an
tnthed at ead
clothed men: and otiteide a
came back
ff 111g
sullen group of women waited to hear
what Old Mare had to affer
the silently ranged
themselves in a row around the hnt
wall while Polly stood at her fajher's
shoulder, resting upon it,
ind the other on Wee Jerry's head.
One by one men
one hand
Marcus MacKenzie knew the group
of men he had to deal with, He knew
thelr wicked ways, how they thieved,
how they used their nets against the
they shot game qut of
remembered, how
and how
He
nw,
season 100,
aid, but this day he hoped to get rid
of them all at once,
“1 want to pay yon fellows to go
Ithaca” He plumped the
proposition at them paldly. “If It
hadn't been the easiest way ont, 1
wonldn't have considered it a minute.
But after talking it over with my law.
yer, I've dectded to give you all a
sum of money if you'll leave peacen-
hiv.”
away from
“Out you'll all go, if I have
to burn your huts about your
heads!”
ee
(TO BE CONTINUED)
a
os ss
Pearls Also Used to Add to
orations for the Hair.
Dec-
s———
Bracelet Encircles Arm at Wrist and
Above Elbow, Connected by
String of Beads.
Jet
pearls
used singly or combined with
up some of the
striking combs and headdresses, either
geen in the shops or worn by
Parisiennes observes a fashion writer,
A Jet
with two rows of pearls, the upper row
The
however, lay in the fact
makes most
smart
comb noticed recently was set
two sizes larger than the lower.
touch of chie,
that the cor
to ear,
against the
was worn.
A headdress
b reached almost from ear
wonderful effect
red hair on which It
made entirely from
consists of a narrow band wort
and ha
overlapping each
At glide
ns as
jet
Iw on
ireular
other a
ng three
ornaments
the front,
are
either Are rings,
large bracelets and
give the effect of mammoth
Accompanying this headdress is
of jet bracelets
the wri
1hove
Drom
This winsome costume of white
fringe. The
ready cape which reaches al.
lar at Southern resorts. The ‘white
SPORT TOGS; OTHER APPAREL
Vogue for Homespun and Tweed Mate.
rial; Spring Hosiery, Shoes
and Gloves.
At there is a great
of homespun
materials
press nt, yogue
garments and
hese fashion
alluring
blossom,
suits in
apple
Undoubtedly
attractive
ors, periwinkle, ver
and
nits will make a strong appeal to the
next ! they
jent wearing qualities and
price,
also
adobe, these
business woman gpring, as
Garments of
fabrics are most popular,
graceful folds, sweaters and
suite,
Flowing sleeves continue to be worn
but are now often attached to the
wrist by the of ribbons, or
jeweled bracelets, or bands of jet or
onyx.
marked degree just at present; neck.
earrings, bracelets and fancy
fall in
three-piece
use
orated costume. The fan, too, con.
tinues to occupy a prominent place in
thle affections of the debutante as
well as in the matron’s, and even the
flat nosegay often accompanies frocks
which simulate the quaint modes of
the Thirties,
Looking back in retrospect
year ago one realizes that skirts after
they will attain the ankle length of
those worn by our Parisian sisters
remains to be seen, With these long
skirts come the large flat-trimmed
hats.
In the new spring hosiery, colors
sontinue to rival black, and light tones
. JF
Bo EP
sui q
suit ©
This diagonal tweed gray
promises favor with the busi.
ness woman who has no time for frills.
A begoming hat of wool and straw
with colored embroidery adds a touch
of refinement.
to win
AFTERNOON GOWNS OF CREPE
Embroidéred in Matching Silk;
Recalls That Used
Spanish Shawls,
Raggedy Hem Line.
Wf the new frocks 10
sted that these
worn with
i i ching shoes
| The white stocking also will be to the
| fore if the vogue for the light-colored
cotton
gUOWN
dress mater and they are
in F Ww ag well as
with 1
1 he lig)
and suede, are also |
French gray i
white being
colore
nes kid
referred to black
and
strest
hoth
mode
for
* i ~ or 5
spring glows vill
sand even
wear.
These be long, the
16-button
Ag to foot.
to sav wheth-
12 and
the cholee
iw till too early
strap slipper retain its
populagity or not fame exceedingly
attractive low heeled oxfords
gauntlet and
being
er the will
sport
combination with gray
suedle are very good looking
or beige
ribbons will flutter their
lengths from the waistline
frock this spring Shading
Lacquerad
of
ing through all the shades of purple
and violet, they finally run to that
periwinkle blue, the season's
newest shade, running the entire
Use Buttonhole Instead of Loop.
A buttonhole instead of a loop of
If the