Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-13

md far. That's ALL I've been doing
nursing ut the hospital to help out and
TO keep from broOding. I wouldn't be
down here now only for list OF things
the doctor needs. which he thought
could be obtained quicker If some ono
attended to 1t personally. I'm taking
tho evening train back
I'm sorry" Stella repeated.
She said II rather mechanically Hel
mind was spinning thread upon
which. strung like beads, slid Nil tho
manifold succession of things that had
happened since she came first to Ronr-
ing lake. L!nda's voice, continuing,
broke into her thoughts.
II suppose l shouldn't be croaking
into your ear llkc bird Of Ill omen
when you have to throw yourself heart
and sUll into that concert tomorrow"
she said Contritcly. Il wonder why
that Ancient Mariner way Of seeking
relief from ones troubles by pouring
them into another Cur Is such a univer-
sal trait? You aren't vitality concerned,
after all, and l am. Let's have that
tea, dear, and talk about less gricvous
things l still have one or two triflcs
to got In the shops too
After they had finished tho food that
Stella ordered sent up they went out
together. Later Stella saw her off on
the train.
"Goodby, dear" Linda said from tho
coach window. "I'm just selfish enough
to wish you were going back with mo,
l wish you could sit with mo OH tho
bank of the lake, aching and longing
for your man up there in the smoke as
achc and long for mine. Misery loves
company"
Stella's eyes wcre clouded as tho train
pulled out, Something IN Linda Ben
TOMS parting words made her acutely
lonely, dispiritcd. out Of Joint with tho
world sho was deliberately fnshioning
for herself. Into Lintln's lifo something
big and elemental bad come. Tho but
terfy OF yesterday had become tho
strong mans mate Of today. Linda's
heart was unHluivocally up there IN the
smoke and flame with her man, fighting
for their mutual possessions, hoping
with him, fearing FOR him, longing for
him, secure In the knowledge that If
nothing else was )cct them they had
each other. 1t WAS II rnre and bcnuti-
full thing to feel Ike thnt. And beyond
That sorrowf;.l vision Of what she lack.
ed to achieve any real and enduring
happiness there doomed also Il self tor
turing conviction that she herself had
set In motion those forces which now
threatened ruin for her brother and
Jack Fyfc.
There wns no logical proof Of this.
Only intuitivc, subtle suggestions CLEAN
cd here and there, shndowy finger posts
which pointed to Monohnn as n deadly
hatcr and With score chnlkcd up
against FyCc to which she had uncon-
sciously nddtsl. He Ind desired her,
and twice Fyfc Ind treated him like an
urchin caught IN mischief. Sho recall.
ed how Monohan sprang at him like
tiger that day on the lnko shore. She
realized how bitter humiliation 1t
must have been to suffer that snrtlonic
cutting Mt Fyfc's hands. Monohnn
wasn't the type OF man who would ever
forget or forgive either that or the ter
riblc grip on his throat
Even Mt the time she had scnscd this
ard dreaded Whit it. might ultimately
lead to. Even while her being answer
ed eagerly to tho physical charm Of
him she had fought against admitting
to herself what desperate intent might
have lain back Of tho killing Of Billy
Dale--a shot that Lefty Howe declared
was meant for Fyfc. Sho had long out
grown Monohnn's lure, hut If he Ind
come to her or written to make out Il
case for himself when she first went to
Seattle she would have accepted his
word against anything. Her heart
would have fought for him against the
logic of her brain.
But--shc had had long time to
think, to compare, to digest all that sho
know OF him, much that was snbcon-
sclous impression rising late to the sur
face, Il little that she heard from va
rious sources. The sum total gave her
O man OF rank passions, OF rare and
mcrciless fncSse where his desires fig
ured, man who got what no wanted
by whatever means most tltly served his
need. Greater than any craving to pos
sess a woman would DO tho measure of
his rancor against man who humilint-
ed him, thwartcd him. She could I'M
derstnnd how II man like Monohan
would hate a man like Jack Fyfc,
would nurse and feed on the venom of
his hato until setting q torch to Fyfes
timber would he IL likely enough coun-
terstroke
She shranl from tho thought Yet 1t
fingered until she felt guilty. Though
1t made no material difference to her
that Fyfc might or might not face ruin,
she could not. before her own con-
science, cvade responsibility. The pow
der might hnvc been laid, but her folly
had touched spark to tho fuse rs shc
saw it. That scared her like pain far
into the night. For every crime pun
1shmcnt, for every sin n pcnance. Her
world had taught her that. Sho had
never danced; she had only listened to
the piper and longcd to dance as nature
Ind fashioned her to do. But tho piper
was sending his bill. She surveyed 1t
YEARLY, emotionally bankrupt, wonder