Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-06

=.
rs l can go. What the thunder can
he DOR
Nothing thnt l can Sec" Fyfc
laughed unplcasnntly. "But he'll try.
lIe has dollars to our cents. lie could
|, throw everything he's got on Roaring
lake into the discard and still have
forty thousand year fixed income.
Snbc2 Money does more thun talk In
this country. | think I'll pull that
camp of the Tycc."
"Wcll. maybe" Benton said. Pm
not sure
Stella passed ON. She wanted to
hear, but 1t went against her grain to
eavesdrop. Her pause had been pure
~ involuntary. When she became con-
scious That she was eagerly drinking
In each word she hurried by.
Her mind was one urgent question
! mark while she Ibid the sleeping young
stcr In his bed and removed her heavy
clothes. What sort of host.litics did
Monohan thrcntcn? Had he let hope
loss love turn to the acid of hate for
the man who nominully possessed her?
Stella could scarcely credit TINT. 1t
was too much ut variance with her
idcaliStic conception OF the man. He
would never have recourse to such
llttlcncSs Still. the biting contempt
In Fyfcs voice when he said to Ben
ton: "You underestimate Monohnn.
He'll play safe: hos foxy" That
Stung her to the quick. That was not
said for her benefit. 1t was Fyfc'S
profound conviction. Based on what:
He did not form Judgments on mumcn-
tary impulse. She recalled that only
In the most direct way had he ever
passed criticism on Monuhnn. and then
II lay me silly In tone, suggested more
than spoken. Yet he knew Monuhan
had known him for years. They had
clnShcd long before she was Il factor
In their lives.
Fyfc and Benton came to dinner
more or less preoccup.cd. an odd mood
for Charlie Benton. Aftcrward they
went into session behind the closed
door OF Fyfr's den. I'm hour or SO Int
or Benton went home. While she
listened to the soft chuff-u- chufr-a- chuff
of tho Chickamm dying away In the
distance Frye came In and slumpcd
down In chair before the fire where
n big fir stick crncl.ed. he sat there
silent, Il half smokc4 - -
one corner Of his rnouth, the INES OF
his square jaw In profile, determined,
rigid. Stella eyed him covcrtly.
She leaned forward to speak. Words
quivercd on her lips. but rs she strug-
gled to shape them to uttcrance the
blnst Of boat whistle came screaming
up from the water. near and shrIll and
imperative.
Fyfe came out of his chair like O
shot. He landed poised OH his feet,
lips drawn apart, hands clinched. He
held that pose for an Instant, then re-
Taxed, his breath coming with q quick
sigh.
Stella stared ut him. Nerves! She
knew the symptoms too we'll. Nerves
ut terrible tension In that big. splendid
body! a slight culver seemed to run
over him: then he was erect and calm.
ly himself again. standing In listen
Ing attitude.
"Thats the Panther" he said, pull
Ing In to the Watcrbug's landing. Did
I startle YOU when bounced up like
cougar, Stelln?" he asked, with n wry
smile. II guess | was half asleep.
That whistle joltcd me-"
Stella glanced out the shaded win
dow.
"Somc ones coming up from the font
with lantern" she said. as there
Is there likely to be anything wrong,
Jnck?
"Anything wrong?" He shot quick
glance Mt her, then casually, mot that
! know Of"
The bobbing lantern came up the
path through the lawn. Footsteps
crunched Oh the gravel.
"1ll go SEQ what he wants." Fyfe re-
marked. "Calked boots won't be good
for tho porch floor"
She followed him.
"Stay In. It's cold" He stopped in
tho doorway.
"Ho; Pm coming" she persisted.
They met the lantern bearer ut tho
foot OF tho steps.
well, Thorsen?' Fyfe shot ut him.
There was an unusual note Of sharp
ness In his voice. an irritated expecta-
ton.
Stella saw that 1t was the skipper of
the Panther, a big and burly Dane. He
raised the lantern little. The dim
light on his face showed 1t bruised and
swollen. Fyfe grunted.
"Our boom Is hung up" he said plain
lively. "They've blocked the river.
got licked for arguin' the point"
Flows 1t blocked?" Fyfc asked.
1.-TWO swifters nh logs strung across
tho channel. They're drivin' piles in
front. An three donkeys buntin' logs
in behind"
Swift work. There wasn't a sign Of
q move when I left this morning" Tyfc
commented dryly. "Well. take the Pan
Their around to the inner landing. I'll
DO there"
"Whats struck that Teller Monohan?"
tho Dane sputtercd angrily. elias he
got any license to close the Tyee? lie
says he haS-an' backs his argument
strong, believe me. Maybe You can han.
die him. l couldn't. Next time I'll
haVa n IN mr. hoply bo H., ltn.o 49,,