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

ana I0r. IhatS 0ll. I've been doing
Nursing ut the hospital to help out and
to keep from brooding. wouldn't BIO
down here now only for list of things
tho doctor needs, which no thought
,ould be obtained quicker IL some ono
attended to it personally. I'm taking
tho evening train back"
I'm sorry" Stella repeated.
She snid II rather mechanically Hen
mind was spinning thread upon
which, strung like beads, slid all tho
manifold succession Of things that had
happened since she came first to Roar
ing lake. L!nda's voice, continuing,
broke into her thoughts.
Il suppose / shouldn't DO croaking
into your ear like bird Of Ill omen
when you have to throw yourself heart
and soul into that concert tomorrow"
she said contritely. II wonder why
that Ancient Mariner way Of seeking
relief from ones troubles by pouring
them into another ear Is such univer-
sal trait? You aren't vitality concerned,
after oil, and I am. Let's have that
tea, dear, and talk about less gricvous
things. l still have ono or two trifles
to get In the shops too"
After they had finished tho food that
Stella ordered sent up they went out
together. Later Stella saw her of on
tho train.
"Goolby, DEAR" Linda said from tho
coach window. I'm just selfish enough
to wish you were going back with mo,
I wish you could sit with mo on tho
bank of the lake, aching and longing
for your man up there in the smoke as
ache and long for mine. Misery loves
company"
Stella's eyes were cloudcd as tho train
pulled out Something In Linda Ben
toms parting words made her acutely
lonely, dispir4ted, out of Joint with tho
world she was deliberately fashioning
for herself. Into Llndn's life something
big and elemental had come. Tho but
terQy OF yesterday had become tho
strong mans mate Of today. Linda's
heart wns uncquivocally up there in tho
smoke and flame with her man, fighting
for their mutual possessions, hoping
with him, fearing for him, longing for
him, secure In tho knowledge that If
nothing else was left them they had
each other. 1t was Il rare and bcnuti.
full thing to feel Ike that And beyond
TINT sorrowr'.l vision Of what she lnck.
cd to achieve any real and enduring
happiness there doomed also self tor
turing conviction that she herself had
SGT In motion those forces which now
fhrno ,~,,iu 20 1rrf MI
Jack Fyfc,
There was no logical proof Of this
Only intuitivc, subtle suggestions CLEAN.
ed here and there, shndowy finger posts
which pointed to Monohan rs q deadly
hatcr and with Il score chalked up
against Fyfc to which she had uncon-
sciously added. lie had desired her,
and twice Fyfe hnd treated him like nm
urchin caught In mischief. Sho recall.
ed how Monohan sprang Mt him like a
tiger that day OH tho lnke shore Sho
realized how bitter humiliation 1t
must have been to suffer TINT snrtlonic
cutting ut Fyfe's hands Monohan
wasn't tho tyne of man who would ever
forget or forgive either that or the ter
rible grip on his throat
Even Mt the time she had sensed this
and dreaded what 1t might ultimately
lead to. Even while her being answer
cd 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
WIS meant for Eyfc. Sho had long out
grown Monohnn's lure. but II he hid
come to her or written to make out a
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-she had had long time to
think, to compare, to digest all that sho
know Of him. much that was subcon-
scious impression rising lato to tho sur
face, n little that she heard from va
rious sources. The sum total gave her
man Of rank passions, Of rare and
merciless fincsse where his desires flg-
ured, man who got what no wanted
by whatever means most fifty served his
need. Greater than any craving to pos
bSoS u "Ollinl WOulu 10 INC measure OF
his rancor against man who humiliat-
ed him, thwnrtcd him. She could un-
derstand how man like Monohan
would hate a man like Jack Fyfe,
would nurse and feed on the venom Of
his hate until setting a torch to Fyfe's
timber would be n likely enough coun-
terstroka
She shranll from tho thought Yet 1t
fingered until she felt guilty. Though
1t made no material difference to her
that Fyfc might or might not faco ruin,
she could not, before her own con-
science, evade responsibility. The pow
der might have been laid, but her folly
had touched spark to tho fuse as she
saw 1t. That scared her like pain far
into tho night. Fer every crime pun
tshment, for every sin penance Her
world had taught her that, She had
never danced; she had only listened to
the piper and longed to dance as nature
had fashioned her to do. But tho piper
was sending his bill. She surveyed 1t
YEARLY, emotionally bankrupt, wonder