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

900 that l wasn't restraining you
~ with any hope for my own nd
vantage" f'yfc went on. ",rhere
was the kid, and there was YOU.
wanted to put Il brake on YOU to make
you so slow. You're Il complex indi-
vidual, Stella. Along with certain fixed,
fundamental principles, you've got n
streak OF divine madness In YOU, q
capacity for reckless undertakings.
You'd never have married me IL YOU
hadn't. / trusted you absolutely, but
was afraid in spite OF my faith. You
had drnpcd such an idcalistic mantle
around Monohnn, | wanted to rcnd
That BEFORE 1t came to n inni Scpnrn-
ton between us. 1t worked out, be-
cause he couldn't resist trying to take
crack Mt ne when the notion seized
him.
80" he continued after Il pause.
you aren't responsible. and I've never
considered you responsible, for any OF
this. It's between him and me, and
It's been shaping for years. Whenever
our trails crossed there was bound to
be clash. There's always been Il nat
ural personal antagoniSm between us.
1t began to show when we were kids,
you might say. Monuhan's nature il
such that he can't acknowledge defeat.
LILO can't deny himself Il qualification.
Hes Il supreme cgotiSt. Hes always
had plenty of money. he's always had
whatever he wanted. and It never mat
tered to him how he gratiticd his de-
sircs.
"Thc first time we locked horns was
In my last year at high school Mono
han was Il star athlete. beat him in
n pole vault That irkcd him SO that
he sulkcd and snccrcd and generally
made himself so insulting TINT | slap
ped him. We fought, and l whipped
him. l had temper that l hadn't
learned to keep in hand those days.
and nearly killed him. had nothing
but contempt for him, anyway, be-
cause even then, when he wasn't quite
twenty, he was woman hunter. prey
ing on silly girls. don't know what
his magic with women is, but it works
until they find him out.
"Well, from that time OH he hated
me, always laid for n chance to sting
mo. We went to Princeton the same
year. We collided there, so hard that
when word of it got to my fathers ears
he called me home and read tho riot
act so strong that | Jared up and left.
Then | came to the coast hero and got
a Job In the woods, got to be logging
boss and went into business on my
own hook eventually. I'd just got
nicely started when I ran into Mono
han again. He'd got into timber him.
self. l was hand logging up tho coast,
and ia hate to tell you tho tricks he
tried. Io kept 1t up until I got too
Dig to be harasscd In petty way.
Then he left me alone. But no never
forgot his Grudge. The stage was all
set for this act long before you gave
him his cue, Stella. You weren't to
blame for that, or IF you were In part
1t doesn't matter now. I'm satisfied.
ParadoXtcally feel rich, even though
It's q long shot that I'm broke fiat.
Two got something money doesn't buy.
And he has ovcrrcachcd himself at
last. All his money and pull won't
help him out of this jack pot. Arson
and attempted murder is serious bust
ness"
"Thcy caught him." Stella said. 1.-THE
constab!es took him down the lake to-
night. l saw him OH their launch as
they passed the Waterbury,"
"IesT' I'yfe said. Quick work.
didn't even know about tho shooting
till l came in here tonight about dark.
Well" he snapped his fingers, exit
MOnohan. He's II dead issue 80 far as
ssse-:r. r~+,.r