Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-06
BIG TIM B r
Continued from Sixth Page.

might not she who had never loved
him, whose marriage to him had been
only climbing out Of the fire into the
frying pan?
So that with I'LL her determination to
make the most of her gift of song, so
that she would never again DO bufictcd
by material urgcncics In a material
world, Stella had nevertheless been
listening with the ear OF her mind so
to speak. for IL word from Monohan to
say that he understood and that oil
was well.
IaradoXicnlly, she had not expected
to hear that word. Once In Seattle,
away from 1t all, there slowly grow
upon her the conviction that In Mono
hans fine nvowal and remuneration he
hau only followed the cue she had
given. In I'LL else he had played his
own hand. She couldn't forget Billy
Dale. If the motive behind that bloody
elimination were thwnrtcd love 1t was
Il thing to shrink from. 1t seemed to
her now, forcing herscl to reason with
cold Dloodcd logic, that Monohnn de-
sired her less than he hated Fyfc's pos
session of her; that she was merely IN
added factor in the breaking out OF a
struggle for mastery between two di.
verse and dominant men Every sign
ana token went to show TINT the Dot
OF hate Ind long been simmcring. She
had only contributed to its boiling over.
"Oh, WE'LL she sighed, ITS out Of
my hands altogether now. I'm sorry,
but being sorry doesn't make any diff
ference. I'm the least factor, 1t seems,
Ill tho whole middle. 4 woman isn't
much more than IN incident in mans
life, after all"
She dressed to go to the Chnrtcris,
for her Days work was about to begin
AS so often happens In lifc's uneasy
flow. periods OF Gains are succeeded
by events In close sequence. Howard
and his wife insisted TINT Stella Join
thom Mt supper after the show. They
wcro decent folk who accorded frank
admiration to her voice and her Der
sonality. They had been kind to her
in many little ways, and sho was glnd
to accept.
AT IL taxi deposited them at tho
door Of Wain's. The Seattle Of yester-
day needs no introduction to Wain's,
~">AN' ~s' >NaiNhp"ht Vail w lOullu Ill
any t~."".. IMAM seaport city. II lis d
place OF subtle distinction, tucked
away on one Ok the lower hill streets,
where after theatcr parties and night
hawks with an eye for pretty women,
an ear for scnsuous music and q tnste
for good food 30 when they have mon
ey to spend.
EnSconccd behind pottcd palm,
with walter taking Towards order,
Stella let her EnZc travel over the din
ers. She brought up with rcprcssed
start Mt IL table but four removes from
her own, her eyes resting upon the I'M
mistaknble profile of Waiter Monohan.
lie was dining vis-n-vis with young
woman chiefly remarkable for pro-
fusion of yellow hair and Il blazing
diamond In the lobe of each cara
plump, blond, vivncious person OF n
type that Stella, even with her limited
experience, found herself instantly
classifying.
~ bottle of wine rested In an iced
dish between them. Monohan was
toying with the stem OF half emitted
glass, smiling ut his companion The
girl leaned toward him. speaking rap
Idly, pouting. Monohan nodded, drain
Ell his glass. signalcd waiter. When
she got into IN elaborate opera cloak
ed Monohnn into his Inverness they
went out, the plump, jeweled hand
resting Familiarity on Monohan's arm.
Stella breathcd Il sigh OF relief rs they
passed, looking straight ahead. She
watched through the upper half Of the
cafe window and saw n machine draw
against the curb, saw the bcscnrfed
yellow head enter and Monohun's silk
hat follow. Then she relaxed. but she
had little appetite for her food. \ hot
wave Of shnmed disgust kept coming
over her. She felt sick, physically re-
volted. Very likely Monohan had put
her In that class In his secret thought.
She was glad when the evening ended
and the Towards left her at her own
doorstep.
On the carpet where 1t had been
thrust by the postman under the door.
white square caught her eve, and
she picked 1t up before she switched
on the light. And she got queer lit
tic shock when the light fell on the
envelope. for It was addressed In Jack
Fyfe's angular handwriting.
She tore it open. 1t was little enough
In tho way OF n letter. couple of lines
scrawlcd across a sheet Of note pnpcr.
Dear Girl was in Seattle n few days
ago ana heard you sing. Here's hoping
good luck rides with you. JACK
Stella sat down by the window. Out
side the ever present Puget sound rain
drove against wall and roof and side
walk, gathered in wet, ristcning pools
In the street. Through that same win
dow she had watched Jack Fyfc walk
out Of her life three months ago with
out backward look, sturdily. silently,
accomplishing. He hadn't whined; he
wasn't whining now, only ninging a
cheerful word out of the blank spaces
of his own life into the blank spaces
Of hers. Stella felt something warm
and wet steal down her checks.
She crumplcd the letter with a sud
den. spasmodic clinch!ng Of her hand.
I.I.- L.