The Mena weekly star., 1917-10-25

Rouse, and on that side opened two un- fnrtained windows, yellow squares that Sruck gleaming on the snow. The panes of one were brckea now, sharp Fragments standing like saw teeth in De wooden sash.
 She stole warily near and looked in.
 Two men were being held apart. one by three of his fellows, the other by Jack 7 Fyfe alone Fyfe grinned mildly, talk Eng to the men in quiet, pacific tone.
 Now you know that was nothing to fcrap about" sine heard him say.
 You're both full of fighting whisky. but bunkhouse isn't any place to Night Wait till morning. If you've still got it in your systems go outside and have it out. But you shouldn't disturb our game and break up the fur sniture, Be gentlemen, drunk or sober Better shake hands and call it square"
 "Aw, let 'em go to it, if they want to"
 Charities voice, drink thickened marsh, came from corner of the room n into which she could not see until she # moved nearer By the time she picked 4 him out Fyfe resumed his seat at ths 2 table where three others and Benton waited with cards in their hands, red and white chips and money stacked & before them.
 She knew enough of cards to realize that stiff poker game was on ths board when she had watched one hand dealt and played. It angered her, not from any ethical motive, but because of her brothers part in it. He had nd funds to pay cooks wages, yet ha could afford to lose on one hand aa much as he credited her with for a months work. She could slave at thu kitchen job day in and day out to saya him S45 month. He could lose tha without the flicker of an eyelash, but ne couldn't pay her wages on demand. Also she saw that he had imbibed toe freely, if the redness of his face and the glassy fixedness of his eyes could he read alright.
 PigW she muttered. If that's his Idea of pleasure. Oh, well, why should care? don't. so far as he's tMi. cerned, if l could just get away from shis beast of place myself"
 Abreast of her logger came to the broken window with a sack to bar ont the frosty air. And Stella, realizing suddenly that she was shivering with sss cold, ran back to the cabin and got into her bed.
 But she did not sleep, save in uneasy periods of dozing, until midnight was ionE past. Then Fyfe and her brother came in, and by the sounds she gath. cred that Fyfe was putting Charlie t. ped. She heard his deep. drawllnf; Voice urging the unwlsdom of sleepir'. With calked boots on and Benton's hie. cupy response. The rest of tine nigh she slept fitfully. morbidly imaginin~ terrible things. She was afraid tlu Was the sum and substance of it. Ove' III The bunkhoEse the carousal was still ht US height She could not rid her seit or the sight of those two men struggling to be at each other like "id beasts, the bloody face of the
 WHO nad been struck, the coarse animalism of the whole whisky sat urated gang. It repelled and disgust ca and frightened her.
 The night frosts had crept through me single board walls of Stella's room sno made it's temperature akin to out uoors when the alarm wakened her at Tn the morning. She shivered as sue dressed. Katy John was blissful- devoid of any responsibility, fer sell Son did Katy rise first to ligka the Aitcnen fire. Yet Stella resented less sach days bleak beginning than she uid the enforced necessity of the sit uation. The fact that she was endur- ns tnese things practically under com puision was what galled.
 A cutting wind struck her icily as sue crossed the few steps of open be tween cabin and kitchen. Above no Nlouu foated, no harblnger of melting rum. The cold stars twlnkled over