The Mena weekly star., 1917-11-08

7g .'Iisten," he said in characteristically Hnnt fashion. You want to get away from here. There Is no sense in our 1fnsslng or hesitating about what we're roing to do, is thereY'
 ''No, suppose not" she agreed
 'Ill send the Panther down to the Springs for Lefty Howes wife" he outlined his plans unhesitatingly "She kin get up here this evening. Tomor- fow we will go down and take the train 3e Vancouver and be married. You Rave plenty of good clothes, good 4nough for Vancouver. I know" w"-with
 whimsical smie-''becauge yog had Hhen you came last summer, and you've Aad no chance to wear them out. Then Esll go somewhere-C California, Flor. a|lda, and come back to Roaring Lake in fhe spring. You'll have all the bad paste of this out of your mouth by that lime"
 EFF Stella nodded acquiescence. Better to make the plunge boldly, since she had Elected to make it.
 "All right I'm going to tell Benton, Fyfe said. "Goodby till tomorrow" s7 s7z She stood up. He looked at her a long time earnestly, searehingly. one of her hands imprisoned tight between his two big palms Then. before she was quite aware of his intention, he kissed her gently on the mouth and was gone
 
 This turn of events left Benton dunn Bounded, to use q trite but expressive phrase. He came in, apparently to look fat Stella fin amazed curiosity, for at frst he had nothing to say. He sat down beside his makeshift desk and paved over some papers. running the fingers of one hand through his thick brown hair.
 Well, sis,' he blurted out at last, "I ssgpose you know what you're doing?' T think so.' Stell returned compos- edly.
 But why all this mad haste?" he asked 'If you're going to get married # why didn't you let me know so could give you some sort of decent send off?'' "Oh, thanks !" she returned dryly. "I don't think that's necessary. Not at this stage of the game, as you occasion ally remark"
 He rumlnated upon this minute, flushing slightly.
 Well. wish you luck" he said sim cerely enough, though I can hardly realize this sudden move. You and Jack hYfe may get on all right He's a good sOrt-in his way"
 # His way suits me-" she said, spurred 10 the defensive by what she deemed q note of disparagement in his utter ahee If you have any objections or criticisms you can save your breath- CT address them direct to Mir. Fyfe." No, thank you" he grinned 'T don't care to get into any argument with him, especially as he's going to be my broth er-in-law. Fyfes all right. I didn't imagine he was the sort of man you'd nancy, that's all"
 stella refrained from any comment on this. She had no intention of ad- mitting to Charlie that maffiage with Saek Fyfe commended itself to her uiieny as an avenue of escape from well nigh intolerable condition which ne himself had inflicted upon her. Her p'lue rose in arms against any such seuttiing admission. She admitted it frankly to herself and to Fyfe, be- Nause Fyfe understood and was con Neht With that understanding. She de- sred to forget that phase of the trans acton. She told herself that she neaht honestly to make the best of it. benton turned again to his papers. 1e uld not broach the subject again a".h In the distance the squat hull of me fanther began to show on her re- Vurn rom the Springs; then he came ~ Where Stella was putting the last her things into her trunk. He had some banknotes in one hand and a check.
 Here's that ninety borrowed. Stell,' Ae sald' and check for your back Things have been sort of lean aiouhd here, maybe, but I still think s pity you couldn't have stuck it vut till it came smoother. I hate to see you going away with chronic sroueh against me-
 one sat on the closed lid of her uunA' looking at the check and mon " .nree hundred and sixty dollars. all
 u. month ago that would have ,ened Freedom, a chance to try her .uok m less desolate fields. Well, she .tieu to consider the thing philesoph- @auy. It was no use to bewail what 'isnt have been. In her hands now s the sinews of war she had foregone a need of waging. It did not occur - aer to repudiate her bargain with aek Fyfe. She had given her prom -. and she considered she was bound
 esoeably. Indeed. for the moment 1e was glad of that. She was worn