Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-06

In minute the thrum of the boats en-
hauSt arose as she ,;ot under way.
Come on in. Iou'll get cold standing
there" FyE" said to Stella.
She followed him back into the living
ro"". He >nt on the arm of big
leather chair, rolling the dead cigar
thou=htfulIy between his lips. little
crcnScs rathrrin: between his eyes
I'm going UP the lake" he said at
last, getting UP abruptly
"Whai's the matter. Jack?H she ask
ed. "Why. has trouble started up
thcre?"
Part of the logging game" he an
swrrci inditIcrcntly. doesn't amount
to much"
"Bnt Thorscn has been fighting. His
face was terrible. And I've heard you
say he WAS one of the most pcaccablc
mon alive. Is It's Monohan''-
1--WE won't discuss Munohan," Fyfc
snia CURLY. Anyway. there's no dam
ger of him getting hurt"
He went into his den and came out
with hat and coat on. at the door he
paused IL moment.
Don't worry" he said kindly. Moth
ing'S Goin;; To happcn.'
But she stool look ing out the window
after he left uneasy with Il prcScicncc
of trouble. She watched with fcvcrish
interest tn" stir that presently arose
about tho bunk houses. That summer
wide space had been cleared between
bungalow md camp. She could see
moving lanterns and oven now and then
9 II ,,,,. -,
other. Once the Panthcr's dazzling
eye Of scarchlight swung across the
landing, md it's beam picked out n file
OF men carrying their blankets toward
the boat. Shortly after that the tender
rounded the point Close behind her
went the Watering, and both boatS
swarmcd with men.
Stella looked and listened until there
was but faint thrum far up the lake.
Then she went to bcl but not to sleep.
What ugly passions were looscd Mt the
lake head she did not know. But on
the face OF 1t she could not avoid won
dcring If Monohan had deliberately set
out to cross and hnruss Jack Fyfc-bc.
cause of her? That was the question
which Ind lowered on her lips that
evening, ono she Ind not brought her
self to ask. Because of her or because
OF some cnmity that far preceded her?
She had thought him big enough to do
as she had done. as Fyfc was tncitly
doing-makc the best OF Il gricyous
matter.
But If he had allowed his passions to
dictate rcnriSalS she trcmblcd for the
nllfpnnn .,Ix
quiet under either nlfront or injury. IIc
would fight with double rnncor If Mon
ohan were his adversary
IF anything happens up there I'll
hnte myself" she whispered when the
ccasclcSs turning of her mind had be.
come almost unpndurablc II was n
silly. weak fool ever to let Walter Mon
ohnn know l cared. And I'll hate him,
too If he makes me bone of contcn-
don. elected to play the game the
only decent way there Is ~ play 1t. So
did he. Why emit he abide by that?"
the next u0y saw the Water
Jug .lca,c ~ a quarter mile nbcam Of
Cougar point to let Off lone figure In
straight and fast for Roaring Springs.
Stella flew to the landing. Mother
Howe came pulling Mt her heels.
Lands sake, l been worried to
DEATH" the older woman brcathcd.
when men git to qunrrcin' about tim
Der you never can tell where they'll
stop, Mrs. Jack. I've knowed some wild
times In the woods in the past"
The man In the dink was Lefty Howe
Tie pulled In beside the float. When
he stepped up on the planks he limped
perceptibly.
Land alive. what happened yuh,
I.efty?" his wife cried.
"Got rap on the leg with a peevy,"
he said. "Nothin' much"
"Why did the Watering go down the
lake" Stella asked brcathlcssly. The
mans face was serious. What hap
pened up thcre?"
There was FUSS" he answered
quietly. "Threc or four Of the boys got
beat up so they need patchn'. Jacks
takin' 'em down to the hospital Blast
that yellcr headed Monohan !" his voice
lifted suddenly in uncomfortable anger.
LAlS baic "hS klllCN tnlS mOfnn,
mother"
Stella felt herself grow sick. Death
Is small matter when 1t strikes afar,
among strangcrs-when 1t comes to
ones door! Billy Dale had piloted the
Waterbug for n year, chubby, round
faced boy Of twenty, foster son Of
Mother HOwes before she had children
OF her own. Stella had asked Jack to
put him on the Waterbug because no
was such Il loyal, CHEEKY sort of soul,
and Billy had been part of every ex-
petition they had taken around the
lake. She could not think of him as
rigid. lifeless lump of clay. Why, only
the day before he had been laughing
and chattering aboard the cruiser, 60
Ing UP and down the cabin floor on his
hands and knees, jack junior perched
triumphantly astride his back
what baprcncd?" she cried wildly.
"Tcll me. quick
"It's quick told" Howe said grlmly.
1--WE were ready at daylight. Mono
hans got hard crew, and they lump