The Mena weekly star., 1917-09-20


 as Far as society is concerned, Stell..
 T know she said thoughtfully But one can scarcely realize such a. such social blankness until one ac- tually experiences it. Anyway, I don't know but III appreciate utter quiet for awhile. But what do you do with yourself when you're not working?v
 There's seldom any such time" he answered. T tell you, Stella, I've got a big Job on my hands. I've got def mite mark to shoot at, and I'm going to make a bullseye in spite of h. and high water. I have no time to play. and there's no place to play if I had. don't intend to muddle along making a pittance like hand logger. want stake. And then it'll be time to make splurge in a country where man can get run for his money
 If that's the case" she observed. I'm likely to be handicap to you, am I not?''
 Lord, mo-" he smiled. "Tll put you to work, too, when you get rested up from your trip. You stick with me, sis. and you'll wear diamonds"
 She laughed with him at this, and, leaving the shady maple, they walked up to the hotel, where Benton proposed that they get canoe and paddle to where Roaring river flowed out of the lake half mile westward to kill the time that must elapse before the 3:30 train.
 The St. Allwoods' car was rolling out to Hopyard when they came back. By the time Benton had turned the canoe over to the bathhouse man and reach ed the wharf the horn of the returning machine sounded down the road They waited. The car came to a stop at the abutting wharf. The driver hand ed two suit cases off the burdened hood of his machine. From out the tonneaa clambered large, smooth faced young man. He wore an expansive smile in addition to a blue serge suit, white panama and polished tan oxfords, and he bestowed hearty greeting upon Charlie Benton. But his smile suf- fered eclipse and faint flush rose in his round cheeks when his eyes fell upon Bentons sister.
 Miss Benton's cool, impersonal man. ner seemed rather to heighten the young mans embarrassment. Benton, apparently observing nothing amiss, introduced them in an offhand fashion.
 "Mr Abbey. my sister"
 Mir. Abbey bowed and murmured something that passed for acknowl- edgment. The three turned up the wharf toward where Sam Davis had once more got up steam. As they walked Mir Abbey's habitual assurance returned, and he directed part of his genial flow of conversation to Miss Benton. To Stelia's inner amusement, however, he did not make any refer ence to their having been fellow trav- elers for day and half.
 Presently they were embarked and under way. Charlie fixed a seat for her on the afterdeck and went for ward to steer. whither he was straight way joined by Paul Abbey. Miss Ben ton was as well pleased to be alone. She was not sure she should approve of young men who made such crude efforts to scrape acquaintance with women on trains.
 After about sn hours run, with the south wind beginning to whip the crests of the short seas into white foam, the boat bore in to landing be hind low point Here Abbey disem- parked after taking the trouble to come aft and shake hands with polite farewell. Standing on the float, hat in hand, he bowed his sleek blond head to Stella.
 "I hope you'll like Roaring lake. Miss Benton" he said as Benton jingled the go ahead bell ''I tried to persuade Charlie to stop over awhile, so you could meet my mother and sister. but le's in too big hurry. Hope to have ine pleasure or meeting you again soon."
 Miss Benton parried courteously, little at a loss to fathom his bland iltCnuAihIocs duA piESOhAiJ thC 0A0Ch ing space cut off their talk As the boat drew offshore she saw two wom- en in white come down toward the float, meet Abbey and turn back. And a little farther out through an opening in the woods she saw white and green bungalow. low and rambling. wide verandaed. set on a hillock 300 yards back from shore. There was an encircling area of smooth lawn. place restfully inviting.
 Far ahead loomed a ridge running down to the lake shore and cutting off in a bold promontory. That was Point. Charlie had told her and under Its shadow lay his camp Without any previous knowledge of camps, sme was approaching this one with less eager anticipation than when she began her long journey. She be- gan to fear that it might be totally un- like anything she had been able to imagine, disagreeably so.
 In due course the Chickamin bore in under Halfway Point opened out TAXING CATHARTICS EVERY