Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-09-22

H.,
~ perhaps because 1t contained so great
an clement Of the unknown. To get
away from this soul dwarflng round
meant much. She felt herself reasoning
desperately that the frying pan could
not be worse than the fire and held at
least the merit Of greater dignity and
freedom from the twin evils OF poverty
and thanklesS domestic slavery.
While she considered this, pro and
con, shrinking from such a step one
hour, considering 1t sobcrly the next,
tho days dragged past In wcarisome Sc
quencc. Tho great depth Of snow en-.
durcd, was added to by spasmodic fur
rlcs. The frosts held. The camp seeth-
cd with the rcstlcssncss of the men. In
default Of the daily work that consum-
ell their supcrfluous energy the loggers
argued and fought, drank and gambled,
made trough house" In their sleeping
quarters TIL sometimes Stclla's cheeks
blanchcd and she expected murder to be
done. Twice the Chlckamin came back
from Rourng Springs with whisky
aboard, and protractcd debauch en-
sued. Once drunken logger shoulder
cd his way into tho kitchen to leer un-
pleasantly at Stella and, himself in
famed by liquor and the affront, Char
lie Benton beat the msa until IFS face
was a mass Of bloody bruises. That
WINS only one Of dozen brutal Incl
Gents. All the routine discipline of the
woods seemed to have slipped out Of
Benton's hands. When the second
whisky consignment struck the camp
Stella stayed In her room, refusing to
cook until order reigncd again. Benton
grumblingly took up the burden him.
self. With Knty's help AMI that Of
sundry loggcrs he fed the roistcrlng
crew, but for his sister 1t was two
day period of protesting disgust,
That mood, like so many of her
moods. relnpscd into do-ged cpdur-
ance. She took up tho work again
when Charlie promised that no moro
whisky should be allowed In tho camp.
Though it's 10 to I won't have
a corporars guard left when I want
to start work again." he grumbled.
"I'm we'll within my rights II put my
foot down hard on any jinks when
there's work, but I have no license to
set myself up as guardian of n loggers
morals and pocketbook when I have
nothing for him 20 do. These fellows
are paying their board. So long as
they don't make themselves obnoxious
to you don't SEQ that It's our funeral
whether they're drunk or sober. They'd
tell mo SO quick enough"
To this pronouncement Of eXpediency
Stella made no rcjoinder. She no long
or expected anything much Of Charlie
in the way OF consideration. So far
as she could sec, she. his sister, was
little more to him than one of his log
gers; little less important than, say,
his donkey engineer. In SO far rs she
conduced to the we'll being OF the camp
and effected Ii saving to his credit in
tho matter Of preparing food, he valued
her and was willing to concede q minor
point to satisfy her. Beyond that Stel-
Ia felt that he did not go. Five years
In totally different environments had
dug great gulf between them. He
felt an arbitrary sense Of duty toward
her, she knew, but In Its manifestations
1t never Tapped over the bounds Of his
own Immediate self interest.
Stella looked out along the shores
piled high with broken Ice and snow
through misty mir to distant noun
tains that lifted themselves imperious-
ly aloof, white spires against the sky
over forest all drapcd In winter
robes; shore, mountains and forest alike
were chill and huShed and dcsolate
The lake spread It's forty odd miles IN a
boomerang curve from Roaring Springs
to Fort Douglas. cold. lifeless gray.
She sat long time looking at that, and
q dead weight seemed to settle upon
her heart.
She did not hear Jack Fyfe come in.
She did not dream he was there until
she felt his hand gently on her shoulder
and looked up. And so deep was her
dependency, so keen the unassuaged
craving for some human sympathy,
some measure Of understanding, that
she made no effort to remove his hand.
She was In too deep spiritual quag-
mire to refuse any sort Of aid, too deep.
~ moved to indulge in analytical self
fathOming. She had dim sense Of
being oddly comforted by his presence,
as II she, afoat Oh unchartcd seas, saw
suddenly near at hand Rsafe anchorage
and welcoming hands. Afterward she
recalled that. As 1t was, she looked up
OF Fyfe and hid her tear stained face
In her hands. He stood silent few
seconds. When he did speak there was
, a peculiar hesitation In his voice.
"What Is it?" he said softly. "What's
the trouble now?"
Briefly she told him, the barriers Of
her habitual reserve swept aside before
tho essentially human need to share a
burden that has grown too great to
bear alone.
"Oh, thunder! Fyfe grunted when
she had finished. '"This isn't any place
for you at ALL"
He slid his arm across her shoulders
and tilted her face with his other hand
80 that her eyes met his. And she felt
no desire to draw away or any Of that
old instinct to be on her guard against
him.
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