Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-09-01

no nppreciable transformations.

She registered, was assigned q room
] ana ato luncheon to the melancholy
accompaniment of three man orchos.
I ira struggling vninly with Bach In an
alcovc of the dining room. After that
she began to make inquiries Neither
clerk nor manager knew nught of Char
lie Benton. They were both IN their
! iirst season there. They advised her
to ask the storckccpcr.
"MacDousal will know" they were
agreed. "IIc knows everybody around
here and everything that goes on"
! The storckccper, IL genial, round bod
led Scotchmun. had the Information
she desired.
"Charlie Bcnton?" said he. mo;
; he'll he at his camp up the lake. lie
/ was In three or four days back.
| mind now he said he'd be down Thurs
day. That's today. But he isn't here
yet. or his boat'd bc by the wharf
| yonder."
| Are there any passenger boats that
call thcreY' she asked.
MacDougal shook his head.
Not rcg'iar. There's gas boat goes
t the head OF the lake now an then.
She's away now. 70 might hiro a
: launch. Jack Fyfc's camp tenders
about to get under way. But 30
wouldna care to go OH her, I'm think
In. Shell Hc loaded WI lumbcrtncks
every man drunk us Il lord, most like
Maybe Bcntonll he In before night"
She went back to the hotel. But st.
, Allwoods, In its duel capacity of health
yEl1 fl1pu )oJ
making brave outward show, but
capitalizing chiefly lake, mountains
ana hot mineral springs. Her room
was bare. cherries place. She did
not want to sit and ponder. Too much
real grief lowered In the immediate
background Of her life. 1t Is not al
, ways sufficient to be young and alive.
| To sit still and think-that way lay
. tears and dependency. SO she went
J out and walked down the road and out
upon the wharf which jutted 200 yards
into the lake.
| After time she retraccd her steps.
Nearing the halfway slip, she saw that
| wagon from which goods were being
| unloadcd blocked the way. a dozen
men were strinEing In from tho road,
! bearing bundles and bags and rolls OF
| blankets. They were big, burly mon,
| carrying themselves with n reckless
| swing, with trousers cut of midway
between knee and ankle so that they
reached Just below the upper OF their
high topped. heavy laced boots. Two
| or three were singing. All appeared
unduly happy. talking loudly, with
| deep laughter. One threw down his
! burden md executed brief clog.
| Splintcrs flow where the sharp calks
bit into the wharf plnnking. and his
| companions npplnuded.
| 1t dnwncd upon Stella Benton that
these might be Jack Fyfc's drunken
| loggcrs, and she withdrew until the
| way should be clear, vitality Interested
because her brother was Il logging man
and wondering If these were tho hui
| man tools he used in his business, II
: these were the sort Of men with whom
he associated. They We're rough lot,
and some were very drunk. With the
manifestations Of liquor she Ind bot
tho most shsAowy ..acqratntahcn,, hut
she would have been little less than II
fool not to comprehend this.
J Then they began filing down the
gangway to the boats deck. One slip
ped and came near falling into the Wa
ter, whcrcat his fellows howled glee-
fully. Prccariously they negotiated
tho slanting passage, all but enc. He
sat him down mt the slip head on his
bundle and began n quavering chant.
| The wagon backed out, and tho way
was clear save for the logger sitting on
his blankets. wailing his fugubrious
song. From below his fellows urged
him to come along. y bell changed IN
tho pilot house. The exhaust of n gus
engine began to sputter through the
boats side. From her after deck
man hailed the logger sharply, and
lightly up the ship. \ short, squarely
built man he was. as light on his feet
rs dancing master.
"IIurry aboard. Mike: we're wait
ing" he said impnticntly.
The logger rose, waved his hand airi-
ly and turned rs IL to rctrcnt down the
/ wharf The other caught him by the
: arm and spun him face to The slip.
! Come on. Slater" he said evenly.
| Il have no lime to fool nround'
! The logger drew back his fist. He
J was fairly big man. But IL ne Ind
In mind to deal blow it failed, for
tho other ducked and caught him with
both arms around the middle. IIe lift.
! cd the logger clear Of the wharf, hoist
| cd him TO the level of his breast and
heaved him down The slip as ono would
! throw n sack Of bran.
The mans body bounced OH tho IN
cline, rolled. slid. tumbled TIL ut length
he brought up against the boats guard,
and all that saved him n ducking was
the prompt extension Of several stout
arms, which clutched and hauled him
to the flush after deck. He sat OH his
launches, blinking. Then no laughed
So did tho man at the top Of the slip
but the roar of him who had taken
that inglorous descent rose loudcst Of
ALL OH explosive "Inr, har, har"
"Hey, Jack!' he shouted. Maybe
| " en- throw m blankets down t,u,