The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1917-01-11

and Mr.. Wiekersham had decided upon
the 1st of May. and after the silence
had become a throbbing thing Big
would let go until later the demand
which he had planned to make for a
raise to meet that raise which, so he
had heard 1t gossiped In town. was be-
ing paid the men In the northern lum-
Der camps. He stumbled going out
and lost his balance, SO that the door
crashed to behind him violently. But
Steve stood as he had stood when his
eyes sought the first line of her note,
nor did the crash penetrate his ears.
Repeatedly in the interval which had
elapsed since she had hidden him good
by, the latter had told himself that she
would not write. but the repetition had
been unconyincing. He knew that now
Barbara did not write again, and in
this at least the man who loved her
anticipated her correctly The letters
however, which Garrett Devereau re-
ceived each day from Miriam-bulky.
extra postage epistles-brought often
news of her And these fragments
Garry, knowing without being told for
whom they were meant. duly deliver
ed to Steve, In weekly or fortnightly
installments, whenever the latter's du
ties brought him to Morrison. for Gar
ry and Fat Joe. who had been trans
ferred to the lower end of the work.
along with the bulk of the up river
force had noticed that difference too.
Miriam says for me to keep my feet
dry this cold weather." he'd tell the
other man lauehingly. land Barbara
sends her regards to all of US and
hopes that we are making splendid
Roadway" Or again: "Barbara's look
ing little pale. Miriam writes. She
says she's-er-trying to do altogether
too much for her endurance"
Whatever the bit of news was Garry
passed it Oh religiously. little guilty
sometimes. because of his own great
happiness. Once he had failed signally
to read behind his friends moody ST.
lences. His surmise concerning the
reason for Steve's changed bearing
was not so wide of the mark this time.
Often within himself Garry's wrath
seethed hot. but he was no longer as
ready as he had once been with verbal.
cynical criticism. Only to Fat Joe
did he dare pour out his soul with that
vivid incisiveness which always held
Joe spellbound.
'He's eating his heart out over her"
he'd explode. lover a girl who is prov
ing every day that she isn't worth q
minutes heartache of a man like him!
l used to think she had brains if any
Of them did. | used to think that
Barbara Allison was something be-
sides fluffy little fool. Why can't he
see for himself that she's just as
worthless as most of the rest of them?"
Aud from there, without knowing
how truly funny such argument sound
TO wonderful heights of profanity. But
save for the pleasure which he took in
the pyrotechnies his outbursts made lit
tie impression upon Fat Joe. The lat
ter maintained sort of placid superb
GRITTY. perhaps because he had learned
early that this attitude aggravated
Garry's RACES. perhaps because he was
SO very certain of his man.
Il wouldn't go to getting all stirred
up like this so early in the game" he'd
reply with UNMARRIED calm. ''Shucks.
it's too early to begin counting either
mans pile of chips''-either man to
both minds meaning Steve and Wicker
Sham without the naming of names
You are too liable to premature en-
thusiasms or discouragements, Garry
That's why ! mostly manage to beat
you as easy as he beats me whenever
we throw a hand or two. Amt you
never going to learn that man must
gamble bit on the cards still waiting
TO be dealt?"
And again, confidently:
Hes worried-of course he Is. He
amt enjoyin' his meditations a little
bit these days, but he's enjoyin' EN-
more all by himself that he would be II
We were up there with him, forcin' him
TO look everlastingly like four aces
when it's deuces at present he's hold
ing. He's worried. and that's why |
don't grow nervous myself, because it
is only the man who is too sure who
is awful likely TO finish broke. Don't
you waste any pity on him yet. and
wouldn't let him hear me passing un.
complimentary words concerning his
girl either If l was you. Lightning
amt particular where it strikes when
it's been long time cooped up. Every
man to his own taste i'll such matters.
says l. And shncks, man. can't you
tell just from seem 'em together that
they was made for each other? If
man quit every time woman began
to put him over the jumps we'd have
dangerous decrease in marriage Ii
censes staring US in the face. He's
just learning to care more for her.
that's all, and caring lot about any
body never was a comfortable state to
be in. It's entirely too uncertain and
unsettling. But you wouldn't enjoy
not caring about anybody at all your
self, would you?"
Garry admitted that he wouldn't
well, then, don't waste your time
plying him." A cold CLEAN f1ickered
in those bleached blue eyes. Don't