The Mena weekly star., 1917-11-01
Z Little. Brown & Go.

dured, was added to by spasmodic fur ries. The frosts held. The camp seeth- ed with the restlessness of the men. In default of the daily work that consum- cd their superfiuous energy the loggers argued and fought, drank and gambled. made rough house. in their sleeping quarters till sometimes Stella's cheeks blanched and she expected murder to be done. Twice the Chickamin came back from Roaring Springs with whisky aboard, and a protracted debauch en- sued Once drunken logger shoulder ed his way into the kitchen to leer un- pleasantly at Stella and himself in- famed by liquor and the affront, Char lie Benton beat the man until his face was a mass of bloody bruises That was only one of dozen brutal incl Cents. All the routine discipline of the woods seemed to have slipped out of Bentons hands. When the second whisky consignment struck the camp Stella stayed in her room, refusing to cook until order reigned again. Benton Brumblingly took up the burden him self. With Katy's help and that of sundry loggers he fed the roistering crew, but for his sister 1t was a two day period of protesting disgust
 That mood, like so many of her moods, relapsed into dogged endur- ance. She took up the work again when Charlie promised that no more whisky should be allowed in the camp.
 Though it's 10 to 1 l won't have a corporal's guard left when I want to start work again." he grumbled ''I'm well within my rights if I put my foot down hard on any jinks when there's work, but I have no license to set myself up as guardian of a logger's morals and pocketbook when I have nothing for him to do. These fellows are paying their board. So long as they don't make themselves obnoxious to you I don't see that it's our funeral whether they're drunk or sober. They'd tell me so quick enough"
 To this pronouncement of expediency Stella made no rejoinder. She no long CT 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 as she conduced to the well being of the camp and effected a saving to his credit in the matter of preparing food. he valued her and was willing to concede a minor point to satisfy her Beyond that Stel- la 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 fin its manifestations it never lapped over the bounds of his own immediate self interest
 Stella looked out along the shores piled high with broken ice and snow, through a misty air to distant noun tains that lifted themselves imperious- ly aloof, white spires against the sky over a forest all draped fin winter robes: shore, mountains and forest alike were chill and hushed and desolate. The lake spread its forty odd miles in a boomerang curve from Roaring Springs to Fort Douglas, a cold, lifeless gray. She sat long time looking at that, and a dead weight seemed to settle upon her heart.
 She did not hear Jack F'yfe come fin. She did not dream he was there until she felt his hand gently on her shoulder and looked up. And so deep was her despondency, so keen the unassuaged craving for some human sympathy, some measure of understanding that she made no effort to remove his hand. She was fin too deep spiritual quag- mire to refuse any sort of aid, too deep ly moved to indulge in analytical self fathoming She had dim sense of being oddly comforted by his presence, as if she, afioat on uncharted seas, saw suddenly near at hand safe anchorage and welcoming hands. AfterwaN she recalled that As it was, she looked up at 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 nowf"
 Briefly she told him, the barriers Of her habitual reserve swept aside before the essentially human need to share . 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 so 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.
 twill you marry me, Stellar" he ask ed evenly. 'I can free you from this sort of thing forever"
 How can IT" she returned. T don't want to marry anybody. I don't love you. I'm not even sure like you I'm too miserable to think. even. I'm afraid to take step like that. I should think you would be too"
 He shook his head.
 I've thought n lot about it lately" he said. Tt hasn't occurred to me to be afraid of how it may turn out. Why | ,,1~