Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-06

Sho"uo"H Ill Will you, JACK, rs Iar
Us / can go. What the thunder can
he dor"
Nothing that can see." Fyfc
laughed unplcasantly. "But he'll try.
He has dollars to our cents. He could
throw everything he's got OH Roaring
lake into the discard and still have
forty thousand year fixed income.
Sabe2 Money does more than talk In
this country. think I'll pull that
camp Off the Tyee."
well, maybe" Benton said. Pm
not sure '-
Stella passed on. She wanted to
hear, but it went against her grain to
eavesdrop. Her pause had been pure
ly involuntary. When she became con-
scious that she was eagerly drinking
In each word she hurried by.
Her mind was one urgent question
mark while she laid the sleeping young
ster III his bed and removed her heavy
clothes. What sort OF hostilities did
Monohnn threaten? Had he let hope
less love turn to the acid Of hate for
the man who nominally possessed her?
Stella could scarcely credit that. 1t
idealistic conception OF the man. He
would never have recourse to such
littlencss. Still. the biting contempt
In Fyfe's voice when he said to Ben
ton:' "IOu underestimate Monohan.
He'll play safe; he's foxy" Tint
stung her to the quick. That was not
said for her benefit 1t was Fyfe's
profound conviction. Based OH what?
He did not form Judgments on momen-
tary impulse. She recalled that only
In the most direct way had he ever
passed criticism on Monohnn. and then
1t lay mostly IN Il tone, suggested more
thnn spoken. Yet he knew Monohan.
had known him for years. They had
FLASHED long before she wns a factor
In their lives.
Fyfe and Benton came to dinner
more or less preoccup!cd. an odd mood
for Charlie Benton. Aftcrward they
went into session behind the closed
door OF Fyfc's den. An hour or so lat
or Benton went home. While she
listened to the soft chuff a -chuff-a -chufr
of tho Chickamin dying away In tho
distance Frye came In and slumped
down In chair before the fire whore
big lr stick cracked. He sat there
silent, half smokctA ="@N ~''>
one corner OF his mouth, the llnes OF
his square jaw In profile, determined,
rigid. Stella eyed him covcrtly.
She leaned forward to speak. Words
Quivered OH her lips. but rs she struY-
gled to shape them to utterance the
blast OF boat whistle came screaming
up from the water. near and shrill and
imperative.
Fyfe came out Of his chair like q
shot. He landed poised OH his feet,
lips drawn apart, hands clInchcd. He
held that pose for al instant, then re-
Taxed, his breath coming with a quick
sigh.
Stella stared at him. Nerves! She
knew the symptoms too we'll Nerves
at terrible tension In that big, splendid
body! A slight culver seemed to run
over him; then he was erect and calm.
~ himself again. standing In listen
ing attitude.
''That's the Panther" he said, pull
Ing In to the Watcrbug's landing. Did
I startle you when bounced up like
cougar, Stellar" he asked, with a wry
smile. ~ guess I was half asleep.
That whistle joltcd me-
Stella glanced out the shaded win
dow.
Some ones coming up from the fioat
with lantern" she said. as there
Is there likely to DO anything wrong,
Jack?"
Anything wrong?" He shot quick
glance Mt her, then casually. mot TINT
l know Of"
The bObbing lantern came up the
path through the lawn. Footsteps
crpnched Oh the gravel.
'I'n go SEQ what no wants." Fyfe re-
marked. "Calked boots won't be good
for the porch floor"
She followed him.
"Stay In. It's cold" He stopped in
the doorway.
''No; Pm coming" she persisted.
They met the lantern bearer Mt the
foot Of the steps.
well, Thorsen?" Fyfe shot at him.
There was an unusual note Of sharp
ness In his voice. an irritated expecta-
ton.
Stella saw that 1t was the skipper of
the Panther, big and burly Dane. He
raised the lantern a little. The dim
light on his face showed it bruised and
swollen. Fyfe grunted.
"Our boom is hung up" he said plain
lively. They've blocked the river. I
got licked for arguin' the point"
Flows 1t blocked?" Fyfe asked.
1.-TWO swifters uh logs strung across
the channel. They're drlvin' piles in
front. An three donkeys buntin' logs
In behind"
"Swift work. There wasn't sign Of
q move when left this morning" Fyfe
commented dryly. "Well, take the Pan
Their around to the inner landing. I'll
be there"
"What's struck that Teller Monohan?"
tho Dane spnttered angrily. "Has no
got any license to close the Tyee? He
says he has-an' backs his argument
strong, believe ME. Maybe you can han.
n