Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-09-08

or toward the camp. Her attention
now diverted from the Siwashes, she
watched him, saw him 90 to her broth
er's quarters, stand In the door q mill
ute, then 90 back to the beach accom-.
panied by Charlie.
In minute or 80 he came rowing
across in n skin, threw his deer aboa nd
and pulled away north along the shore.
Sho watched him lift and full among
the waves until he turned point, row.
Ing with strong, even strokes. Then
she walked home. Benton was porting
over some figures, but he pushed aside
his pencil and paper when she entered.
You had visitor, Sec" she re-
marked.
Yes, Jack Fyfc. He picked I'D a
deer on the ridge behind here and Dor
rowcd boat to get home"
II saw him come out of tho woods"
she said. "1Iis camp can't be far from
here, Is 1t? He only left the springs as
you came in. Does he hunt deer for
sport?"
Hardly. Oh, we'll, l suppose It's
sport for Jack, in Il way. He's always
piking around in the woods with a gun
or fishing rod" Benton returned.
"But we kill 'em to cat mostly. It's
good meat and cheap. l get one myself
now and then. However, you want to
keep that under your hat--about us fell
lows huntington we'll have game war
dcns noSing around here"
"Arc you not allowed to hunt them 2"
she asked.
mot III close season. Hunting sea-
sons from September to December"
"1f it's unlawful, why break the
law2" she venturcd hcSitntingly. isn't
that rnthcr-cr"-
ooh, bosh !" Charlie dcridcd. "a man
he's hunter enough to get 1t. The
woods arc full OF deer, and few moro
or less don't matter. We can't run
forty miles to town and back and pay
famine prices for beef every two or
three days when we can get 1t Mt home
In the woods"
Stella digcStcd this in silence, but 1t
occurred to her that this mild sample
or lawlcsSncSS was quite In keeping
with the men and the environment.
There was no policeman OH the corner,
no mechanism of law and order visible
anywhere. Tho characteristic attitude
Of these woodSmen was OF intolerance
for restraint, OF complete self suilicicn-
cy. 1t had colorcd her brothers point
of view. She perceived that whereas
ill her instinct was to know the rules
OF the game and abide by them he, TAX
Ing his cue from his environment, i'll
clincd to break rules that proved incon-
venicnt, even to formulate new ones to
apply.
"And suppose" said she, chat IL gumc
warden should catch YOU or Mr.. Jack
Fyfe killing deer out oc ScaSon?"
"Wc'd he hauled up and fined n hum
drcd dollacs or So" he told her. "But
they don't catch u.s."
lie shrugged his shoulders and, smil-
Ing tolerantly upon her, proceeded to
smoke.
Dusk was falling now, the long twi-
light Of the northern seasons gradual
~ deepening, rs they sat IN silence.
Along the crnck Mr4tpirosa the evening
chorus Of the frogs. The mir, now hush
cd and still, was riven every few min
utes by the whir OF wings as ducks in
evening flight swept by above. All the
boistcrous laughter and talk in the
bunkhousc had died. The woods rang
cd gloomy and impcnctrable, save only
In the northwest, where II patch Of sky
lighted by dilruscd pink and gray re-
vcalcd one mountain higher than It's
fellows standing bald against the horl-
ION.
"Wcll, l guess it's time to turn in."
Benton mulllrd II yawn. pheasant
dreams, sis. Oh, here's your purse. I
used pnrt OF the bankroll. You won't
have much use for money up here, any
way"
He Tipped the purse across to her and
sauntercd into his bedroom. Stella sat
gazing thoughtfully ut the vast bulk of
Mount Douglas IL few minutes longer.
Then she, too, went into the boxlike
room, the bare discomfort Of which
chilled her merely to behold.
With IL curious uncertainty, feeling
Of reluctance for the proceeding almost,
she examined the contents Of her purse
For II little time she stood gazing into
1t, queer curl to her full red lips.
Then she flung it contcmptuously on
the bed and began to take down her
hair.
"A rich, rough, tough country, where
1t doesn't do to he iinicky about any
thing" she murmurcd, quoting line
from one OF Charlie Benton's letters
"It would appear to be rather un-
pleasantly true. Particularly the last
clause"
In her purse, which had contained
$110, there now reposed in solitary
state q twenty dollar bill.
CHAPTER w.
The Dignity (2) Of Toll.