Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-08

C>TELLA went over that queer de-
y bate a good many times in the
ten days that followed 1t reveal
ed Jack Fyfe to her in new, ineXplic.
able light, at odd variance with her
former conception Of the man. She
could not have visualized him standing
with one foot on the stove front speak
ing calmly Of love and marriage IL she
had not seen him with her own eyes,
heard him with somewhat incredulous
ears. She had continued to endow him
with the attributes Of unrestrained pas
sion, of hcadlong leaping to the goal Of
and opposition with sheer brute force,
and he had shown unrcckoned qualities
Of restraint, of understanding. She
was not quite sure IL this were guile or
sensible consideration. He had put his
case logically, persuaslvely even. She
was very sure that If he had adopted
! emotional methods she would have been
repealed. If he had laid siege to her
hand and heart in the orthodox fash
| ion she would have raised that siege in
1 short order. AS II STOOD In spite Of her
W )rds to him, there was in her own
! nd a lack Of finality. AS she went
about her daily tasks that prospect OF
/ trying fresh fling at the world as
Jack Fyfe's wife tantalized her with
cprtnin desirable features
/ Was it worth while to play the game
/ as she must play it for some time to
come, drudge away at mean, sordid
work and amid the dreariest sort Of
! environment? AT best she could only
4 get away from Charles camp and be-
I gin along new lines that might per-
haps be little better, that must newt
ably lie among strangers in strange
! land. To what end? What did she
/ want Of life anyway? She had to adj
NIT that she could not say fully and
/ explicitly what she wanted. When she
Z left out her material wants there was
nothing but nebulous craving for
what? Love, she assumed. And she
could not define love, except us some
incomprehensible transport of emotion
which irresistibly drew man and q
woman together, divine fire kindlcd
in two hearts 1t was not Il thing she
could vouch for by personal experience.
1t might never touch and warm her,
that divine fire. Instinct did now and
then warn her that some time it would
wrap her like fame. But in the
meantime life had her IN midstream Of
ts remorseless, drab current, sweeping
her along. A foothold offered. Half Il
loaf, single slice Of bread even, is
better than nome
Jack Fyfe did not happen in again
for nearly two weeks and then only to
pay brief call, but he stole an oppor-
tunity, when Katy John was not look
ing, to whisper in Stellas ear:
"IIave you been thinking about that
bungalow of ours?'
She shook her head, and he went out
quietly without another word. He
HellHeI Ulcuucu NV ulScu, anu Icli'upS
that was wlsest, for in spite Of herself
Stella thought Of him continually. He
doomed always before her. a persistent,
compelling factor.
She knew at last, beyond any gain
saying. that the venture tempted, large
~ perhaps because 1t contained so great
an element of the unknown. 10 get
away from this soul dwnrfing round
meant much. She felt herself reasoning
desperately that the frying pan could
not be worse than the fire and held ut
least the merit Of greater dignity and
freedom from the twin evils Of poverty
and thank'oss domcr'ia s'are"v
GRO BE CONTlNuED)