Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-13
CHAPTER XIX.
Homo Again.

"l\O that I wasn't restraining you
~ with any hope for my own nd
vantage" Fyfe went on. "There
was the kid, and there was you. l
wanted to put brake on you to mako
you go slow. You're n complex indi-
vidual, Stella. Along with certain fixed,
fundamental principles. you've got
streak Of divine madness In you, q
capacity for reckless undertakings.
You'd never have married me IL YOU
hadn't trusted you absolutely but
was afraid In spite of my faith. You
had draped such IN idealistlc mantle
around Monohnn, l wanted to rend
that before 1t .came to n final scpara-
ton between us. 1t worked out, be-
cause he couldn't resist trying to take
q crack Mt me when the notion seized
him.
80" he continued after pause,
you aren't responsible, and I've never
considered you responsible, for any Of
this. It's between him and me, and
It's been shaping for years. Whenever
our trails crossed there was bound to
BIO clash There's always been nat
ural personal nntagonism between us.
1t began to show when we were kids,
you might say. Nlonohan's nature is
such that he can't acknowledge defeat.
Ho can't deny himself qualification.
lies supreme egotist. He's always
had plenty of money, he's always had
whatever he wanted, and 1t never mat
tered to him how he grntified his de-
sires.
1.-THE first time we locked horns was
In my last year ut high school. Mono.
han was star athlete. beat him In
pole vault. That irkcd him so that
he sulkcd and snecrcd and generally
made himself so insulting that I slap
ped him. We fought, and I whipped
him. I had temper that I hadn't
learned to keep in hand those days,
and nearly killed him. I had nothing
but contempt for him, anyway, be-
cause even then, when lie wasn't quite
twenty, he was a woman hunter, prey
Ing on silly girls. I don't know what
bis magic with women is, but 1t works
until they find him out.
well, from that time on he hated
me, always laid for n chance to sting
mo. We went to Princeton tho same
year. We collided there, so hard that
when word Of it got to my fathers ears
he called mo home and read tho riot
act so strong that flared up and left.
Then / came to the coast hero and got
job In the woods, got to be logging
boss and went into business on my
own hook eventually. I'd just got
6 nI Tyyl.r, fx.Ao
han again. He'd got into timber him.
golf. was hand logging up tho coast,
and I'd hate to tell you tho tricks no
tried. Flo kept 1t up until I got too
Dig to be harassed in petty way.
Then he left me alone. But no never
forgot his grudge. The stage was all
set for this act long before you gave
him his cue, Stella. You weren't to
blame for that, or If you were in part
IL doesn't matter now. Pm satisfied.
Paradoxically feel rich, even though
It's long shot that I'm broke fiat.
Two got something money doesn't buy.
And he has ovcrrcached himself at
last. All his money and pull won't
help him out Of this jack pot. Arson
and attempted murder Is serious bust
ness"
"They caught him." Stella said. 1.-THE
constab!es took him down the lake to-
night. / saw him on their launch as
they passed the Waterbury,"
"YesT Fyfc said. "Quick work.
didn't even know about tho shooting
till l came in here tonight about dark.
Well" he snapped his fingers, exit
Monohan. He's II dead Issue so far es
Ggsss.sTrsr.*,.