Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-13
speaking In dull, iIfeless 5ones

Two been hanging on to myself for so
long. About daylight, after we knew
for sure that Charlie was over the hill,
| something seemed to let go In me. I'm
| awful glad you came, Stella. Can you
l make cup of tcaT'
Linda's head dropped over tho tea
cup. Her cyclids blinkcd.
Dear" Stella said tcndcrly, "come
and lie down. You're worn out"
perhaps I'd better" Linda mutter-
| cd. There's another room IN there"
Stella tucked the weary girl into tho
| bed and went back to the kitchen and
| sat down in the willow rocker. After
| another hour the nurse came out and
prepared her own breakfast. Benton
was In no danger, tho nurse told Stella.
| The bullet had driven clcanly through
his chest, missing as by n miracle any
| vital part, and lodged In tho muscles
| OF his back, whence the surgeon had
( removed 1t. Though weak from shock.
I loss Of blood. excitement, no had raj
lied splendidly and fallen into normal
| sleep. from which he was just awnk-
ening.
| Benton lifted alert, recognizing eyes
when Stclln pecpcd In tho bedroom door.
! "Hello, sIs!" he greeted in strangely
| subducd tones. "Whcn did you blow
in2 l thought you'd deserted the sink
| Ing ship completely. Como on in."
! She WINGED inwardly at his words,
| but made no outward sign as she came
| up to his bedside. The nurse went out.
! perhaps you'd better not talk?" she
; said.
"Oh, nonsense" he retortcd feebly,
I'm oil right. Sore as the mischief
and weak. But don't feel rs bad as
l might, Linda still aslccp2"
! II think So" Stella answered.
: poor kid" he brcathcd. "It's been
tough OH her. Well, l guess It's been
tough Oh everybody. He turned out to
be some bad actor, this Monohun party.
I never did like the bcggur. He was n
little too high handed in his smooth,
kid glove way. But l didn't suppose
he'd try to burn up million dollars
worth OF timber to satisfy grudgc.
Well, lie put his foot in it proper ut
last. He'll get good long Jolt IN the
pen If the boys don't beat the constn-
bles to him and take him to pieces"
: "He did stnrt the fire, then?" Stella
muttcred.
II guess So" Benton replied. AT
any rate, he kept 1t going. Did 1t by
his lonesome too Jnck suspected that.
We were watching for him rs we'll as
lighting fire. He'd come down from the
head of the lake In that speed boat of
his, and this time daylight caught him
before he could get back to where he
had her cached, after starting n string
Of little fires in the edge Of my north
limit. 1Ie had 1t In for mo, too, YOU
know; batted him over the head with
q pike pole here at the wharf ono day
this spring, 80 he plunked mo as soon
as hollered at him. wish he'd done
1t earlier In the game. We might have
g sa vei IA lot OF good timber. As It was,
we couldn't do much. Every time the
wind changed 1t would break out In a
new plncc--too often to be accidental.
Hang him."
"How Is 1t going to end, tho flre9"
Stella forced herself to ask. "Will you
and Jack be able to save any timber?"
eff 1t should rain hard and If In the
meantime the boys keep 1t from jump
ing the fire trails we've cut I'll get by
with most Of NINE" he said. "But
Jacks done for. He won't have any
thing but his donkcys and gear and
part Of a cedar limit on the Tycc which
ISN'T paid for. He had practically
everything tied up in that big block Of
timber around the point. Monohan
made him spend money like water to
hold his own. Jacks broke"
Stclla's head droopcd. Benton reach
ed out an aX callouscd hand, all grimy
and Drowned from tho stress Of 0re
fighting, and covered her soft fingers
that rested on his bed.
"It's pity cvcrything's gone to pot
like that, Stell," he said softly. "I've
grown lot wiser In human ways the
last two years. You taught me Il lot,
and Jack Il lot. and Linda the rest. II
seems blamed shame you and Jack
came to Il fork in the road. Oh, he
never chirped. I've just guessed 1t tho
last few weeks. l owe him q lot that
he'll never let me pay back In anything
but good will. l hate to see him get
the worst OF it from every direction.
He grins and doesn't say anything. But
I know it hurts. There can't be any
thing much wrong between you two.
why don't You forget your petty lar
ceny troubles and start oil over again7"
II can't" she whispered. "It wouldn't
work. There's too many scars, too
much that's hard to forget"
"Well, You know about that better
than I do" Benton said thoughtfully
at oil depends on how you feel"
The poignant truth Of that struck
miserably home to her. 1t was not
matter OF reason or logic, of her making
any sacrifice FOG her consciencc's sake.
It depended solely upon the existence
Of an emotion she could not definitely
invoke. She was torn by so many emo
lions, not one Of which she could be
sure was the vital, tho necessary one.
Her heart did not cry out for Jack
Fyfc except in n plying tenderness, as
she used to feel for Jack Junior when
he bumped and bruised himself. She