The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-24
"I'm sorry" she whispered.

I'm sorry" she whispered.
 "Its devilish," Linda went on. Like Groping in the dark and being afraid for me. I've been married month and for ten days I've only seen my husband ct brief intervals when he comes down in the launch for supplies or to bring an injured man. And be doesn't tell me anything except that we stand & fat chance of losing everything. sit there at the Springs and look at that smoke wall hanging over the water and won der what goes on up there And at night there's the red glow, very faint and far That's all. I've been doing nursing at the hospital to help out and Co keep from breeding. I wouldn't be down here now only for a list of things che doctor needs, which he thought could be obtained quicker if some one attended to it personally. I'm taking the evening train back"
 "Iih sorry" Stella repeated.
 She said it rather mechanically. Her mind was spinning thread upon which, strung like beads, slid all the manifold succession of things that had happened since she came first to Roar sng lake. L!nGa's voice, continuing broke into her thoughts
 T suppose l shouldn't be croaking into your ear like bird of i'll omen when you have to throw yourself heart and soul into that concert tomorrow, she said contritely. 'I wonder why that Ancient Mariner way of seeking relief from ones troubles by pouring them into another ear is such univer- sal traitf You aren't vitally concerned. after all, and 1 am. Let's have that tea, dear, and talk about less grievous things l still have one or two trifes to get in the shops too"
 After they had finished the food that Stella ordered sent up they vert out together Later Stella saw her or on the train.
 "Goodby. dear" Linda said from the coach window. I'm just selfish enough to wish you were going back with me; l wish you could sit with me on the bank of the lake, aching and longing for your man up there in the smoke as ache and long for mine Misery loves company"
 Stella's eyes were clouded as the train pulled out Something in Linda Ben tons parting words made her acutely lonely, dispirited, out of joint with the world she was deliberately fashioning for herself Into Linda's life something Dig and elemental had come. The but terfy of yesterday had become the strong mans mate of today. Linda's heart was unequivocally np there in the smoke and flame with her man, fighting for their mutual possessions, hoping with him, fearing for him, longing for him, secure in the knowledge that if nothing else was left them they had each other. It was a rare and beauti- ful thing to feel like that. And beyond that sorrowful vision of what she lack cd to achieve any real and enduring happiness there loomed also a self tor turing conviction that she herself had set in motion those forces which now threatened ruin for her brother and Jack Fyfe.
 There was no logical proof of this Only intuitive. subtle suggestions glean- cd here and there, shadowy finger posts which pointed to Monohan as deadly hater and with a score chalked up against Fyfe to which she had uncon- sciously added He had desired her, and twice Fyfe had treated him like an erchin caught In mischief. She recall cd how Monohan sprang at him like a l tiger that day on the lake shore She realized how bitter a humiliation 1t must have been to suffer that sardonic curling at Fyfe's hands. Monohan wasn't the type of man who would ever Forget or forgive either that or the ter i rible grip on his throat.
 Even at the time she had sensed this and dreaded what 1t might ultimately lead to. Even while her being answer cd eagerly to the physical charm Of him she had fought against admitting % herself what desperate intent might have lain back of the killing of Billy Dale-a shot that Lefty Howe declared was meant for Fyfe. She had long out Rrown Monohan's lure, but if he had come to her or written to make out ease for himself when she first went to Seattle nhe would have accepted his word against anything. Her heart would have fought for him against the logic of her brain.
 But-sbe had had long time ts haink. to compare to digest all that she