The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-26

was n silly, weak fool to ever let
Walter Monohan know | cared. And
I'll hate him. too. II he makes me a
bone of contention. ! elected TO play
the game the only decent way there
is to play II. so did he. Why can't
he abide by that?"
Noon OF the next day saw the
waterbug heave to a quarter mile
abeam OF Cougar Point to let off a
lone figure in her dinghy. and then
bore on, driving straight and fast
for Roaring Springs. Stella flew TO
the landing. Mother Howe game puff
fling at her heels.
Lands sake. l been worried to
DEATH" the older woman breAthed.
when men git to quarrelin' about
timber. you never can tell where
they'll stop. Mrs. Jack. I've knowed
some wild times In the woods in the
past"
The man in the dinghy was Lefty
Howe. He pulled in beside the float.
When he stepped upon the planks.,
he limped perccptibly.
Land alive, what happened yuh.
Lefty" his wife cried.
Got a rap on the leg with
peevy." he said. ''Nothin' much"
"why did the waterbug go down
the lake7" Stella asked breathlessly.
The mans face was serious. what
happened up there?"
There was a fuss" he answered
quietly. Three or four OF the boys
got beat up so they need patchin'.
Jacks takin' 'em down to the hos
pitai. Damn that yeiisr headed Mon
ohanw his voice lifted suddenly in
uncomfortable anger. "Bnly Dale
was killed this mornin.' mother"
Stella felt herself grow sick.
Death Is small matter when II
strikes afar. among strangers. When
II comes to ones door, Billy Dale
had plotted the Waterbug for a year.
chubby. roundfaccd boy OF twenty.
a fosters son OF Mother Howe's be-
Stella had asked Jack 10 put him
on the Waterbug because he was
such a loyal. CHEEKY sort of soul. and
Billy had been n part of every ex.
petition they had taken around the
lake. she could not think OF him as
rigid. lifeless lump OF clay. Why,
only the day before he had been
laughing and chattering aboard the
cruiser. going UP and down the cabin
floor on his hands and knees, Jack
Junior perched triumphantiy astride
his back.
what happencdy-' she cried Wild.
ly. Tell me quick
TITS quick told" Howe said grim
ly. I'VE were ready at daylight
Monohan's got n hard crew. and they
jumped us AZ soon as we started TO
them. first 1t didn't take so long.
Three Of our men was used bad. and
there's plenty Of sors heads on both
sides. But wc did the Job. After
We got them on tho run, w blOwcd
up their swffters an piles with
giant Then we begun TO put tho
cedar thru. Billy was on tho bank
when somebody shot him from ACROSS
the river. Ono mercy. ne never
knew what hit him. An you'n never
como so close to betn' . widow
"s"'is Hfu. Fyro, IN uoS Uo. THAI
bullet was meant for Jack. I ngurc-
He was sittin' down. Billy was
standin' right behind him watchin'
the logs go thru. Whoever he was.
he shot high. that's all. There.
mother. don't cry. That don't help
none. What's done's done"
Stella turned and walked up to
tho house, stunned. She could not
credit bloodshed. death. And as the
real significance Of Lefty Howe's
story grew on her. she shuddercd
II lay at her door, equally with her
and Monohan. even II neither Of their
hands had sped the bullet--an indi-
rect responsibility but gruosomely
real to her.
(Continued In Mondays St.rD