The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-17
BIG TIMBER
BY BERTRAND w. SINCLAIR


manner never suggested stolidness.
And she was too keen an observer
to overlook the fact that from a
purely physical standpoint. Jack
Fyfe made an impression always,
| particularly on women. Turnout
that winter IL had not disturbed her.
II did not disturb her now. when
she noticed Linda Abbey's gaze com.
ing back TO him with n yelled APP
praisai In her blue eyes that were so
like Fyfe's own in their tendency to
twinkle and CLEAN with no CORE.
spending play OF features.
Wen expect to see a good deal
of you this summer" Mrs. Abbey
said cordially. at leave.taking. I'VE
have few people up from town now
and then 20 vary the monotony of
feasting our souls on scenery. Some.
times we are quite a jolly crowd.
| Don't be formal. Drop In when you
feel the inclination
When Stella reminded Jack OF this
some time later. In moment OF
boredom, he put the Panther at her
disposal for the afternoon. But he
would not go himself. lie had opened
up a new outlying camp. and he had
directions to issue. work to lay out.
You hold up the social end of the
game" he laughed. I'm hustle
| logs"
SO Stella invaded the Abbey. Mono.
han precincts by herself and enjoyed
| it--for she met "A houseful OF young
people from the coast, and in that
light-hearted company she forgot for
the time being that she was married
and the responsible mistress OF
house. Paul Abbey was there, but
he Had apparently forgotten or for
| given the blow she had once dealt his
vanity, Paul. she reflected. was not
the sort 10 mourn a lost love long.
She had the amused experience.
too. OF beholding Charlie Benton ap.
pear an hour or so before she de.
parted and straightway monopolixe
Linda Abbey In his characteristically
impetuous fashion. Charlie was no
diplomat. lie believed in driving
straight to any goal he selected.
so that's the reason for the out.
ward metamorphosis." Stella reflect.
ed. '~yell?"
Altogether she enjoyed the after.
noon hugely. The only fly in her
ointment was n greasy smudge be-
/ slowed upon her dress--a garment
she priced highly---by some cordage
coiled on the Panther's deck. The
black tender had carried too many
cargoes of ioggers and logging sup.
plies 20 be n fit conveyance for per.
sons In party attire. She exhibited
the soiied gown TO F'yfe with due
vexation.
II hope you1i have somebody
scrub the Panther the next time /
want to go anywhere in n decent
dress" she said ruefully. "That'll
never come out And it's the pref.
test thing I've got. too"
"Ah. what's the odds" rNyfe
slipped one arm around her waist.
You can buy more dresses Did
! YOU have n good time? That's the
things'
That ruined gown. however. subse-
quently produced an able. forty foot
cruising launch. powerfully engined.
easy In a sea. and comfortably. even
luxuriously fitted as to cabin. With.
that for their private use, the
Panther was left 10 her appointed
service. and In the new boat Fyfe
and Stella spent many a day abroad
on Roaring Lake. They fished to
gether. explored hooks and bays up
and down It's forty miles OF length.
climbed hills together like the bear
of the ancient rhyme. to see what
they could see. And the Waterbug
served to put them on intimate terms
with their neighbors. particularly the
Abbey crowd. The Abbeys took to
them Fundamentally. Fyfe himself
was highly esteemed by the elder
Abbey, largely. Stella suspected. for
his power on Roaring Lake. Abbey
pere had built up big fortune out
OF timber. lie respected any man
who could follow the same path to
success. Therefore he gave Fyfe
double creditor making good. and
for a personality that could not he
overlooked. lie told Stella that
once: that is to say. he told her
confidentiaily that her husband was
very liable" young man. Abbey
senior was short and double-chinned
and inclined to profuse perspiration
IL he moved in haste over any extend.
ed time. Paul promised to be like
him, In that respect.
Summer slipped by. There were
dances. informal little hops at the
Abbey domicile, return engagements
at the Fyfe bungalow, laughter and
music and Japanese lanterns swung
across the lawn. There was tea and
tennis and murmuring rivers OF
small talk. And amid this Stella
Fyfe fitted graciously, csteeming 1t
her world. fair measure of what
the future might be. Viewed in that
light, IL seemed passable enough.
Later. when summer wds on the
wane, she withdrew from much of
this activity. spending those days
when she diFNot sit buried in a
book out on the water with her hus-
band. When October ushered in the
first of the fall rains, they went to
Vancouver and took apartments. In
T.x,np.har hos. ann traa horn