The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-14


the cabin ana got into her bed
But she did not sleep, save In un.
easy periods OF doing. until mid.
night was long past. Then Fyfe and
her brother came In. and by the
sounds she gathered that F'yfe was
putting Charlie To bed. She heard
his deep. drawly voice urging the un.
wisdom OF sleeping with callSed boots
on, and Benton's hlccupy response
The rest OF the night she slept tit
fully, morbldly Imagining terrible
things, She was afraid. that was the
sum and substance OF II. over in
the clubhouse the carousal was still
at its height. She could not rid her
self Of the sight OF those two men
struggling to be at each other Ike
wild beasts. the bloody faces OF the
one who had been struck. the coarse
animallsm OF the whole whislSy-satu.
rated gang. IL repealed and disgust
ed and frighted her.
Tho night frosts had crept thru
the single board wallis OF Stellas
room and made It's temperature akin
TO outdoors when the alarm Weakened
her at six In the morning. She shiv.
cred as she dressed. Katy John was
blissfully devoid of any responsible
ity. for seldom did Katy rise first 10
light the kitchen fire. Yet stella re.
scented less each days bleak begin.
/ ming than she did the enforced neces-
sityi OF the situation; the fact that she
was enduring these things practic-
I ally under compulsion was what
CALLED
A cutting wind struck her icily as
she crossed the few steps OF open
between cabin and kitchen. Above
no cloud floated. no harbinger OF
melting rain. The cold stars twinkled
over snow blurred forest. struck tiny
CLEANS from stumps that were now
white-capped pillars. A night swell
from the outside waters beat its mel
ancholy dirge on the frozen beach.
And, as she always did at that hushed
hour before dawn. she experienced a
| physical shrinking from those grim
solitudes In which there was nothing
warm and human and kindly. moth.
ing but vastness OF space upon which
silence lay Ike smothering blanket.
In which she. the human atom. was
utterly negligible. protesting mote
In the inexorablc wilderness. She
knew this to be merely a state OF
mind. but situated as she was, IL
bore upon her with all the force OF
reality. She felt like prisoner who.
above all things. desired some mode
OF escape.
A light burned I'm the kitchen. She
thanked her stars that this bitter
cold morning she would not have
TO build a fire with freezing fingers
while her teeth chartered, and she
hurried In to the warth heralded ~
spark.beichIng stovcpipe. But the
siwash girl had not risen TO the &C.
casion. Instead. Jack Fyfe sat with
his feet on the oven door, cigar
in one corner OF his mouth The
kettle steamed. Her porridge pot
bubbled. ready for the meal.
Good morning" he greeted.
Mind my preemptlng your lob?"
mot ut an she answered you
can have IL for keeps II you want"
mo. thanks" he smiled. I'm
sour on my own cooking. Had TO
eat too much OF It in times gone
by ] wouldn't be stocking up here
either. only ] got frozen out.
Charities spare bed hasn't enough
blankets for me these cold nights
He drew his chair aside 20 be out
OF the way as she hurried about her
breakfast preparations. An the time
she was conscious that his eyes We're
on her. and also that In them lurled
an expression Of keen interest. His
freckled mask of face gave no clue
to his thoughts; It never did. so far
as she had ever observed I'yfe had
a gamblers immobility OF coun.
tenance. lie chucSed the butt OF his
cigar in the stove and sat with hands
clasped over one knee for some after
Katy John appeared. and began set
ting the dining room table with
great clatter OF dishes.
He rose 20 his feet then. Stella
stood beside the stove. frying bacon.
\ logger opened the door and walked
in. He had been one to fare i'll in
the nights hilarity. for o discolored
patch encircled one eye, and his lips
were split and badly swollen. lie
carried n tin basin.
kin l get some hot water?" he
asked
Stella silently indicated the reser.
voir at one end of the range. The |
man ladled his basin full. The |
fumes OF whisky. the unpleasant odor |
Of his breath offended her, and she |
drew back. F'yfe looked at her as |
the man went out.
"What2" he asked
She had muttered something. an
impatient. exclamation OF disgust. |
The mans appearance disagreeably
reminded her Of the scene she had
observed thru the clubhouse window.
IT stung her to think that her brother
was fast putting himself on a par
with them-without their valid ex-
cuse of type and training.
ooh, nothing" she said wearily,
and turned to the sputtering bacon.
Fyfe put his foot up on the old
stove front and dru-nfned a tattoo
on his mackinaw clad knee.
Aren't you getting pretty sick of
this sort OF work, these more or less
uncomfortable surroundings, and the
sort Of people you have to come in
contact WITH" he asked polntedly.
Il am" she returned as bluntly.
but ! think that's rather an i'm
pertinent question. Mr.. Fyfe."
He passed imperturbably over this
reproof, and his glance turned brief
ly toward the dining room. Katy
John was still noisly at work.
you hate IT," he said positively.
81 know you do. I've seen your feel
ings many n time. don't blame
you. It's a rotten business for a
girl with your tastes and bring up.
And I'm afraid youll find Il wrose,