The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-12

cforc ne counts MS pennies. and uses
red ambiton--his sister hardest OF all.
dye. until Jack Fyfc offers her "A way out.
| running Indignantly against compul.
sion. nevertheless her muscles invol.
unfairly moved TO obey. IL irritated
her further that she should feel In
the least constrained TO obey the
calmly expressed wish OF this quiet.
spoken woodsman. Certain possible
phases OF n lengthy sojourn In Jack
F'yfe's camp shot across her mind.
lie seemed OF uncanny perception.
for he answered this thought before
II was clearly formed.
"oh. you'll be properly chaper.
oned. and you won't have to mix
with the crew." he drawled. "I've
got all kinds OF room. My boss log
gers wife II up from town for
while. She's fine. motherly old
party. and she keeps US all in order"
II haven't had any lunch" she
temporized. Have your"
He shook his head.
IL rowed over here before twelve.
Thought I'd get you back to camp In
time for dinner. You know" he said
with a twinkle In his blue eyes. "a
logger doesn't eat anythin' but meal
A lunch to US Is snack that you
put in your pocket. I guess we lack
tone out here. We haven't got past
the fast.dinner.suppe stage
yet: too busy making the country fit
to live in"
You have tremendous Job In
hand" she observed.
'Oh. maybe" he laughed. IAN In
the way you look at II. Suits some
OF us. Well. II we get TO my camp
before three. the cook might feed us.
Come on. You'll get to hating your
self II you stay here alone TIL Char
lies thru
Why not? Thus she parieyed with
herself. one half OF her minded to
stand upon her dignity. the other
half OF her urging acauiescence In
his wish that was almost n COM
mand. She was tempted to refuse
just to see what he would do. but she
reconsidercd that. Without any log
icaf foundation for the feeling. she
was shy of pitting her will against
Jack Fyfe's. Hitherto quite sure of
herself. schooled in self.possession.
1t was a new and disturbing expert.
ence to come in contact with that
subtle. MISUNDERSTANDING quality which
carries the possessor thereof straight
to his or her goal over all opposition.
which indeed many times stiles all
opposition. Force OF character. over.
mastering personality. emanation OF
sheer will, she could not say In what
terms II should be described. What.
ever IL was, Jack Fyfe had 1t. 1t ex-
listed. factor to be reckoned with
when one dealt with him. For within
20 minutes she had packed q suitcase
full OF clothes and was embarked In
his rowboat.
He sent the lightly bufit craft cas-
ify thru the water with regular. e.
fortress strokes. Stella sat in the
stern. facing him. Out past the north
horn Of the bay, she broke the silence
that had fallen between them.
"Why did you make n point Of
coming for me?" she asked bluntly.
Fyfe rested on his oars a moment.
looking at her in his direct. unem.
barrassed way.
II wintered once on the Stickine."
he said. My partner pulled out be-
| fore Christmas and never came back.
1t was the first time I'D ever been
alone in my life. I wasn't a much
older hand in the country than you
are. Four months without hearing
the sound OF a human voice. Stark
alone. I got 80 ! talked to myself
out loud before spring. So thought
well. thought I'd come and bring
you over to see Mrs. Howe"
Stella sat gazing at the slow NOV
ing panorama Of the lake shore, her
chin in her hand.
THANK you" she said at last. and
very gently.
Fyfe looked at her a minute or
more. a queer. half-amused express
sion creeping into his eyes.
Well" he said finally. 81 might
as well tell the whole truth. I've
been thinking about you quite a lot
lately. Miss Stella Benton. or I
wouldn't have thought about you get.
ting lonesome"
He smiled ever so family. a mere
movement of the corners OF his
mouth. at the pink flush which rose
quickly in her cheeks. and then re-
stunned his steady pull at the oars.
Except for a greater number OF
board shacks and larger area of
stump and top-littered waste imme-
diately behind II, Fyfe's headquarters
-outwardly, at least--differed little
from her brothers camp. Jack led
her to a long log structure with a
shingle roof, which from It's more
substantial appearance she judged to
be her personal domicile. A plump.
smiling woman OF 40 greeted her on
the threshold. Once within. Stella
perceived that there was in fact con-
siderable difference in Mr.. Fyfes
habitation. There was great stone
fireplace. before which big easy
chairs invited restful lounging. The
floor was overlaid with thick rugs
which deadened her footballs. With
no pretense OF ornamental decora-
ton. the room held an air OF homely
comfort.
Come in here and lay off your
things" Mrs. Howe beamed on her.
"If I'd "a known you were liyin' so
close, we'd have been acquainted a
week ago; tho amt got rightly set
tied here myself. My land, these
men are such clans! never knowed
till this mornin' there was any white
woman at this end OF the lake besides
myself"
She showed Stella into a bedroom.
1t boosted an enamel washstand with
taps which yielded hot and cold
water, neatly curtained windows. and
a deep-seated Morris chair. Certain.
ly Fyfe's household accommodation
war far superior to Charlie Benton's.
Stella expected the mans heme to be
rough and ready like himself. and in
a measure 1t was, but comfortable