The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-08-05


! there"
Stella tucked the weary girl into
the bed. and went back to the kitchen
and sat down in the willow rocker.
After another hour the nurse came
out and prepared her own breakfast.
Benton was still sleeping. lie was In
no danger the nurse told Stella. The
bullet had driven cleanly thru his
body. missing a. by "A miracle any
vital part. and lodged In the muscles
OF his back. whence the surgeon had
removed Il Tho weak from shock.
loss Of blood. excitement. he had raj.
He'd splcndidly and fallen into "A nor.
mai sleep.
Later the doctor confirmed this.
lilo made light OF the wound one
couldn't kill a young man as full OF
vitality nH Charlie Benton with an
axe. hc informed Stella with an op.
tlmistic smile. Which lifted one bur.
den from her mind
The night nurse went away. and
another took her place. Benton slept
Linda slept The house was very
quiet To Stella. broodlng In that
kitchen chair. IL became oppressive,
that funereal hush. when IL wa =
drawing near 10 o'clock. she walked
up thh road past the corner store
and postoricc. and 30 out to the end
OF the wharf.
The air was hot and heavy. pun.
gent. gray with the smoke. Farther
"A onE 81. Allwooda bulkcd miatily
amid It's grounds. Tho crescent OF
shore line half "A mile distant was
wholly ohseurcd. Up over the eastern
mountain range the sun. high above
the murk. hung like a bloody orange.
rayiess and round. No hotel asiests
/ stroiled by pairs and groups along
the bank She could understand that
no one would come for pleasure into
that suffocating atmosphere. Caught
in that great bowl Of which the lake
formed the wntrry bottom. the smoke
oddled and rolled like cloud Of mist.
She stood "A while gazing at the
CLASSY surface OF the lake where u
spread 10 her vision a little way be,
yond the piles. Then she went back
20 the green cottage.
Benton lifted alert. recognizing
eyes when she peeped In the bedroom
door
Hello. Sis" he greeted in strange
~ subdued tones. when did you
blow In. l thought you'd deserted the
sinking ship completely. Come on
in"
she WINGED inwardiy az his words.
but made no outward sign. as she
came up TO his bedside. The nurse
went out.
Perhaps you'd better not talk. ="
she said.
''Oh. NONSENSE he retorted. feebly
I'm all right. Sore as IN. mischief
and weak. Hut | don't feel as bad
as I might. Linda stiil asleep
u think so" Stella answered.
Poor kid" he brcathed. ITS been
tough on her. Wen. guess tia been
I tough on everybody lilo turned out
TO be some bad actor. this Monohan
party. never did like the bcggar
lilo was little too high handed in
/ his smooth. idglovc way. Hut
didn't suppose he'd try In burn up n
million dollars worth OF timber TO
satisfy a wrudge. Wen. he put his
| foot In IL proper Mt last Hen get a
good long jolt In tho pen. II the boys
don't beat the constables to him and
take him to pirceH,'
life did start the IRE. them" Stella
muttered.
II guess So" Benton replied. at
any rate. he kept u going. Did II by
his lonesome. too. Jack suspected
that We were watching for him aa
well as lighting frc. He'd come down
from the head OF the lake in that
speed boat Of his. and this time day.
light caught him before he could get
back 10 where he had her cached.
after starting a string Of little fires
in the edge OF my north limit. lie
had IL In for me. too. you know. |
batted him over the head with a pike
pole here at tho wharf one day this
spring. so he plunkcd me as soon as
hoilcred at him. | wish he'd done
IL earlier in the game. We might
have saved a lot OF good timber. A.
time the wind changed, Il would
break out in new place-too often
to be accidental. Damn him.
How In 1t going TO end. the fire.
Stella forced herself to ask. win
you and Jack be able to save any tim.
berg"
IF Il should rain hard. and II in
the meantime the boys keep IL from
jumping the FIRE trails we've cut I'll
get by with most OF mine" he said.
But Jacks done for. He won't have
anything but his donkeys and gear
and part OF n cedar limit on the Tyec
which isn't paid for He had prac.
tioaliy everything tied up in that big
block OF timber around the Point
Monohan made him spend m oncy
like water to hold his own. Jacks
broke"
Stelias head dropped. II tot
reached out an axe-calloused hand. all
grimy and Drowned from the stress
Of fire fighting. and covered her soft
fingers that rested on his bed.
,apnarroxu