The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-18
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde


n was on one OF these chasing
trips Go sKenwood- that the roof
fell In. The major had gone out
somcwhere-to the theatre. l guess
taking his wife and Maisie Ann.
and the boss and Mrs Sheila werc
sitting together IN the majors den,
with little coal blaze In the has
ket CRATE because the nights were
beginning TO set bit chilly.
As usual when they were to
gcther. they made no attempt At
privacy: the den doorway had no
door. nothing but one OF those Jap
anese curtains made out OF bits Of
bamboo strung like beads on lot
OF stringa l had butted in with a
telegram-which might Just as well
have stood over untii the next morn
ing. II you want to know. After !
had delivered IL. Mrs Shrila gave
and told me TO 30 hunt In the
pantry and see II I could ind n
piece OF pie. and the boss added
that n I'd wait. he'd 90 hack to
town with me pretty SOON
found the pie. and ate n IN the
dining room. making noise enough
about II 30 that they could know
was there II they wanted 20. Hut
they went right on talking. and
paid no attention 20 me.
do you know. shrlla. they had
hong since got past the Mr. and
Mrs been the greatest
possible help to me I'm this rough.
house, all the way along the boss
was saying. And don't under.
stand how you. or any woman. can
plan 80 clearly and logically TO =
purely business end. was jus,
thinking tonight as I came out here:
you have given me nearly every
suggestion have had that was
worth anything. more than that
you have held me up 20 the rack.
time and again. when I have been
ready to throw !, all up and let go.
Why have you done III
heard the little laugh again. and
she said: 1T - worth something 70
have a friend. Odd as II may seem.
Graham. l have been singulariy
poverty-Etrfcken In that respect And
have wanted to sec you succeed.
Tho you are stin calling II merely
business deal II is really . mis-
sion. you know. orammcd fun Of
good things 10 a struggling world.
IL you do succeed--s1nd / arm sure
you are going to-you will leave
this community. and hundreds OF
others. vastly the better for what
you are doing and demonstrating
But that 10 = mans point Of
view the boss persisted How do
you get III You are All woman.
you know. and your mixing and
minglins - at least. since have
known you - has all BEEN purely
social How do you gc< tho big
overlook
Il don't know. was foolish and
frivolous once. IKE most young
girls. suppose But We an grow
older. and ~ ought 10 grow wiser.
Besides. the woman has the advan-
tage Of the man In one respect. abe
has time 10 fhtnk and plan and
reason things out ~ . busy man
can't have Your problem has seemed
very simple - me. from The very
beginning. II asked suiy Cor =
strong man and an honest enc Ton
were To take charge Of . psec- Of
property that had been abused ami
knocked about and used ~ . means
Of extortioa and oppression. and
yen were TO make Il good.
Again, that Ia a mans point 81
view.
Uh. no.. IN. protested outckfy.
There N no ser In ethics. Women
are tn natural house-clesners. per
haps. but that isnt saying THAT n
man can't Be one. too. II he wants
TO be-
At this. The boss got Up and began
10 tramp up and down tn. room.
could hear him I knew she'd been
having the biggest kind Of tob 60
keep him shut up IN this sort Of
abs tract corral. when All the time he
saA loving her III to KIN. but ap-
parently she had been doing II. sue.
lccsxfuily. There wasn't the faintesst
breath Of sentiment In the air: not
tho slightest whiff. When she BE-
gan again. could somehow feel
that shs was tust In time 10 pre-.
vent his breaking out into all sorts
Of iove-making. shouldn't wonder
IL that was the way II had been
from the beginning.
The time has coma. row. when
you must take another leaf out Of
my book she said. with just the
proper little cooling tang IN her
voice. up to the present yon have
been hammering your way to the
end Ike a strong man. and that was
right But you have been more or
tlsss recklssu--and that isn't right
or fair or Just To . LOT Of other
people
The trarnpfng stripped and heard
him say: Il don't know what you
mean
II mean that matters have come
~ such a pass now that You can't
afford to take any Tablespoonful
risks The enmity that caused you
To be Kidnapped and carried away
into the mountains stili exists. and
exists In even greater measure. II
hasn't stopped fighting you for a
single minute. and II the plan IL Ia
now trying doesn't work. 1, will Try
another and more desperate one
You've been talking to Ripley he
laughed RIPLEY wants me to be-
come a gun.toter and provide myself
with a body-guard. I'D look well
wouldn't II But what do you mean
by the plan IT is now trying'7"
She hesitatcd a little. and then
said: II shaIl make no charges. be