s Stella Fyfe flitted
graciously, esteeming it her world, a fair measure of what the future
might be. Viewed in that light, it seemed passable enough.

Later, when summer was on the wane, she withdrew from much of this
activity, spending those days when she did not sit buried in a book out
on the water with her husband. When October ushered in the first of the
fall rains, they went to Vancouver and took apartments. In December her
son was born.

CHAPTER XIV

A CLOSE CALL AND A NEW ACQUAINTANCE

With the recurrence of spring, Fyfe's household transferred itself to
the Roaring Lake bungalow again. Stella found the change welcome, for
Vancouver wearied her. It was a little too crude, too much as yet in the
transitory stage, in that civic hobbledehoy period which overtakes every
village that shoots up over-swiftly to a city's dimensions. They knew
people, to be sure, for the Abbey influence would have opened the way
for them into any circle. Stella had made many friends and pleasant
acquaintances that summer on the lake, but part of that butterfly clique
sought pleasanter winter grounds before she was fit for social activity.
Apart from a few more or less formal receptions and an occasional
auction party, she found it pleasanter to stay at home. Fyfe himself had
spent only part of his time in town after their boy was born. He was
extending his timber operations. What he did not put into words, but
what Stella sensed because she experienced the same thing herself, was
that town bored him to death,--such town existence as Vancouver
afforded. Their first winter had been different, because they had sought
places where there was manifold variety of life, color, amusement. She
was longing for the wide reach of Roaring Lake, the immense
amphitheater of the surrounding mountains, long before spring.

So she was quite as well pleased when a mild April saw them domiciled at
home again. In addition to Sam Foo and Feng Shu, there was a nurse for
Jack Junior. Stella did not suggest that; Fyfe insisted on it. He was
quite proud of his boy, but he did not want her chained to her baby.

"If the added expense doesn't count, of course a nurse will mean a lot
more personal freedom," Stella admitted. "You see, I haven't the least
idea of your resources, Jack. All I know about it is that you allow me
plenty of money for my individual expenses. And I notice we're acquiring
a more expensive mode of living all the time."

"That's s