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 so,” Fyfe responded.  “I never have gone into any details of my business with you.  No reason why you shouldn’t know what limits there are to our income.  You never happened to express any curiosity before.  Operating as I did up till lately, the business netted anywhere from twelve to fifteen thousand a year.  I’ll double that this season.  In fact, with the amount of standing timber I control, I could make it fifty thousand a year by expanding and speeding things up.  I guess you needn’t worry about an extra servant or two.”