Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-22

of Christopher Beaumont, whose term had expired.
When it was all over and he had had his good hand
shaken until it ached, he found himself he scarcely
knew how, alone with Beaumont in that mans in
nermost of private Offices The big millionaire
smiling family but his eyes were searching serious:
Sit down, Mr.. Smith," he said but he himself
kept on his feet. Il haven't the reputation for
taking beating very easily" he began, after pacing
the length OF the room and back You have beaten
me, and you have done it by taking personal ad-
vantage of me- When you asked my daughter to
come to this meeting, you knew that if my reorgan-
ization was to be put through, she would leave it
with feeling than l was better than pickpocket;
that could not forbid her to without FORGETTING
her confidence in an almost equal degree.
II don't say that you weren't justified in doing
what you did. l am not that in doing it you
haven't done me service. You have convinced me
that I've had enough that It time quit. Not by
you have forced on The conviction is that, in
this affair." you have understood my daughters
standards better than have myself. don't admit
that they are valid; not entirely at any rate I
consider myself neither robber nor pickpocket.
went into this game of highly speculative business,
and played it by the rules found here. 1t isn't
game for FOOLS and the fool that goes into it. with
the idea that he get something for good deal less
than it is worth deserves just what he does get. l
couldn't make her that. l shouldn't want her to
see that. And don't intend to find myself again in
the situation where another lay all his cards
before her and l can't. She is mine-all I've got in
the world that l care about. Is that clear?"
He barely waited for reply; but pulled out his
watch, looked at it, snapped it, and thrust it back
into his pocket with the air of whose mind has
already eaped forward to the beginning of the next
event in the days program. The manager took the
hint and got to his feet
when are you going back to Horse Island, Mr.
SMITH" Beaumont asked
Tomorrow morning The Santiago sails them
and fortnightly steamer service is the best get
at this time of year
Then I'm afraid shall have to say goodby, Mr.
Smith, and make your excuses for you to ChrlStabel
| shall be down town all the evening, and she IS
dining out But you must come to New York again
sometime and give us chance to, he paused and
smiled, but with no trace OF ma1Ce,-"tO return the
hospitality you extended to us on Horse Island"
BEAUMONT had scarcely made effort to
- ceal his relief on hearing Smith plan for imme-
date departure, that actual engagement OF
Christabel's for that evening made it seem quite
natural thing that he should go away without having
seen her.
AS long ago as the period of his wfes death, Beau
mont had made deliberate resolution concerning
his daughter When the question of the choice of
husband for her should arise the only consideration
he would entertain would be her own independent
personal happiness. He had particular wish that
She should marry wealth or position; she had enough
of those very desirable things already to guarantee
her happiness far as they could guarantee it.
For himself, of course he would be glad if the man
of her choice should prove to be with strong
enough hands to control the great fortune that
must one day to them But he was deter
mined against allowing even this reasonable wish
to influence his action when the time came
This did very we'll in theory; but when he dis
covered that the young man Smith who had been
holding him prisoner on Horse Island, who was
threatening him with other and equally unusual
weapons of attack,-when he discovered that this
young man had apparently good chance to win
Christabel too he would have to be rather more
than human not to resist this last contingency Even
at that, he not prepared to veto Smith alto
gether.
But there could be no harm in preventing meet
ing between them until things had quoted down a
little until the romantic glamour of the last two
weeks had lost least the freshness of its color
year from now Chrisabel still thought she wanted
him. she might have him After all, even from his
own point of view he supposed he might go further