The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-10-20

steel plant. or suppose the owner of a
! steel plant even should come to me
and say: 1 have plenty of money. |
can give you everything you want
Will you be mine? And then | should
say, I'm awfully sorry, Mr.. Manager
or Mr.. Owner of Steel Plant; but.
you see, | have everything | want.
thank you, and l don't care the least
| little bit for you. Now, where vonld
your suppose theory be tten, Mr.. Som.
mers?'
The man shrugged his shoulders.
anyhow, Miss Durant," he said
1.-The manager of the steel plant or the
owner of the steel plant can go to the
girl he loves, make his fight, take his
chance and, like man. abide by the
result. But the navy fellow can't do
that. All he can do is to bite his lips
and twiddle his thumbs and regret and
suppose"
He ended it bitterly, half turning
away from her. SO that he did not see
the girls quick, involuntary motion to-
ward him. He was still half turned
clination of her heart to speak. At
last she gained self control.
"Of course, Mr.. Sommers," she be
gan sarcastically. IF the navy men are
20 selfish that they're not willing to
give girl chance to show the stuff
she's made Of. if they're afraid to take
any sort of plunge except plunge
UIn
receive the reward that comes to the
men who won't try-the reward of
failure. If | were a man"-ner voice
took on color of strength and boldness
whether l were in the navy or
whether l owned a continent. l would
not let any foolish selfishness of my
own keep me from attempting to gel
anything l wanted"
"Frances!' The man whirled sud-
denly. catching her two hands. You
mean it?'
She looked up at him. happy and
quite unafraid.
"Yes." she said, "of course l mean
it." And her eyes invited him.
Impulsively the man leaned toward
her. Then, as their faces almost seem
ed to touch. cold. hard voice seemed
to cut them apart.
"Ah! Good evening! l thought it
was you two up here"
Angry, embarrassed, the navy lieu
tenant stepped back The girl, with a
woman's power of self control, seemed
quite unmoved.
"Oh!' she cried gayly. us that you,
Edward? Lieutenant Sommers and l
were just talking of you. He says
you're a lucky dog"
The marriage of Frances Durant and
Edward Pinckney had been so long
anticipated by all who knew them
that the announcement of their en-
gagement would have been received
with a feeling of general relief. In
the minds of their friends it would
have Strengthened out an awkward
situation. Under present circumstances
their friends did not know just how
to take them. For more than year
it had been generally understood they
would some time marry, but the mem
bers of the set in which they moved
had waited anxiously, but in vain. for
some definite sign. 1t was generally
taken for gra nted that Mr.. Durant did
not object, and Mrs. Durant was open
ly in favor of the match.
Frances herself was the stumbling
block Time after time her intimateS
tried to find out, but each time, with
perfect good humor, but with complete
thoroughness, she blocked every at
tempt. Finally, their curiosity block
ed, the solicitous friends had decided
| to take the situation for granted, and
so they had with perfect faith spread
reached her majority the couple were
to be married. Even the people about
| the steel works had come to look at
the matter in the same light. The
men understood that the general man
| ager was some day going to marry
the daughter of the boss, and that
made them treat him with more re-
spect. for not only was be the mana
ger. with power greater than most SUI
pervising managers had, but he was
also expected to own the works some
day himself.
Pinckney, too, was particularly care
full not to contradict the general i'm
preston. He knew the influence it
gave him, and also he was so tremen-
dously ambitious and so anxious to
bring the marriage about that he really
believed it would be. And even an
enemy must have admitted there was
every reason for him to hope. The
son of a friend. George Durant, who
had committed suicide after running
himself on Wall street, Edward Pinck-
ney when mere boy had been taken
into the household Of the steel mil
lionaire. Durant had sent the boy to
the best schools in the country. Boy
though he was. PiDckney had appre
ciated the opportunity given him. He
had studied hard. finally graduating
from one of the best institutions at
the top Of his class. Then his bene-