The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-11-04

| not to have found out that PincEney's
aggressiveness was not backed by
downright courage and that his faith
| fulness to his studies and his loyalty
| to his family were due wholly to self
ish ambitions and not at all TO graft
;dde or love to his benefactor. As for
Mrs. Durant. II had not been hard for
Pinckney to fool her; good looking.
manly In appearance and with his In
gratiating manners. he had completely
and easily won the heart of the woh,-
an. Like many other busy men. Du-
rant depended to great extent upon
his wife's opinions Of young people.
30 when she declared: Edward Is abb
s0lutely the finest boy | have ever
known. He is just the sort Of fellow
that l should love to have Frances
marry when she grows up" Durant
had taken the boys character for
granted. As for Frances. II would
have been hard for her to tell Just
what she did think Of Edward Pinck-
ney.
She was q baby when he first came
to the house, so she could not remem-
Der the time when she had not known
him. At first she had looked on him
as sort Of big brother. Pinckney
himself had been the one to undeceive
her on this point. Even as boy he
had outlined his plan In life. His
future was too obvious for him not to
see the plain and easy way. He would
enter the steel works. apply himself
to business. earn the commendation
and then the respect and confidence
OF his employer ard SO finally pave
the way fer marrying Franz es and In
heritins the business through her.
To the schemiug boy this seemed
simple plan. especially as he had so
easily and quickly won Mrs. Durant
over to bis side. Frances he did not
look ON as serious obstacle. for he
was shrewd enough 10 know that with
his splendid start and opportunity for
working on her sympathies be had
everything In his favor. The big
brother attitude he knew was fatal
She must not look on him In that light.
He must be the confdant. the friend.
the guide. but not the big brother In
any sense. This attitude he had care
fully established while she was yet a
child. He was always ready 20 go to
any lengths TO please her. and AZ first.
with the trustfulness OF young girl.
she took everything be did nj Its face
value. Her mother. too. worked per-
haps unconsciously In Pinckney's
favor. She made Frances believe that
everything Edward did was right and
spoke Of the time when be should man
age the Durant steel works as matter
OF course. Frances from her father
had inherited strong mechanical bent.
50 there was that additional bond OF
sympathy between them.
So matters had driffed along through
her school days and Pinckney's college
course until. when he came back from
college to take up bis iIfe's work In
the steel plant. the train was all laid
and the odds were 100 10 In favor Of
the schemer coming OF victorious. mar
rying the daughter OF his benefactor
and settling down as the right hand
man Of the steel magnate and the ul.
innate owner Of the great plant.
Frances was barely fourteen when
be entered the works. and he NJ once
began TO make her confidant q his
plans and aspirations for the good or
her fathers business. The eagerness
and enthusiasm OF the young man
quite won the heart Of the steel mag
nate.
Edward IL a wonder. be was nc.
customed 20 say. Never saw such a
hard worker. thought ! was bus
tier. but that boy Will sooner or later
be showing me tricks"
How little the millionaire realized
the truth OF what be was saying so
proudly! Such energy and enthusiasm
rs PlDckney displayed must have
brought his advancement In any busl.
ness. and when his benefactor was
also his chief ard he lived In the house
success was necessarily rapid. In
three years be had worked up from a
place In the draughting room 20 the
post OF manager. In each new position
be made good. and Durant more than
ever congratulated himself on his fore
sight IN taking up the orphan son OF
his friend.
But Pinckney's love affair had not
progressed 50 rapidly. Frances was
glad Of his success. but somehow she
had ceased 10 be 70 interested IN
the man as she bad been when a girl
BY the time she was seventeen all the
glamour had worn on. Instead Of TAX.
Ing him In \ sentimental way she had
begun In her own mind 70 look on him
as sort Of big brother. PInckney did
not know this. lie felt that he was
not coming ahead as fast as be had
hoped. but be felt that there was time.
especially as bis hold on the rest OF
the family increased daily.
Durant himself nov looked forward
TO the time when bis daughter and the
protege whom be had come to regard
~ . son should decide TO marry. lie
trusted Pinckney more than ever, and
be rubbed bis hands with satisfaction
at the thought that some day both
Frances and the Durant works would
be well taken care Of after be vas
gone.
Frances realized this and BIZ the
time she was nineteen had begun In
en- 0ua s<.~< ~ x.... A.. -. y. :.