The Redwood gazette., 1909-10-20

that | should love to have Frances
marry when she grows up." Durant
had taken the boys character for
granted AS for Frances, it would
have been hard for her to tell just
what she did think of Edward Pinck-
ney.
She was baby when he first came
to the house, so she could not remem-
ber 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 and so finally pave
the way for marrying Frances and in
heriting the business through her.
To the scheming boy this seemed
simple plan. especially as he had so
easily and quickly won Mrs. Durant
look on as a serious obstacle. for he
was shrewd enough to know that with
his splendid start and opportunity for
working on her sympathies he 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 confidant, the friend.
I0 lint 1nf t1an hiCr hrn thnrs in
any sense. This attitude he had care
fully established while she was yet
child. He was always ready to go to
any lengths to please her. and at first,
with the trustfulness of a young girl,
she took everything he did at 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 he should man
age the Durant steel works as a matter
of course Frances from her father
had inherited strong mechanical bent,
so there was that additional bond of
sympathy between them.
So matters had drifted along through
her school days and Pinckney's college
course until, when he came back from
college to take up his life's work in
the steel plant. the train was all laid
and the odds were 100 to in favor of
the schemer coming off 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
he entered the works. and he at once
began to make her confdant CT his
plans and aspirations for the good of
her fathers business. The eagerness
and enthusiasm of the young man
quite won the heart of the steel mag
nate.
Edward is a wonder he was ac-
customed to say. Never saw such a
hard worker | thought l was hus-
tier. but that boy will sooner or later
be showing me tricks
How little the millionaire realized
the truth of what he was saying so
proudly! Such energy and enthusiasm
as Pinckney displayed must have
brought his advancement in any busi-
ness, and when his benefactor wa
also his chief ard he lived in the house
success was necessarily rapid. In
three years he had worked up from u
place in the draughting room to the
post Of manager In each new position
he 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 so rapidly. Frances was
glad of his success. but somehow she
had ceased to be so interested in
the man as she had been when girl
By the time she was seventeen all the
glamour had worn off Instead of tax
ing him in sentimental way she had
begun in her own mind to look ON him
as a sort of big brother Pinckney did
not know this. He felt that he was
not coming :ahes as fast as he had
hoped, but he felt that there was time,
especially as his hold ON the rest of
the family increased daily.
Durant himself now looked forward
to the time when his daughter and the
protege whom he had come to regard
as son should decide to marry. He
trusted Pinckney more than ever. and
he rubbed his hands with satisfaction
at the thought that some day both
Frances and the Durant works would
be we'll taken care of after be was
gone.
Frances realized this and by the
time she was nineteen had begun in a
vague sort of way to accept the situ
alton. Her friends teased her and
then took the attachment for granted
She knew that she did not love Ed
ward. but she did trust him. and she
bad met no one whom she could care
for.
Edward had spoken to her mother
and father. and both had agreed that
whenever be chose to ask Frances he
had their permission.
Then during the summer of Fran
t,sx e.