The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-07-17

stood beside him.
Then | shall so with you-today"
| she exclaimed clinging to him. In
spite of all l can say or do, mother is
giving 4 dinner tomorrow to announce
| my engagement to Donald. In IL month
we leave for Europe. and it is arrang-
ed that l shall marry him early this
autumn. Oh, it is uncomfortable! 1t
| seems as if l shall die if | do not es-
cape it ALL
Il will not take you away" he snap
ped. yet tenderly catching at and re-
strafning locks of her yellow hair that
the breeze was playing with. Il never
stole anything in my life. and l posi-
lively refuse to steal my wife Don
aid already has everything that right
fully belongs to me, but he shall not
| have you, my Isabelle-I say he shall
not have your
His voice was tremulous with anger.
though his eyes dwelt fondIy on her
tear stained face.
81 would go with you Voluntarily
gladIy~
| NO, no. 1t would amount to the
same thing, dearest he replied in a
| determined voice. There shall be no
elopement for us. And when we mar
/ ~ it shall be with your mothers con-
sent. Besides" he added. with sudden
| detection. 81 cannot now provide a
| suitable home for you. | couldn't ask
| you to live on my present income"
'That doesn't matter" she broke out
gracfously. There's my income. We
| couldn't use half Of it,
She caught his reproving look and
flushed. 'FYou are so delightfully."- indie
pendent, PhiI"' And she smiled a wan
| little smile. which was quickly fol-
lowed by look of distress.
They conversed long and earnestly,
and when they parted he admonished
| her to "be brave and to trust in him.
A mighty portion of his strength of
| character seemed to have been cast
upon her, for with each and every step
| that took her farther and farther from
him her will and her trust increased.
| 1t was with blazing eyes and with
clinched little fists that she re-entered
| the halls of the Inlet, muttering to
herself: Il shall not yield to them. Let
them do their worstr'
A month had passed The man was
again on the sands of Cragshead,
| but he was alone. A big ship was
| slipping swiftly down the channel to-
ward the open sea. If the vision of
the gazer on the beach could have
reached far enough he would have
seen a forlorn little figure on the ship
with straining eyes turned in his di-
rection
ooh, to know what to dor he sighed,
turning at last from his vigil
He paced the sands with heart and
brain afire in an effort to conceive an
avenue to wealth. Six weeks before
| he had laughed at poverty. Tt was
different now since the homemaking
instinct had been keenly aroused with
in him.
For generations the Benton men had
engaged in professional careers or as
capitalists. From the time Philip Ben
ton could use his hands and brain he
had displayed a penchant for the baser
metals. When baby he reached for
the chandeliers, for the buckles on
harness, for the wheels of his carriage
When child he took to hammers and
nails, bits of glass and the like. He
dissected watches and clocks while his
n 1o I1Y1, T.
structed embryonic machinery while
Donald played tennis. He sought out
the motive power Of engines and
steamships while Donald visited art
galleries and INDUCED in polo, and on
entering his university had disappoint-
ed the family by selecting a course in
engineering and metallurgy instead of
adopting the law and the classics.
BY every means devisable pressure
was brought to bear to induce Benton
to abandon his distastefui vocation.
but to no avail Instead, he applied
himself the more diligently to the hot,
noisy, greasy machine shop. keeping
apart from his kin altogether. 1t was
but little wondered at therefore when,
at his fathers death. the name of this
pariah was not included in the list of
heirs and beneiciaries
In bitterness Benton had listened to
the reading of his fathers will, and in
bitter defiance he had held his peace.
There was general surprise that he did
not enter legal protest. but he was no
money Worshiper, and he found solace
within himself and his purpose and
Isabelle. Isabelle Fielding had been
his greatest comfort and inspiration
tOne Benton. alone and unaided, laid
the foundation of all their wealth, and
I guess can at least take care of my
self he. had remarked derisiyely.
It had therefore been a matter of
pocketing pride when, at Isabelle's bid
ding. he had again visited the beach
at Cragshead But it was withal
a pleasure and doubly so to meet
again the girl he loved at the dear
old trysting place. Isabelle had played
with him there in their childhood days,
and IL was there they had raneatedIy