Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-26
CHAPTER XXI.-Continued.

| oughly approved of the course he had
! planned ard yet in some vague way. II
| hurt him to have the old man use dipio-
macy when power was the only force that
| appealed to him Don't ask me again,
uncle he said soherly. 1T is undig-
nified on your part and it hurts me to re-
| fuse. | cannot accept. Come. let us
shake hands and part friends. feel
nothing but good will toward you, and as
soon as get good start. I'll come oack
and we'll hold a regular reunion
| A sudden storm of sorrow ana PAIN
| swept over the Old man. For years an
| the softnes5 and tenderness of his nature
| had flowed out in secret to the boy, ana
! he had expected to give il a wider vent
as soon as they were bound together by
| a mutual purpose. This was the spIins
| of youth at which he had hoped to drink.
| so that even i'm his age a strong. rlch
| current of life might surge through MS
| veins. After the long years or TepTes-
| sion he had experienced an aWkwarohess
! in opening his heart to the boy, ana yet
| he yearned toward him with great ioSe,
| which. now that it was damned by DICK
| self-confidence. rose up in his heart VIII!
| unexpected strength. choking nm ana
| making his hands tremble
| For years he had dreamed of having
| Dick as a chum. working with him. play
| ing billiards with him. taking long walks
with him. having a little real run TO
| crown his hard life, As the dainty mistle-
toe nestles to the rugged oak-arI now
the boy was going away again. Age can
| never understand why youth always longs
| for the lonely quest: youth can never un-
derstand why age still Graves the crosse;
| warm touch of true companionship. ana
vet nature whether her steps be taken
blndly or at the dictation of divine
| purpose. makes no mistakes: and though
| the path leads through wilderness and
desert and along frowning cliffs yet does
| it wind ever upward toward the unseen
country of understanding love.
Richard Bennington clnched the hands
that trembled against his will and when
lie tried to speak his voice was broken
and husky Dick you're-you're not go
| ing away? You're not actually going to
leave me? Why. Dick, YOU were named
| after me, and il YOU We're my own son
couldn't love You more When yonr
mother died your father couldn't seem to
bear the sight of you for a while. and /
why. Dick YOU can't imagine how used
| to pet and fondle you-when no one else
was about I know ! have rough
tongue. I've had to be rough. but not
with you-no. haven't been rough win
YOU Why Dick. love you like father.
| And If YOU were my father. it is too
| late for me to change now. replied the
boy. still true to the hauteur of his years.
| "Why?" asked the old man.
| Well answered Dick. finding 1t easier
to control himself by looking at the floor
instead of at his uncle. II have rented an
office and fitted it up-this was what We
been doing the last few days. l have
engaged a bookkeeper and q general Office
man: / have had my stationery printed.
my card put in the different trade papers.
my plan Of
why in hell didn't you incorporate
| yourself and be done with it, flashed
the old man. catching the first wave of
his reaction You don't take an overly
modest view of your own worth. at any
| rate" he continued. sarcastcaiH. and
then. the wave having passed on, his
| amount to anythng-you can swing all
this into the plant. Why. this one gov
| eminent contract will mean more than
twenty years hard labor on your own
| hook There will be millions of bolts
used. and YOU can have all the oppor-
tunity you want to test your patent
| 1T is tested-it is perfect. and l. shall
push 1T myself am in earnest. uncle,
holding out steady hand: good
And SO this is really the end Of all my
plans for you?" said Bennington. in
| level voice. but refusing to see the hand
which Dick held out. When Your father
I'd do my best. and l have kept my oath.
| You haven't been a bad boy. Dick. but
hanged if you've been a restful one. |
| doubt if ever made plan for you that
YOU didn't kick down. jump over or crawl
| through. l don't want YOU TO CO. Dick.
Can't YOU say something better than
goodbye? Haven't YOU a single kindly
thought for the business your father
started and worked for?"
| Dick hung his head for a moment then
Strengthened up and said. in a friendly
tone. but with a trace of pride: Yes.
| have Now listen. this nut lock of mine
| Is all right. l have tested it under water.
| on jerk movement and under alternat-
ing pressure. and it is perfect You spe-
city 1t in Your bid and I'll give YOU the
right to make it without royalty. Il is
the Dickie nut lock and the name is copy
! righted. 1t will get YOU the contract:
and-and God bless you, uncle, and the
| plant. too. Goodbye.
He srasped the old mans hand and
shook it rapidly. Tears We're yelling UP
| In his eyes. but he turned and FASTENED
from the room before they had chance
| to moisten his cheeks.
| The old man sank back in his chair his
| hands clasped tightly across his breast,
and his breath coming in quick catches.
| closely akin to sobs. For maay minutes
| he sat thus. fighting a battle of the soul
| Had some of the mary who used his
name so Familiarity and 50 unexpectedly
seen him at this moment-well. probably
they would have taken it as an excep-
| tional example of fitting punishment
They. also, have missions to perform
Foolish. impulsive boy" murmured
Richard Bennington. he has taken my
enough OF this fighting alone, No. he
won't; it's not in the breed. Confound
those tramns who led him astray." A
grim. proud smile crossed his lips. From
the appearance they made this evening.
though. ii doesn't look as if they did
much CT the leading.
He had no right to turn down the
old plant this Way-it bears his fathers
name. That is good patent of his, too
Hanged if l don't specify ii ii the bid .
l can't root the boy out of my heart and
I'm not going to try. I'll specify it in
the bid and then When he gets tired of
fighting alone I'll tell him it was his nut
lock that secured the contract. and he
can come back without pocketing his
pride The Bennington pride is damned
bothersome asset. Poor old Dick: | was
like him. myself. once. Lord it seems a
hundred years ago..
For a few minutes he sat in reverie
old thoughts blending with new, and
then he shrugged his shoulders as If to
cast off load. The Bennington blood
was in truth. fighting blood and the old
man had won another battle. Already
his private was laid aside. and the
great struggle. on which depended the
life of the plant. was beginning to attract
his attention. He knew there would be
many lonely hour for him. but he also
knew the lonely hours which he had con-
quered in the past. Higgins.'' he called
with incredible iierceneSS Higgins Hig
gins. Higgins | want to go to bel
AS the startled butler entered the door
the old man rose and tested his foot on
| .la