The Detroit times., 1913-05-02

nature OF the business that had
brought him out from the town.
Then he added In a matter OF fact
tone ! suppose it's something 10
do with this California project
Mrs. Landry's face flushed, then II
grew very white; she paused and her
foot tapped the ground neryously.
They are two very foolish men.
Mr. penson---T mean my husband and
his brother"
Then ne has told you'" he said
quickly
THAT he is going with the party
YES
She put out her hand and touched
the reins Benson loosely held. You
can spare me a moment? ! have been
waiting for you.
He bowed a trfe stiftly To him
she had always seemed. II anything.
too undemonstrative. too self-reliant:
but he saw nov that she was shaken
out Of her dignity and serenity; she
was struggling as her mother and her
mothers mother before her had
struggled. when the wilderness spoke
10 the men they loved: and she was
knowing as they must have known.
that this masculine passion which no
woman could comprehend. much less
share in. bu, against which she had
set her love, vas as vital as that love
itself
The LAWYER put his hand in the
breast pocket OF his coat upon ii
paper there; one sentence in this
paper burned in his memory: ITO
my dearly beloved wife, Virginia
Randolph Landray." and then the
description Of the property stephen
Landray owned and wished TO pass
10 her in the event Of his death. Ben
son had drawn up the will molly the
week before. and he was now taking
II 70 Landray 70 be signed and wit
messed. "T am childless man. Ben
SON Landray had said, "and should
anything happen 70 me. I want every
dollar own on earth 10 60 10 her -"
And Landray had shown no little
emotion, for the moment putting
aside the habitual reserve with
which he cloaked any special stress
of feeling
But what do you want with a
will'" Benson had asked. Whom
have you but your wife,
"T've got 10 worrying about that
Californian venture of ours, and be-
fore 7 go ! want to put my affairs
in some sort Of shape"
Then you shall go. after all?"
Benson had said
II must: there's no help for it,
What do you think Of the scheme.
anyhow"
We'll. think better OF II now
that know you are going to assume
the direction Of II.
That's odd, with the knowledge
YOU have" said Landray. with a
short laugh
Benson had not been surprised at
what Landray had told him OF his in
tentions indeed, the whole project,
the journey overland with its hard
ships and possible danger. the search
for the gold when California should
be reached. would be but episodes In
speculation for which he felt the
Landray's were singularly fitted.
They were not business men. no one
knew this better than he; they hod
possessed large means. though the
fortune which they hod inherited
from their father was now much I'M
paired by bad management and the
luckless ventures in which they had
involved themselves
He had felt, however. that their
lack Of ordinary business thrift
would not he any special hindrance
in such an enterprise as this; where.
after all. success would come more
as the result OF chance. than he
cause of shrewdness or capacity.
Even when he was most critical of
the brothers. not being able 10 quite
free himself of secret contempt.
since they had started life with
such exceptional opportunities. and
had made such poor use Of them. he
admitted that under such conditions
as he imagined would he found In
California. their strength and cour-
age their physical readiness and
vigour would perhaps more than
compensate for the lack Of those
other qualities in which they had
proved themselves so deficient
Yes, | think we'll Of the scheme
now" said the lawyer slowly. Much
better than | did before.