The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-11
|CoNQUERIAG TEMPTATION
BY GERTRUDE A. PEARSON,

AZ reuter- DesIue uim. In front OF
him the blue waves rippled in the sun
shine. The air was warm and balmy
1t would have been difficult for any
one not acquainted with the country
and the temperature of July, to real
lie that this was Alaska.
Dear MIR. Benson" ran the letter
we beg to inform you that, in accord.
ance with the terms of your late faith.
er's will, all the property except the
limited estate entailed, goes to your
younger brother. You are. however.
Baron Linfield, and, as such, are now
the owner of Linfield Manor. Kindly
wire US instructions as to your plans.
We wish to add that, inasmuch as
the upkeep of the estate far exceeds
the rent-roll. it would be to your in.
terest to sell this to your younger
brother. There is, however, a codicil
to the will. made by your father in
his last Illness. Should you decide to
leave the woman with whom you are
living, an annual sum of five thousand
pounds Is to be paid you, to enable
you to keep up your title respectfully.
Faithfully yours.
bench & Dench"
The woman with whom he was liy.
ing" Benson saw the words staring
at him out of the typewriter page
His father had known. He had mar.
ried half-breed.
Natusha had been educated at A
mission school, and, save for the let
black hair and rather high cheek
bones she might have passed for a
white woman. But in the eyes of his
acqualntances she was a squaw, and
ne squaw-man. He had married her
when he was desperately lonely in the
remote North, and half-crazed with
drink besides.
Natusha had redeemed him. She
had thrown the whisky bottles away.
She had made him a home She had
loved him, and he had loved her, too.
A violent revulsion of feeling came
over Benson. He seemed to smell the
Sussex air. to see the beautiful coun.
try OF his birth. He had friends, many.
in England.
Benson resolved to run away. He
could walk to the nearest port and
catch the morrow's boat He would
leave everything to Natusha. She
would doubtless go back to her own
people
He saw her watching him silently
that night. Like faithful hound she
knew his moods-her lords moods.
Natusha watched him with a dumb,
aching at her heart. She had seen
the change in him.
At midnight, when he thought Natu.
sha was sleeping, Benson arose noise.
lessly from his couch. He had his
mackinaw and overshoes ready, for
the nights were cold.
When he had disappeared Natusha
kneeled at the bedside a moment in
prayer. She prayed to the God of
whom the missionaries had told her.
as she had never prayed before. Then
she slipped out after him.
AS Benson strobe along the trail all
memory of Natusha seemed to slim
from him. He was boy once more,
in the Sussex lanes, heartfree.
He remembered the final angry
scene with his father, the old mans
futile wrath at the son who had dis.
honored his name.
1t had been the act of goaded man.
desperate for money, but Benson could
only hang his head before the old
mans scathing words.
III ever temptation comes to Won
again. sir, remember what you have
done and try with all your might to
conquer it," he had said.
Suddenly he stopped dead. Why.
this was the temptation of which his
rather had spoken. He was doing now
a thing still more dishonorable than
that which he had done before. What
was the use Of being Baron Linfield
II he was scoundrel to boot?
Benson sat down and fought his
battle out. And, with her woman's in.
tuition one who watched him from a
near hiding place knew that the God
OF the mission people was wrestling
with his adversary for Benson's soul.
The agony on the mans face was
stronger than the suffering on hers.
Forgetting ALL daring his wrath.
Natusha glided up to him. She kneeled
at his side and put her arms around
him.
And. in this position, she whispered
something to him. a woman's secret
that made his heart leap as hers was
beating then.
Benson rose to his feet. The bag.
gardness was gone from his face. He
saw his duty. He saw the years of
ease and dishonor stretching before
him, on the one hand, and, on the 9th.
er. years of honor He could make
himself respected II he could not win
recognition for Natusha. he could for
his daughter-or his son. And the
heir would be Baron Linfield, if 1t was
boy. If girl-well.
Natusha drew his arm through hers,
and together they went back in ST.
lence toward the cabin. They entered.
and Benson, taking out the letter. de.
fberately tore it to pieces. He would
not answer Bench & Dench. He
would not even take the money from
the estate. Let the dead past go.
Benson put his arms about Natusha.
She was pretty and girl-like. this lit
tie wife of his. He knew now. too,
that the heart of woman beats the
same. and always true, whether be.
meath pink or olive skin.
"It's all ricbt Nat,,,r, A.