The herald., 1915-02-04
|COAQUERIHG TEMPTATION
BY GERTRUDE A. PEARSON.


Benson lay upon the rocks. staring
at letter beside him II front Of
him the blue waves rippled in the sun
shine. The air vas warm and balny
Il would have been difficult for any
one not acquainted with the country,
and the temperature Of July, 10 real
lie that this was Alaska
Dear M Benson" ran the letter
We beg 10 inform you that, in accord
snce with the terms OF your late faith
er's viii. all the property except the
limited estate entsiled, goes 10 your
younger brother You are. however,
Baron Lnfe!d, and, as such. are now
the owner OF Linfeld Manor kindly
wire Us instructions as TO your plans
We wish TO add that, ;nasmuch as
the upkeep Of the estate far exceeds
the rent-roll. IL would be 10 your in
terest 10 sell this 10 your younger
brother. There is. however, a codicIl
70 the will, made BY your father in
his last illness. Should you decide 10
leave the woman with whom you are
living, an annual sum OF FIVE thousand
pounds is 10 be paid you. to enable
you 10 keep up your title respectfully
Faithfully yours,
-Dench & Dench-"
The woman with whom he was liy.
Ing" Benson saw the words staring
st him out Of the typewriter page
His father had known He had mar
ried q halt-breed.
Natusha had been educated at q
mission school, and. save for the Jet
black hair and rather high cheek
bones she might have passed for a
white woman But in the eyes Of his
acouaintances she was q squsv, and
he q squav-nan- He had married her
when he vas desperately lonely in the
remote North, and half-crazed with
drink besides
Nstusha had redeemed him. She
had thrown the whisky bottles away.
She had made him a home. She had
loved him, and be had loved her, too.
A violent revulsion OF feeling came
over Benson He seemed to smell the
SUSSEX air. to see the beautiful coun-
sry Of his birth. He had trisds. many.
Benson resolved 10 run away. He
could walk TO the nearest port and
catch the morrows 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 al her heart She had seen
the change In him
AT midnight when he thought Natu-
aha Was sleeping. Benson arose noise
lessly from his couch He had his
macEnaw 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.
-
she slipped out after him
As Benson strobe along the trail an
memory OF Natusha seemed TO slip
from him He was boy once more,
In the Sussex lanes, hearttree.
He remembered the final angry
scene with his father, the old mans
futile wrath AZ the son who had dis
honored his name.
II had been the act OF q soaded man
desperate for money. but Benson could
only hang his head before the old
mans scathing words.
II 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
father had spoken He was doing now
a thing still more dishonorsble than
that which he had done before. What
was the use Of being Baron Linfeld
II he was a scoundrel to boot!
Benson sat down and fought his
battle out And. with her vonar's In.
tuition one who watched him from q
near hiding place knew that the God
OF the mission people vas wrestling
with his adversary for Benson's soul.
The agony on the mans face wa
stronger than the suffering on hers.
Forgetting all, daring his wrath,
Natusha glided up to him She kneeIed
at his side and put her Arms around
him.
And. In this position. she whispered
something TO him. Q vomaa's secret
that made his heart leap a. hers vas
beating then
Benson rose TO Ids feet TIE hae.
gardness was gone frou his inca. IA