The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-03-03
|GOHQUERIAG TEMPTATION
BY GERTRUDE A. PEARSON.

shine The air was warm and balmy
It would have been difficult for any
one not acquainted with the country,
and the temperature Of July, to real
ize that this was Alaska.
Dear Mr. Benson" ran the letter.
eve 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 Linfeld, and, as such, are now
the owner Of Linfleld Manor. Kindly
wire us instructions as to your plans.
eve wish to add that, inasmuch as
the upkeep Of the estate far exceeds
the rent-roll, it would be to your in
terest 20 sell this to your younger
brothfc. There Is, however, a codicl
to th,. 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,
"Dench & Dench."
"The woman with whom he was Hv.
ing" Benson saw the words staring
at him out Of the typewriter page
His father had known. He had mar.
ried ha1f.breed.
Natusha had been educated at a
mission school, and, save for the Jet
black hair and rather high cheek
bones she might have passed for q
white woman. But in the eyes Of his
acquaintances she was a squaw, and
he 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 reyuIsion 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 OWE
people.
He saw her watching him silently
that night. Like a 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, fol
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 ali
memory Of Natusha seemed to slip
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.
It had been the act Of goaded man
desperate for money, but Benson could
only hang his head before the old
mans scathing words.
IF ever temptation comes to you
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 dishonorable thar
that which he had done before. What
was the use Of being Baron Linfeld
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, woman's secret
that made his heart leap as hers was
beating then.
Benson rose to his feet. The hag.
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 If he could not win
recognition for Natusha, he could for
his daughter-or his son. And the
heir would be Baron Lindeld, if 1t was
a boy. If a 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-
liberately tore it to pieces. He would
not answer Dench & 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 a woman beats the
same, and always true, whether be-
meath a pink or olive skin.
Its all right, Natusha," be said
cheerily. There won't be any more
scraps Of paper"
"a cuyn yn,, Cal Thsc