The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-09
|c0NQUERInG Temptation
By GERTRUDE A. PEARSON.

Tim the blue waves rippled in the sun
shine. The air was warm and balmy.
l. would have been difficult for any
one Tot acquainted with the country,
and the temperature Of July. TO real
ize that this vas Alaska.
"Dea. Nj Benson ran the letter.
We beg 70 irforn you that, in accord
ance with the terms Of your late faith.
er's will ali 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 Linfeld Manor. Kindly .
wire Us instructions as 10 your plans /
We wish TO add that. inasmuch as
the upkeep OF the estate far exceeds
the rent.roll. il would be TO your in
terest to sell this TO your younger
brother There is. however, 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 Vas liy.
ing" Benson saw the words staring
at him out OF the typewriter page
/ His father had known. He had mar.
RED a halt-breed.
Natusha had been educated at a
mission school, ard, save for the jet
! black hair and rather high cheek
bones she might have passed for
/ white woman. But in the eyes OF his
acquaintances she was squaw, and
he a squaw-man He had married her
when he was desperately lonely in the
| remote North, and halt-crazed with
drink besides.
Na,usha had redeemed him. She
had thrown the whisky bottles away.
She had made him home She had
loved him, and he had loved her, TOO
violent Revision 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.
| btIsOA IcSC4'rO " 49, 49,
could walk 10 the nearest port and
catch the morrow's boat He would
leave everything 10 Natusha. She
would doubtless go back 10 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 dumb
/: aching a, her heart. She had seer
I. the change in him.
! Al midnight, when ne thought Natu
!. sha was sleeping Benson arose noise
I lessly from his couch He had hi
!: mackraw and oyershoes ready. TO
! the nights were cold
: When he had disappeared Natushi
: kneeled az the bedside moment i!
Z prayer She PRAYED TO the God o
i whom the missionaries had told bel
= as she had never prayed before. The
{ she slipped out after him.
{ A. Benson s.rode along the trail a
7 memory OF Natusha seemed 10 81.
! from him. He was boy once NOR,
( in the Sussex lanes, heartiree.
= He remembered the final angr
~ scene with his father, the old man
! futile wrath at the son who had d.
honored his name.
1t had been the act Of goaded ma
desperate for money, but Benson cou
only hang his head before the o
mans scath;ng words.
II ever temptation comes 10 -
again. sir, remember what you ha
done and try with all your might
conquer IT," he had said.
Suddenly he stopped dead. WI
this was the temptation Of which
father had spoken. He was doing N
a thing still more dishonorable tn
that which he had done before. WI
was the use OF being Baron Linf'
II he was a scoundrel TO boot?
Benson sat down aid fought
battle out And with her voman's
tuition one vko watched him from
rear hiding place knew that the {
OF the mission people was vresu
with his adversary for Benscn's sol
The agony OF the mans face '
stronger than Tie suffering on n
Forgetting all daring his VII
Natasha glided Up TO him She knee
al bis side and mt her arms aro'
him
AID il this position, she wh!spe
something 10 him. a woman's SCI
that made his heart leap as hers
beating then
benson rose 10 lis feet The
gagtIess vas gone from his face.
saw his duty He saw the year
ease and dishoaor stretching be
1 him. on the one hand and. OF TIE
er. years OF homer He could 4
himself respected II he could not
recogaition for Na.usha he could
his daughter-or his son. And
u heir would be Baron L;nseld II II
bog II gi-l-vell
5 Natusha drew his arm through
and together they went back i
e lence toward the cabin. They ent
and Benson. taking out the letter
nberately tore it 10 pieces, He
not answer Dench & Dench.
would rot even take the money
the estate Let the dead past &C
Benson put his arms about Nat
She was pretty and girl-like. hi
tie wife OF his He knew EoT
"a that the heart ot woman beat
sane. and always true. whethe
meath a pink or olive skin.