The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-02


enlighten her or any one else that OF
the successful management Of a man
ufacturing enterprise their future sta
tus In respect to wealth or poverty de
pended. Nevertheless it was not like
ly that a girl of seventeen could bs
dawdling through the picture galleries
of Florence or over the seven hills OF
Rome with an attractive fellow OF
twenty-three without feeling any In
terest in him.
1t Is not only the fact that youns
couples travelling for pleasure have
nothing to do but enjoy each others so
ciety that conduces to their becomins
attached to each other. There Is some
thing in the novelties they see togeth.
er that adds to the entertainment. This
Is especially true Of Italy. The en-.
chantment that prevails In the medic.
val city Of Florence is enough to bring
about love affair between q Cyclops
and a Medusa. There Is the river
Arno that runs through 1t. the bridges,
including that antique structure, the
Ponte Vecchio, and the historic asso-
Citations. all inclosed within a circle of
beautiful hills which look as II they
had been retouched by a divine paint
er with higher colors than nature is
wont to lay on.
And Rome! Girard, who had been
there before and was well versed in
Its historic lore. took the girl to the
| P1ncian hill and showed her the piano.
rama Of the city. the old Campus Mar
thus. the tomb Of Hadrian, colossal st.
Peters. thanked by the long hill range.
the Janiculum. He may have had
business in mind. but his tongue told
of the building Of the Eternal City.
Then he took her to the Forum, the
Coliseum, the baths Of Caracalla, and
all the while he made these structures
live again with a people Of 1000 years
agone.
There was time before sailing from
Naples to visit Pompeii. where not far
distant light smoke was curling from
the mountain that had poured forth
fire and smoke. followed by the white
ashes which had buried the city, to be
forgotten for eighteen centuries. At
Sorrento there were the ever changing
colors Of the bay of Naples spread out
several hundred feet below them. In
the quiet Of an orange grove Girard
told the little girl his STORY" Natural.
~ she listened to 1t with rapture.
The ocean voyage over, the party sep
arated at the dock at New York. CT.
rard did not tell his dancee Of the bust.
ness relationship existing between
them. He did not care to run any un-
necessary risk. They would be brought
together In business way soon enough.
and then the struggle for mastery be-
tween her lover and her guardian would
commence. Girard told her that he
lived In the same location as herself.
but nothing more.
"Goodby for the present." he said at
leaving her. "In q few days l will be
with you again."
Gerard on reaching home sought the
guardian Of the half interest in the
Gerard Hawkins company at his of.
fee and in an interview fatty declared
that he would not consent to the gen.
tleman assuming control of the enter
prise.
Every WE'LL" was the reply. II will
not consent to any one else than my
self assuming the control"
you are not the owner of the prop
erty. You are merely the guardian of
part owner. She may not assent to
your claim. If she represents to the
chancery court that she believes your
management will wreck her property
she will be protected"
"My ward has every confidence in
me-"
$50 be It," replied Gerard. risking |
all on the love he had won. Bring |
me to your ward and let her choose |
between u.s. If she supports you in |
your claim l agree that you shall be-
come president and manager of the |
company"
Tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock she
shall be here"
Whether the strength Of young love
for stranger would be stronger than
reliance on an elderly man, her IA
Tiers brother, Gerard did not know,
but he did not believe that the guardian
would not long struggle successfully
against the young love. At the ap-
pointed hour he went to Hawkins Of
dee, and the ward arrived a few min
utes later. On seeing Ned she stood
for moment like statue. then threw
herself into his arms.
Her guardian did not then call upon
her to choose between himself and Ned.
There had been something between
.hese two Of which he was ignorant.
Ned and his fiance left the Office to-
sether and Hawkins proceeded in due
line to investigate what had happened.
But Ned was in every respect ahead Of
aim. The lovers had no sooner left the
nice than Ned told his nancee the
Whole story. But this was not neees.
AIRY to win her to his purpose. Love
vas quite enough fer that.
After an interview between the Low.
~ Isabel consented to leave every.
hing to Ned, and he was authorized
o tell her guardian that Ned was her
July appointed agent to carry out any