Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-10-19

%piciously. Caroline, what-Sylvester
what have you been tellin' her?'
Neither answered at once. The cap
tain looked from one to the other.
"Sylvester!' Caroline had never seer
her uncle thoroughly angry before
Sylvester" he cried, "have you-have
you dast to tell her what you shouldn't?
Didn't you promise me? If you told
that girl In-Ilr'-
His niece stepped forward. Hush,
Uncle Elisha" she said. "He didn't
tell me until l knew already. I guess
ed it. Then l asked for the whole
truth, and he told me-"
1.-THE whole truth? Caroline!'
He wrung his hands.
Eyes, uncle, the whole truth. I know
you now. l thought | knew you be-
fore, but | didn't-not half. | do now"
"Oh, Carolinen. He stepped toward
her and then stopped, frantic and de-
spairing. Caroline! Gardiner" he
cried again. Can you yer forgive
me? You know-you must know 1
amt ever meant to keep it. It's all
yours. | just didn't give it to you
right off because-because- oh, Syl-
vester, tell her l never meant to keep
it! Tell herr
The lawyer shook his head. II did
tell her." he said, with another shrug,
land she tells me she won't accept It,"
"What?" The captains eyes were
starting from his head. what? Won't
koIyA f4o XThu itfC hans hons nr6
Steve's. 1t always has been. Do you
cal'late I'd rob my own brothers chill
dren? Don't talk so foolish! I won't
hear such talk
Caroline was close to tears, but she
was firm.
Captain Elisha looked at her deter
mined face, her at the lawyers. But
he found no help there. His chin
thrust forward. He nodded slowly.
Gall right. All right!!' he said grim
ly. Sylvester. is your shop goin' to
be open tomorrer?'
"Guess not, captain" was the puz-
zled reply. "It's Thanksgiving. Why?"
but Graves IL be to home, won't he?
I could find him at his house?" o
II presume you could"
"All right. them CarnUne-WarTen,
you listen to me. I'll give you till 2
o'clock to make up your mind to take
the money that belongs to you. If you
don't | swear to the Lord Almighty
I'll take the fust train. go straight to
New York, hunt up Graves. make him
go down to the office and get that note
your father made out turnin' all his
property oyer to that Akrae company.
I'll get that note. and I'll burn it up.
Then-then you'll have to take the
money, because it'll be yours. Every
gone"
He turned. strobe to the door and
out of the room A moment later they
heard a scream from Miss Baker in
the kitchen: 'Lisha Warren. what ails
you? Are you crazy?" There was nc
answer, but the back door closed with
a tremendous bang.
Half an hour after his dramatic exit
| Captain Elisha was pacing up and
down the floor of the barn. 1t was an
old refuge of his, a place where he was
accustomed to go when matters requir-
ing d%eliberation and thought oppressed
him. As he turned In his stride he
saw a shadow across the sill of
the big, open door. He caught his
breath and stopped.
Caroline entered the barn. She came
straight to him and put her hands upon
the lapels of his coat. Her eyes were
wet and shining.
"Caroline?" he faltered eagerly.
"You good man!' she breathed soft
ly. "Oh, you good mani"
"Caroline." His voice shook, but
there was hope in it. Caroline, you're
goin' to take the money!
Eyes, Uncle Elisha. Mr.. Sylvester
has shown me that | must. He says
you will do something desperate II l re-
fuse"
81 sartin would! And you'll take it
really"
Eyes. Uncle Elisha"
"Glory be! And-and, Caroline. you
won't hold it against me. my maxim
you think you was poor and maxim
you live in that little place and get
along on just SO much, and all that?
Can you forgive me for dom that?"
Forgive you? Can 1 ever thank
you enough? l know l can't, but l can
try all my life to prove WHAT
"S-s-h-h! Ssh. There!' with a
great sigh. almost a sob, of relief, 81
guess this1l be a real Thanksgivin'
after ALL"
But a few minutes later another
thought came TO him.
Caroline" be asked, 81 wonder if,
now that things are as they are, you
couldn't do somethin' else-somethin'
that would please me an awful lotT
"What is it, uncle?"
"It's somethin' perhaps I amt got
any right to ask. The other day you
told me you cared for Jim Pearson.
but that you sent him away cause