Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-10-19
CHAPTER XIX.
"Yes, Because | Want Him."

uOL SPEAK lOI u AOhiSAes IhCh cHS
asked:
"And no one knew-you or my uncle
or any one-of all this until last
March?"
mo. Graves had, with his usual care
and patience, pieced together the evil
dence and investigated until we were
sure that a stakeholder in the Akrae
company existed and that all of your
fathers estate belonged to hin. Who
that stakeholder was we did not know
until that day of the meeting at our
office. Then Captain Warren told u.s.
"But he did not know either?"
mot until then. He supposed his
Akrae stock worthless and had prac-
tically forgotten it. When we told him
of it's value, of the note and OF
the missing shareholder, he knew, OF
course. One would have thought he
was the wrongdoer and not the wrong
ed. He would have gone straight to
you and asked your pardon il we would
have permitted it."
"But, Mr.. Sylvester. now we are
coming to the part l cannot under
stand. OF course the estate belonged
to him. l know that. 1t is his. But
WHY didn't he tell Steve and me the
truth then, at once?"
Caroline, Caroline, don't you under
stand yet? Do you imagine for one
moment that your uncle intends keep
ing that money!"
She stared at him in utter amaze
ment.
keeping it?" she repeated. "Why
not? 1t Is his. 1t belongs to him."
Caroline, I'm afraid you don't know
him even yet. He was for going to
you at once and destroying the note
in your presence. He would have done
it, but we persuaded him to wait and
think it over for a day or two. He did
think and then decided to wait a little
longer for your sake"
"For my sake? For miner She
passed her hand in a bewildered way
across her forehead. mi. Sylvester,
/ don't seem to understand ever
now. r.
For your sake. Caroline. Remem-
Der, at that time you were engaged
to Malcolm Dunn"
Her intent gaze wavered. she drew
a long breath. 81 see," she said slow
ly. "Oh-I see."
eyes. Captain Warren is one OF the
best Judges of character ever met
The Dunns did not deceive him for one
He was certain Malcolm in
tended marrying you because or your
one For that matter, so was l. He
knew you must see the proof with youl
own eyes. And he showed it to you."
But them" she begged distractedly
"why couldn't he tell me after that? ]
Il am so stupid, | s~uppose-but, Mr.
Sylvester, all this isis
"He might have told you then, but
he did not think it best. Caroline, your
uncle has always believed in you. Ever
when you sent him from your home be
did not blame you. He said you were
deceived-that was all. But, too, he
has always declared that you had been
as he expressed it, brought up wrong.
Your money had, in a way, warped
your estimate of people and things
And there was Steve. You know, Caro-
line, that money and what it brought
were spelling Steve. He has neve beer
so much of a man as during the pas
year, when he thought himself poor
But your uncle has planned for him as
we'll as for you, and when he believes
the time has come he
'Please," she interrupted falteringly-
please don't say any more. Let me
think, MI. Sylvester. You say thai
Uncle Elisha intends giving us all thai
father took from him-all of itT'
Eyes, all. He considers himself mere
ly your guardian still and will accept
only his expenses from the estate"
ct is wonderful she repeated bro
kenly. Even though we cannot take
it, it is wonderful"
"What? Cannot take it?'
3 "Of course not, Do you suppose that
either my brother or l would take the
fortune that our father stole-yes, stole
from him, after he has been living al
most in poverty all these years and we
in luxury-on his money? Of course
we shall not take itr'
But, Caroline, | imagine you will
have to take it. l understand YOU
feelings, but | think he will compe
you to take it."
81 shall not!" She sprang to hel
feet. "Of course | shall not! Never
NeverI''
whats that you're never goin' tt
take, Caroline-measles or another triI
down in these parts? l hope faint the
last, cause I've been callatin' you'd
like it we'll enough to come again."
Caroline turned. So did Sylvester
Captain Elisha vas standing in the
doorway. his hand on the knob. he
was smiling broadly, but as he looked