The daily Alaskan., 1921-09-24

By A wINGATE.

he AAu lpt yet AGANatAg SSttlSA NN"1 to work, for the door stood ujar and he was still exploring his portfolio and setting papers in order before him.
 Voices foated down the staircase, his wife's subdued, his sons deep and vibrant, Ashley's lips expanded in a satisfied smile.
 Have you thought Gordon Of the effect this will have upon your father and perhaps upon your prospcctST Mrs, Ashley asked.
 "Yes," answered the young man. "I have yielded to father iu choosing business instead of profession. In this l cannot yield"
 He will be disappointed" the moth CT said gr0vely.
 Gordon laughed shortly at this mild statement.
 "I am man now, mother, and this is matter in which one man may mol command another. l love Allie"
 We've played together summers down at Whcatdcld ever since we were kids, and | always liked her best" he finished, bOyiShly.
 His voice changed Co a bar>hcr rono
 Father Is ruininE his life and OUTS. % he said, stcnly. Everything that is his is touched by the blight of his oyerbeayuE temper. It Is wearing YOU out. ] can see lt Narior.es happiness was sacrificed Co his am. bitiou. Dick was forced into wncuu- genial employment We've all kept .u for your sake. but some day gArrru be a mighty smash There never was a man who thought himself omulTo tent since the days of Nehuchaauez- zar that the Almighty didn't humble him"
 At the look on his mothers face, be added contritely:
 Forgive me, mother. shouldn't have said It,
 They moved away.
 Ashley sat mououleSs. That merr- less indictment from Gordon, his hope and pride. It was mU Ua.t-auu~ before he arose. closed ,ho door aud locked h. lie dropped u,o his chair and laid his head upon his folded arms.
 Allie Betty Kent down in Wheat field"
 That mus, be Alice GUzahcgas daughter. In the days when Whea.- field had been h.s home Alice EUza- heth's name had Dot been Kent lou, Courtney,
 After a few moments, he raised his head. unlocked a drawer and took out a box. From the box he drew a >aan- by pockcthook, and from this, in wu 8 tiny. yeIIowed >lS bag. He united its Strfug and shook the contents out upon the blourr-a clrc'et ot braided sweet grass. dry and brittle, and R gold ring set with small diamond
 He remembered the day he had braided the grass and mca>urra Alice Euzaae.h.S finger.
 They sat under the naples on the river bank. The sun sent golden shafts of light through the trees To faU upon her yellow hair. She had insist ed upon having the braided ring to keep and had made the little slA bag for it the very evening he had placed the diamond on her finger.
 He remembered. too, tac evening nearly two years later, when she had given them back He recalled flag meuts of the conversation.
 "Tou have grown so harl.'
 Nothing matters except having your own way. and 1t does not matter that your way is not always right"
 'I do not dare to risk lie wi,h you"
 Please try to change, or I fear you will some day be a lonely, wrerched old man"
 His hurt had been deep. He could not destroy the rings, but had hidden them.
 ThIrty-fve years, and he had not changed. If tonight were any criterion. he was on his way to the lonely, wretched old age she had prophusicd
 A rap sounded at the door With the pitlrul diamond still clgspud in his hand. Ashley unlocked it.
 Gordon came in, his shoulders squared. "I wasn't sure you had come home" he said. Are you too busy to listen to me for a few mumenrsT
 Ashley pushed back his papers.
 "Go ahead" he said, Erutt5y
 Gordon came straight to the point
 "Tm engaged to be married, father. l thought ir best 10 tell you"
 Ashley was silent Gordon stumbled on. Tt is Allie Betty Kent. She lives Tn wheatdeld, where We used to go summers" He waited, tense, for the expected outburst.
 'In Wheatfeld," unused his father. Must be Alice Courmey's daugh- ter"
 "She is," answered the young man Rs1iava5 hp sgr an fhp corner 0F the