Ellsworth American., 1921-09-07
BEATING cARs1oNS
BY JACK LAWTON.
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Blossom went up the tangled path
to the spot where fallen tree made
an inviting resting place. Blossoms
actual name was Phillipa Carston,
which was the nearest to Philip that
a feminine might attain. The "Great"
Philip Carston had no son. Phillipa
had been familiar with this cognomen
of her fathers from childhood. Philip
Carston the "great" capitalist; Carston
the great" financier, the newspapers
quoted him. The girl accepted her
luXurieS and her favored life as mat
ter of course, while the mother-love,
which she had never known, was SUBJ
stituted by her father. Blossom" as
he loved to call her, was the one OBJ
ject of the successful mans over
whelming affection, but his competi-
tors in business would have named
money as his one passion. Blossom
knew better; she realized that the
least anxiety concerning her own
small person would bring him imme-
diately to her side, disregarding the
most pressing affair of business. She
had come with him to this wild ranch
land, where he intended to end the
disappointing bargaining for adjacent
valuable lands in which his manager
had been defeated. Blossom frowned,
as she sat, recalling the story which
had been repeated to her only that
morning. 1t brought to the girl a new
understanding of her invincible father.
She had supposed that business deal
ings must be fair always, and just, and
that Philip Carston's wealth had been
justly earned. Yet. the story that the
serving woman at the ranch house
told her forced other unwelcome
thoughts.
"He can buy anyone out of any
thing" the old woman declared.
Might is power"
The woman's sympathies were with
Linda it seemed, and Linda was the
hard working, unsefish wife of the
young man who had bought and was
holding by painful labor the property
that her own father coveted. There
were babies in Linda's home and she
craved for them happier future than
either she or her brave husband had
found. They'd have been happy" the
serving woman grumbled, "if Philip
CarSton had not forced them to the
WALL" But after each refusal upon
Jim Hopes part to sacrifice his land,
he found his hired labor bought over
at better price until 1t had become
impossible to keep help at all.
Father" she asked later "is it true
that you always get what you go
after?'
always" the man replied, and
laughed. mo one can beat a Carston
except a Carston."
AS Blossom sat upon her fallen log,
young man came eagerly to join her.
He was big bronzed-faced man, clad
not as a ranchman but as one from
her own city.
1T is strange" he mused presently,
away place to meet. Stranger that l
have journeyed in the effort to help
my old college chum jim Hope, while
it is your father who is making that
effort unavailing. OF what use any
loans that l could offer in barring
less" added the young man bitterly,
"as this great love for you which en-
tered my heart only to be frustrated"
Phillipa Carston stood and looked in
to the eyes of the man to whom her
own heart answered.
'I have thought the thing out" she
said "there is neither need or justice
in my fathers demand, nor is it right
that one selfish man should make a
god of wealth, or place it barrier to
love-" .~,~.... l.r...- .'.~-~H>
When Philip Carston returned to
his ranch house that night, his daugh-
ter was not there. The discovery of
her absence was alarming in that she
had been able to leave an astounding
message behind. The paper was thrust
between the leaves of book that her
father read each evening.
Father, dear" 1t said, "do not be
anxious, but I am to be carried away
from you, and held for ransom. The
price of my release will be the price
Jim Hope asks for his land. and you
will receive clear title to the same in
receipt of payment exacted. 1t will do
no good to cross-question or punish
this Jim Thorpe. He knows absolute
ly nothing concerning the plot, which
is being carried out by determined
sympathizers. am assured of good
care pending your fulfillment of the
conditions imposed, but please, father,
comply with that condition soon."
Searchers travelled the mountains,
every corner Of the Hope land was
under constant surveillance; but Phil
lipa was not to be found. The capt.
talist in his power grew daily more
pOwerleSs. For the first time in his
life Philip Carston suffered under
fight. His would undoubtedly be the