The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-06-01


take charge of the con,pnny 'n'gii
1t wouldn't have been very Ion. before
l could have started in as ship own
er myself but in view of his cOndi-.
ton. Ben made me promises that Of
fered me most. Afterward his malady
progressed so that he couldn't know
himself to be untrustworthy his judg-
ment was impaired, and he planned
and would have tried to carry out
many things that would have been
disastrous for the company. l had to
fight him-for the company's sake and
for my own sake and that of the 9TH
ers. whose interests were at stake.
Your father came to see that what
was doing was for the company's good
and has learned to trust me. But you
you couldn't see that quite so direct
ly. of course. and you thought didn't
like Ben, and there was some lack in
me which made me fail to, appreciate
him.
NO; not that" Constance denied
quickly. Not that. Henry"
"What was 1t then, Connie? You
it tO nlni L
realize that l owed a great debt to
him; but the only way could pay that
debt was to do exactly what I did
oppose him and seem to push into his
place and be an migrate; for, because
did that, Ben's been respected and
honored man in this town all these
last years, which he couldn't have re-
mained If I'd let him have his way, or
If told others why had to do what
l did. 1 didn't care what others
thought about me but did care what
you thought; yet If you couldn't see
what l was up against because Of your
affection for him, why-that was all
right too"
mo, it wasn't all right" she denied
almost fiercely, the flush flooding her
cheeks; throbbing was in her throat
which, for an instant, stopped her.
"You should have told me, Henry; or
i should have been able to see."
81 couldn't tell you-dear," he said
the last word very distinctly, but SO
low that she could scarcely hear. 81
couldn't tell you now-if Ben hadn't
gone away as he has and this other
fellow come. l couldn't tell you when
you wanted to keep caring so much
for your Uncle Benny. and he was try
ing to hurt me with YOU
She bent toward him, her lips part
ed; but now she did not speak. She
never had really known Henry until
this moment, she felt; she had thought
Of him always as strong, almost bru-
tai. fighting down fiercely, mercilessly,
his opponents and welcoming contest
for the Joy of overwhelming others by
his own decisive strength and power.
And she had been almost ready to
marry that man for his strength and
dominance from those qualities; and
now she knew that he was merciful
too-indeed, more than merciful. In
the very contest where she had
thought of him as most selfish and re-
gardless of another, she had most
completely misapprehended.
II ought to have seenl" she rebuked
herself to him. Surely, I should have
seen that was 1t |"
How could you see" he defended
her. HE never showed to you the side
he showed to me and-in these last
years, anyway-never to me the side
he showed to you. But after what has
happened this week, can you under
stand now; and you can see why I
have tot distrust the young fellow
who's come to claim Ben Covert's
place"
uCgo;r,, 80 Norstanco ranaata1 ayytx
Henry, did not know he claimed any
thing; he didn't even know when he
came here"
HE seems, like Ben Corvet," Henry
said slowly, ITO have the characters
tic of showing one side to you, another
to me, Connie. With you, of course,
he claimed nothing; but at the office
Your father showed him this morning
the instruments Of transfer that Ben
seems to have left conveying to him
all Ben had-his other properties and
his interest in Corvet, Sheriff. and
Spearman. l very naturally objected
to the execution of those transfers,
without considerable examination, in
view of Corvet's mental condition and
Of the fact that they put the control
ling stock Of Corvet, Sheriff. and
Spearman in the hands Of d youth no
one ever had heard of-and one who,
by his own story. never had seen
ship until yesterday. And when 1
didn't dismiss my business with
dozen men this morning to take him
into the company. he claimed occasion
to see me alone to threaten me-"
Threaten you. Henry? How7 With
whatf"
~ couldn't quite make out myself,
but that was his tone; he demanded
an explanation Of exactly what, he
didn't make clear. He has been given
by Ben. apparently, the technical con-
troll Of Corvet, Sheriff. and Spearman.
His idea, If 1 oppose him, evidently Is
to turn me out and take the manage
ment himself"