Now, as he walked along the beach and thought of the daughter of his father’s partner, he groaned.  He, as well as the women of the family, knew well the Taffy King’s obstinacy.

His streak of determination had enabled I. Tapp to reach the pinnacle of business wealth and influence.  When he wanted a thing he went after it, and he got it!

If his father was really determined that Lawford should marry Dot Johnson, and her parents were willing, the young man had an almost uncanny feeling that the candy manufacturer’s purpose would be accomplished.

And yet Lawford knew that such was a coward-nature feeling.  Why should he give up the only thing he had ever really wanted in life—­so it seemed to him now—­because of any third person’s obstinacy?

“Of course, she won’t have me anyway,” an inner voice told him.  And, after a time, Lawford realized that that, too, was his coward-nature speaking.

On the other hand:  “Why should I give her up?  Further, why should I marry Dot Johnson against my will, whether I can get Louise Grayling or not?”

This thought electrified him.  His easy-going, placid disposition had made a coward of him.  In his heart and soul he was now ready to fight for what he desired.  It was now not merely the question of winning Louise’s love.  Whether he could win her or not his determination grew to refuse to obey his father’s command.  He revolted, right then and there.  Let his father keep his money.  He, Lawford Tapp, would go to work in any case and would support himself.

This was no small resolve on the part of the millionaire’s son.  He could not remember of ever having put his hand into an empty pocket.  His demands on the paternal purse had been more reasonable than most young men of his class perhaps, because of his naturally simple tastes and the life he had led outside the classroom.  Without having “gone in” for athletics at Cambridge he was essentially an out-of-door man.

Nevertheless, to stand in open revolt against I. Tapp’s command was a very serious thing to do.  Lawford appreciated his own shortcomings in the matter of intellect.  He knew he was not brilliant enough to make his wit entirely serve him for daily bread—­let alone cake and other luxuries.  If his father disinherited him he must verily expect to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow.

It was that evening, after his fruitless call at Cap’n Abe’s store, that the young man met his father and had it out.  Lawford came back to Tapp Point in the motor boat.  As he walked up from the dock there was a sudden eruption of voices from the house, a door banged, and the Taffy King began exploding verbal fireworks as he crunched the gravel under foot.

“I’ll show him!  Young upstart!  Settin’ the women on me!  Ha!  Thinks he can do as he pleases forever and ever, amen!  I’ll show him!”

Just then he came face to face with “the young upstart.”  I. Tapp seized his son’s arm with a vicious if puny grasp and yelled: