The Bantyre Fortune

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1000, 17 June 1930, Page 5

The Bantyre Fortune

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PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

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CHAPTER X. — (Continued.) Mark was on him with one spring, and drove his fist to the leering mouth. Cyprian’s head rocked backward, and he staggered with a crash against the door, but, recovering instantly, he rushed back with the roar of a wild beast. There followed a wild, confused struggle, during which they -went crashing about the square hall, bumping into tables, upsetting chairs and shattering ornaments, too intent on the desire to damage each other to take any notice of anything else. Suddenly Cyprian broke from a clinch and sprang to where two ancient swords hung crossed upon a wall, and seizing one, tore it from its fastening. Before he could turn to use it Mark was on him, and gripping his arm, gave it sucli a twist that the weapon fell clattering to the stone floor, then swinging him to the centre of the hall, they closed again, and the battle was resumed with redoubled energy until it was interrupted by the flinging open of the front door and the amazed cry of a harsh voice;.— “What is going on here? Has the house been turned into a bear garden?’’ They broke a.part to see Wayne Garfield and Hector Cousins standing astonished in the doorway. For some seconds nobody spoke again. Cyprian was panting heavily, and blood was welling from a cut on his lower lip; Mark, too, was breathing hard, but had sustained no damage of any consequence. The newcomers advanced into the hall, frowning on the disorder. Garfield tripped over the fallen sword, stared at it for a moment disapprovingly, and then picked it up gingerly, looking round to find a place to put it where it could do no harm. Hector Cousins shook his head at his son. “What is the meaning of this? What has been happening?” ho asked. His rubicund face, with its round, almost childish eyes, wore an expression of shocked amazement, and his mild voice was charged with disapproval. “This fellow forced his way in here and assaulted me without the slightest provocation!” spluttered Cyprian from behind the handkerchief with which he was mopping his bleeding lip. “I had ample provocation,” said Mark, “and I was simply punishing you as you deserved for speaking disrespectfully of a lady.” “Punishing me!” growled Cyprian, crushing the stained handkerchief fiercely in his fist. “I’d ha.d knocked your grinning face in if we had not been interrupted—and for two pins I’d do it now!” He made a threatening movement, and Mark stepped lightly back, his eyes watchful and his arms hanging loosely at his sides. The scuffle had given him the measure of Cyprian as a fighter. His big form and bull-like strength made him formidable at close quarters, but he was no boxer, and Mark knew- that if he could keep him at a distance he had nothing to fear. He would have -welcomed the chance to give the bully a really scientific hammering, but he was not to have the gratification then. “Let us have no more violence, my son,” said Hector softly, “but tell us

who this person is, and why you were quarrelling.” “Hejs the fellow I phoned you about who was talking to the girl at the gate,” replied Cyprian sullenly. "I know nothing more than I did then, except that I heard him telling her that old Bantyre was her father, and she is upstairs now packing her luggage to go away with him.” "What? He knows that, and he thinks she will be allowed to go?” The words, uttered in a hoarse scream, drew all eyes to Wayne Garfield. His emaciated face was seamed with passion, and there was a murderous gleam in his sunken eyes as he advanced on Mark with the ancient sword blade glittering in his grasp. CHAPTER NI. DANGER “Garfield! Are you mad?” With a promptitude scarcely to be expected of him, Hector Cousins was at the other man’s side, and, catching him by the wrist, snatched the sword from him. Garfield turned on him, furiously. "Mad? No, I am not mad, hut you will be if you let him leave this house with the girl! You heard what he has told her: how do we know how much more he has learned by his tricks and ruses?” "What are you talking about?” demanded Hector. “What tricks? What ruses?” “How do I know r what he has done besides trying to deceive me yesterday? He was in my office yesterday, lying and blustering, when you came in—haven’t you recognised him?” “In your office?” Hector turned a piercing scrutiny on Mark and there was a glint in his eyes which denied their apparent innocence. “I remember someone was just going as I entered, but I did not notice —w r hat did he want?” “What should he want?” Garfield’s tone was raucous with bate. “He was spying, of course! I did not suspect it then, but I knew there was something wrong about him. He wormed his way in with a trumped-up story of wanting a job as a junior clerk and had the impudence to become abusive when I turned him down!” Mark could not restrain a grim smiie at the twist Garfield’s suspicions had given to his visit to the office, but he said nothing. Denials would hardly be credited and it did not seem to matter what they thought of him. But Garfield saw the smile and it added fuel to his rage. “See how he grins at the thought of liis trick!” he exclaimed, furiously. “He can’t deny that he was spying then, and he was doing it again at the Riche last night!” "What’s that?” cried Hector. “The Riche? Was he there? Did they meet —but no! She did not speak to anyone —or did she, without my knowing?” “She didn’t speak to him-pH saw to that!” returned Garfield. “But she saw him and they recognised each other.” “Are you sure? She told us she knew nobody in London! Why wasn’t I told of this?” Hector’s fussy perturbation was almost comic to witness, but Mark, watching him closebT felt

that there were dark and dangerous depths beneath his disarming exterior. Now he suddenly snapped at Garfield; “And you said you thought you saw them in the dining room as well?” _ “Yes. X couldn’t be sure at the time. There were so many people betiveen, and a palm tree nearly hid them. But their table was quite close to his. I didn’t think anything of it then ” “But now matters are beginning to become clear!” said Hector. He faced Mark again and liis voice was ominously smooth: “So you are in league with those scoundrels? May I take it that you are here at their behest and that it is by their instructions you have revealed to the poor girl who is in my house the fact that my late uncle was her father?” His manner changed to one of pained remonstrance. “Did you tell her at the same time that the relationship has been concealed hitherto from motives of pure benevolence? Were you so cruel as to tell her that she has no right to bear her father’s name?” “What is that you are saying?” The four men started as Naomi’s voice rang sharply from the head of the stairs, but Mark was quick to notice that Hector’s gesture of surprise was overdone. He had been aware of the girl’s approach and the alteration of his manner from anger to almost pathetic reproof was entirely for her benefit. “What did you mean?” Naomi had run down, to the hall and gone impetuously to Hector. She w T as wearing coat, hat and gloves and had evidently just came from the room where she had been packing. “My dear, I am sorry! I would not have had this happen for worlds!” Hector threw out his hands deprecatingly, while his childlike eyes sought Mark Seymour’s face as though trying to read how much he really knew before committing himself too far. But his son was a stranger to caution and burst out brutally:—“Why don’t you tell her and get it over? She has heard she is Bantyre’s daughter, she may as well know that he and her -mother -were never married and that she is illegitimate!” “Never married!” Naomi swung on him, her face aflame with indignation. “Are you suggesting that my mother was ” The worfts died on her lips, choked with anger. “He is lying!” Mark stepped to her side and touched her lightly on the arm. “Your father and mother were married in proper form. The proof is in existence.” “Proof?” She turned on him and there was proud scorn in her glorious eyes. “I don’t want proof of my mother’s honour! I know her!” Her faith was beautiful, and Mark felt it should be enough to convince the world, but a harsh laugh came from Wayne Garfield. “The law will require very convincing proof to satisfy it that this alleged marriage ever took place!" he said in his grating voice. “The law?” Naomi looked at him

uncomprehendingly. “What is it to the law?” “It is everything to you that you should be able to establish your position as the legal heir to the fortune your father left.” said Marie. "Don’t you understand that? These scoundrels are not interested in any moral aspect of the case. They are hoping to swindle you as they have been swindling your father for years!” "What do you mean by that?” Garfield suddenly advanced on Mark, his cadaverous face distorted by passion. "The accounts you have been manipulating for the years during which Mr. Bantyre was too ill to supervise his business ■will answer that!” retorted Mark. With a croaking exclamation of rage Garfield raised his hands, the bony fingers crooked to fasten on Mark’s throat, hut Hector caught him by tbe arm and dragged him back. “Patience! Patience!” he said soothingly. "We must hear more of this. Stand back, Cyprian!” His voice was scarcely raised, but there came into it a sudden note of imperative command and his son who, stimulated by the violence of Garfield’s action, had made a threatening movement toward Mark, fell back in instant obedience. Still keeping a restraining hand on Garfield, Hector turned to Mark and addressed him in accents of pained reproof: “You have made very serious accusations, young man. The question is, are you aware how serious they are and would you be prepared to support them in a court of !aw ?” “You know whether They are true or not,” said Mark. "No, No! Pardon me, but that is not the point.” Hector’s manner was unruffled afid his gentle voice as smooth as silk. “You spoke of scoundrels who were hoping to swindle this young lady, and, however uncomplimentary I may consider the description, I cannot avoid the conclusion that you meant it to cover me as well as my good friend, Garfield. “I did.” "Quite. Quite.” Hector did not show the faintest resentment at the doubt cast on his honesty. "But in that case you must see that what I know —supposing for the sake of argument Q?at I know anj'thing of what you a4p talking about—is immaterial.

You could hardly expect me to go into the witness-box to give evidence against myself. So, as I said, the important question is, are you prepared to support your accusations in a court of law—and, what evidence have you to do it with?” "The evidence will be forthcoming at the proper time,” said Mark. “You know where it Is, then?” The question slipped out with an accent of benevolent interest, but it seemed to catch Mark unpx’epared. To declare that he did know would be to lie flatly and might do no good in the long run; while to admit his ignorance would be to expose what he felt to be the weakest spot in his whole position. To Hector, watching him with an intentness to which his chubby softness was an effective mask, his hesitation was answer enough. “You don’t know!” he said with an exasperating air of certainty. “There is a very good reason why you don’t. No such evidence exists.” “You know that is not true.” "I know? X know? My good young man, you would really be well advised to leave anything you imagine me to know out of the question, and to reconsider what you think you know yourself and the source from which it came.” Mark shot a quick look at him. “If you told us that, we should be able to make it clear to Miss Bantyre why you are so anxious to take her from our care—and to whom you proposed to take her. It might also explain what profit you expect for yourself from the transaction!” "Profit? What does he mean by that?” Naomi demanded of Mark with a puzzled face; but he had no chance to reply, for Hector’s gentle voice went on: — "You surely don’t give him credit for coming here with this wild story without hoping to get something out of it —or do you? Are you regarding him as a Fairy Prince urged by nothing but a romantic sense of justice to rescue you from a set of wicked ogres? Is that what he has told yon about himself?” “He has told me nothing about himself,” said Naomi, her eyes still on Mark. “No doubt he had good reasons for his silence! But even you must know that people don’t act as he Is acting without very sufficient reasons!” Naomi looked at him for a moment as though uncertain of his meaning; then, abruptly turning from him, she faced Mark with an Intent gaze.

| “Have you a sufficient reason?” she j asked. There was the briefest hesitation before he answered simply: “Yes.” “Will you tell me what it is?” There was another pause while his eyes met hers and clung to them. A . whimsical smile showed on his lip: and he said: — “This is hardly the time or plae for it, but since you ask I can’t refuse. The reason is that I fell in love with you the first moment I saw you; that I shall love you as long as life lasts; and that I would give that life now or at any time if it would be of the slightest service to you!” There came a cackling laugh from Wayne Garfield and Cyprian uttered a derisive exclamation; but Hector had listened as though weighing every j tone in Mark’s voice, searching his ! face with his pale eyes. Naomi re- [ ceived this strange declaration of love in silence and, for a second or two, she also seemed to be weighing ! i-alues. Suddenly she drew herself | up with a smile that sent the blood ; leaping in Mark's veins. ‘ “Shall we go now?” she said and | turned to the door. * 0 * Mark was at Naomi’s side with a bound. But Wayne Garfield was between them and the door, barring the I way. ! “Not so fast!” he exclaimed threateningly and Cyprian lept forward and ranged his bulk beside him. Mark was in the act of gathering himself to spring and hurl them aside when Hector’s voice cut the air with an accent of command that dominated his associates. “Wait! There must be no violence! Cyprian, stand back. You may guard the door if that amuses you, but you will not stir hand or foot without my order! Understand that!” H:s son shrank back with the sullen, deteated aspect of a whipped schoolboy and Hector turned to Naomi, his voice once more of silky gentleness. “Of course if you are resolved to leave my house I shall not attempt to detain you; but I advise you to think before you do anything you may' repent. Haven’t you arrived very suddenly at I your decision to trust this younE man? You told us at the office yesI terday that you had not a single : friend, or even acquaintance, in ! London.” I (To be Continued Tomorrow. >