THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 327, 1 March 1910, Page 6

THE STORYTELLER.

A MILLIONAIRE'S WOOING Thu door of the state-room swung sharply back on its hinges, then closed. its sound caused the" girl's heart to throb guiltily beneath her bosom, as cowering with her back up against an opened sate Daphne Langford realised that for her there could be no escape. It would now only be but a matter of second, before a switehed-on electric light discovered her with its searching glare. The iron door against which she rested for support would convict her on sight.

An instinct of self-preservation made her swiftly close it. The movement, abruptly silent, sychronised with a bt»trayhig glare of electricity. Alan and g-irl faced each other—the one ashen, with a mark of detected guilt stamped clearly on each lovely ieature; the other allowing a covert smile of mockery to curl the corners of his sternly-moulded lips. The recognition proved mutual. It was, however, left for the man to voice it.

"Miss Langford, I had never expected to see you here to-night. Gad! this is —or —a most unexpected pelasure." A light of misery crept in Daphne's eyes as, slowly home in on her fevering brain, there came a knowledge that the man facing her intended to play his victim as an angler might a fish.

, By her act Daphne had constituted herself his enemy, and James Waldron possessed a dread reputation of mcrcilessness for such.

The world, had long since closed the gates of friendship against the millionaire, for men feared and hated him for his powers m forcing "corners" on the American market, lu return he trusted none.

Dapline Langford, iu common with the rest of the passengers on board the liner, knew his reputation and quailed. What mercy could she hope to win from such a man?

"I am glad I abandoned the concert for the seclusion of my deck suite! You must excuse me if I have—cr—kept you waiting. I—er—-had not expected so charming a viistor.''

The low drawl of his voice ■quickened an accent, as turning his back on the girl he slowly crossed the cabin. Gaining his door he locked it; then, placing the key in his pocket, faced his companion, whom he had constituted a prisoner by the act. For a moment their glances nHt, crossing each other's in challenge like duelists' steel.

The girl encountered the millionaire's calculating glance as, with a hand pressing the small iron door of the safe, he faced the prisoner. Discovering the former to be open, Waldron had closed it. The lock's ciink rang like a death-knell in the girl's guilty ears, and in doing so awakened within her soul a not of passionate defiance, as inexplicable as it was intense. Till then ;\ hysterical eontriction of th.-> throat had robbed her of speech, now—'"Mr. Waldron," she said abruptly, "will you kindly send for the captain? T have no desire to stay in this cabin lontrer than is necessary." The millionaire laughed, slowly mixing himself a brandy and soda, them, glancing through the liquid at the light of an electric bulb, remarked ineonseeuently.

Afraid of being compromised, eh?

Silence answered the peri incut question, for a!i th-:U the girl's 'ilondies-s lips twitched as though in an endeavor to fram- an r.nswcr to the millionaire's casual remark.. Daphne Laugford's growing distress became patent enough to kill the mocking curl of Waldron's heavy mouth. Tn doing so it awoki into ixmg a feeling of pity, strangely at vtriancu with the usual mercilessness of his smu.

I The steely glitter of the man's glance ! bee an e less piercing, as seating himself j on the edge r,f the table, so as to face his unwilling companion, he motioned her to a cbi'.ii.

"Why did you visit my cabin to-nig':;t, Miss Langford?" Abrupt as was the question, it evoked an answer every whit as terse: "To steal."

"Tou are honest in confession, at any rate," he remarked grimly. "Do you know, till to-night I have never met a person plucky enough to admit himself a thief. I admire grit in. anything—man, girl or beast. 'Pon my' soul, I almost have it in my mind to admire you." "Possibly, because you lack the courage to imitate my example."

I "Will you be more explicit?" he re- ! marked, coldly. "Do you insinuate I ! am a thief?" I. "Is an insinuation necessary when ,the fact is so obvious?" I The millionaire's brows lowered in I overt hostility. Strangely enough, the 'girl now felt no fear of the man holdi ing her fate in the* hollow of his hand. I ,Her lack of dread- found its mirror in I the contemptuous curl of her sensitive ,lips.

"T see," said he hoarsely. ''You Jo not insinuate—you state—l am a thief?" "Precisely." "AnJ your aJvent here to-night, your deliberate opening of my safe, in order that you might, rifle Its contents, were merely acts of a " "Girl who intended to steal from a man that which he had already thieved from her." Waldron started. The ' quiet interruption had been as unexpected as it was disconcerting. "What in the name of creation have I ever robbed you of?" he rapped out shortly, surprise for the moment causing him to forget his anger. "T nude an error when I said myself. Allow me to correct the statement. I should have sal3 —my father." ''Would you favor me with a more complete explanation?"

'•'My fa filer's nanis is Ernest Lang ford. Perhaps it possesses some significance for even von, Mr. Waldron?'

The millionaire's face portrayed a look of astonishment. Unconsciously he chewed the end of his moustache, then looked questioningly across at the girl, who met his puzzled glance with so defiant a stare.

"So Ernest Langford is your father,"] he muttered, hoarsely. "By dove, vrko'd have thought it! Of course, when 1 read your name on the passenger list, it was a familiar enough one to mo. I never for a moment, however, associated it with this. Why should I? How was it possible 1 could imagine his daughter to be Lady Malvain's companion? Ernest Langford—er—was a rich man when 1 met him last —er —a month or so b'.'iore his disappearance." Waldron paused: then, recovering his composure by a supreme effort of his iron will added, cynically: "Gad! I'm hanged if the adventure does not promise to ,be an even more interesting one than I ■ —er—had imagined. Is you —er —father on this vessel?" "No." ''You canic to—er—take some papers from that safe to-night?" "Yes." "You intended to—cr—forward them 10 ij-our father, I presume—eh?" Daphne's eyes Hashed dangerously. "My father is an honest man," she .replied, frigidly. Waldron nodded, the mockery of his smile intensifying as he spoek. "I appreciate the covert allusion,'' said he. "I will also let it pass without comment. Would you kindly let me know the name of the man who—er —put you up to—er—burgling my safe?"

"You will forgive me if I refuse to answer that question. It is obviously my business. Yours " Daphne shrugged her shoulders for a completion of her sentence. "Well?" said Waldron, grimly. "What do you conceive to be mine? Sending to the captain to hand you over to Ms tender mercies?"

Daphne shivered as though fretted bj the edge of a chilling blast. Her eyes, being lowered, failed to oh serve the tender light that, all unhid den, had slowly crept into his. "Is that, what you imagine to be mine ?"

"You caught me red-handed,'' she replied, coldly. "You have no other course left open. You are not likely to so forget precedent as to offer me my liberty. Even were you so kind I should still refuse the gift of freedom at your hands. 1 would accept no favor from the man who. robbing my father, beggared us, so that we had to seek in the gutter for a means of livelihood." "ft is a thing you could not refuse did 1 decide to make you a present of the same," laughed Waldron. "So far f.s giving you liberty is concerned, I am master of the situation."

"Indeed? Let me prove otherwise," replied Daphne, coldly. "When I came to this cabin 1 had resolved to ruin you, even as you have ruined mine. Believe me, 1 weighed every risk and every danger before I attempted the gamble. Had I won the game, the details of your contemplated coup on the London Stock Exchange would have been in the hands oi your enemies before another twelve hours had passed over our heads."

"The coup you allude to would, of course, have never been attempted," remarked Waldroa, irony inflecting every accent of his comment. "The missiii; papers would have warned me to ,'.isist."

"The papers would not have been missing.' Waldron started, and then softly whistled.

"By Gad!" he muttered, grimly. "Von would have taken mental note of their contents, eh? 1 had not' thought :;f that contingency. It's a deuced strange thing, is it not, how we men generally manage to underestimate your sex's resource, Miss Langford?" "You realise my projected modus operandi to perfection,' replied Daphne, in low, incisive accents. "Not a papain that safe yonder would have ever appeared disturbed. I should have marked the position of each document, yet, given five minutes, I should have mastered their contents. My coming to this cabin was a gamble, Mr. Waldron. If I have lost the deal, T think I am too good a player to complain. Still, if I have failed to earn the money I had hoped to, I at least have the satisfaction left me of knowing my scheme for your ruin has in no wise been interfered with by your chance entrance." The girl laughed recklessly as, crossing the cabin, she seized a revolver lying on the top of the safe. Holding it; she turned anew to face the millionaire.

Waldron involuntarily recoiled a pace. Recognising the weapon as being his own, and realising that he himself was was unarmed, he felt strongly tempted to press the stewards' bell for assistance.

Puzzled by her attitude, he advanced a pace towards where she stood, ti. : .-n paused, hesitatingly. "Well," said he coolly, "what's the game ?" "Can you doubt? You surely do not think a Langford would ever consent to ue arrested as a proven thiei? As I told you a few minutes hack, I carefully weighed every consequence before I entered this cabin. I had made up my mind how to act if it so happened you should discover me red-handed." Daphne paused; then added, smilingly, "Fottune has l>een a resourceful accomplice to me, Mr. Waldron. She induced you to leave your revolver lying on a deck-ehair when you went below for dinner to-night. She also made you forget to withdraw the key from the lock of that door. You will admit, I am sure, that Dame Fortune has been unusually kind in aiding me to cry quits with you." '•'Frankly, I don't understand what

you mean to do." romanced Waldron. coldly. "I should Oc obliged if you would put that revolver down. It is—cr —my property." Daphne smiled mockingly. "1 am sure you must realise by now that the fact or anything beiivg your property would not prevent niy" taking it, had 1 a mmd to do so." she replied. "I am, however, pleased you rocog ii-e the weapon as being your own. Vmi will be so much better able to understand how I intend to ruin you. Everybody on board the liner would acknowledge your ownership of the revolvr if it were to be lost. The peculiar .ivory butt would betray 1 hat niticl! even we're its initial* lacking. I an alone here in this cabin with you. and by. its aid 1 intend Lo avoid the disgrace of arrest uy committing suicide. You understand, of course, the deduction most people must necessarily draw from the evidence at. hand."

Waldron's irank laugh oE uncontrolled merriment stayed the drawing of u„ ; trigger of the weapon Daphne now held to her brow. The millionaire's overt merriment had thrown the girl oil' her guard, even as he intended that it should.

The next instant Waldron had gained her side, Daphne feeling her right wrist jerked violently downwards by a hand oi steel,

"Drop that gun, girl! Or do you \vant me to break the bor.e to make you obey me?"

The fingers encircling Daphne's wrist constricted as he spoke. Thy pain of the bruising flesh grew intense as the girl, voicing her pain in an agonised whimper, obeyed the command. Stooping abruptly, he indeed the weapon up from the carpet at his companions feet.

Thrusting it into lus pocket, he crossed his cabin to the table to pour himself out a glass of brandy with a tihiikinc Hand.

Waldron was trembling like a leaf.

"Heavens!" he muttered, hoarsely, jhis voice sounding hardly above a whisper. "Heavens, child, you'd have pulled the trigger in another moment! Daplr.ie, what in the world made you think 1 should wish to give you in charge? Out West we are accustomed to think rapidly. I have had my life in danger' t'JO often not to do so quicker than most. If this were not the case you'd have been dead by now." Pausing, Waldron passed a trembling hand across his bro.v. on which great beads of ice-cold sweat had burst themselves into existence, then added: "Daphne, what made you think I should want to hand you over to the authorities?"

For the second time the girl's Christian name had unconsciously escaped his lipa. The first occasion had passed unheeded. The second caught Daphne's ear. leaving her wondering —puzzled, by the familiarity bred of the moment, as by the earnestness now oi Waldron's voice.

"Why do you think I should want to hand you over to the authorities?" he .reiterated, huskiiv.

"Tor the reason that I am a proclaimed thief,''' she answered, slowly.

Silence fell between them, broken only bv the distant thrumming of the liner's engines driving the vessel's vast hull to wards Queenstown. Waldron's manner robbed Daphne of all power to speak, since his clear grey eyes bore a message .to her brain alie could not fail to understand. The man who held the fate'within the hollow of his hand loved her. Slowly hut. surely the message »f Waldron's soul, originally flashed to her brain by the medium of his eyes, were transmitted -.-.> Daphne's heart. To the girl's surprise it was suddenly home on her mind that the strong, plain man before her might easily win a woman'* hpsu-t. lie would conquer it by the very magnetism of his strength —his will.

"Shall T ten von, Daphne, why I am determined to give you your liber)"?" A faint flush stole trom the white arch of Pannno-'s throat to the level of her temples. Girl-like, she trembled, waiting for the eonfession she knew would fall from the lips of the sternfaced man Before lier.

The moment thrilled with beauty; it \vn~ on- she refused to break by words of hers.

"Tt is because 1 love you, dearest." The magic word was spoken. T?v even- canon of love the spell had been Bro'ken, yet "Daphne refused to breik the hush following hotly on the fr.ds of the millionaire's confession. ' "I have heard your story." Waldron's accents throbbed out on the reigning silence in awkward utterance. "It is only fair, therefore, that you should hear my version of the history of your father's" ru'in. Langford belonged to tlie -lesson ring. My aim was to break Jesson, as he had so often tried to do for me. For years I had patiently awaited my chance, till at last it came with the pooling of the Colorado Consolidated Interests. I sank a million in 'bearing the market. 'Beared' it till' Colorado paper was not worth the price of its printing and I had smashed my enemy and his crowd. While Consolidated Interests were at their very lowmy agents bought up every inch of scrip. In a fortnight 1 became the boss of the Colorado Consolidated Mines and had smashed Jesson and his ring. Langford .was"lhe only honest man in the whole crowd. I was sorry for him. s>ut he, of course, had to go with the rest. I could make no exceptions. To my regret, he disappeared from Wall Street. I had hoped, Daphne, he would have come to me—have asked to join my ring. Had your father done so. child, I would have recouped him every penny of his loss, tor—he saved my life once—years ago." Again silence followed the low. monotonous drawl of his voice,

"Weil/ 1 he said, gently, "have you nothing to say in answer?"

"Words are so cheap, Mr. Waldron—it is- impossible to criticise them or to appraise tncir true value," she said, slowly. The millionaire nodded his head; then, taking a cheque-book from his pocket, seated himself at the table to swiftly write a draft out as he did so. This done, he tore the slip of paper from its parent counterfoil, reading the same carefully beiore he crossed it. "Tour father's losses in the Colorado smash amounted to precisely £BO,OOO. I havo drawn out a cheque for tlv.it amount,'' saiad he, gravely; then slowly, as lie extended the draft towards his companion: "Mav I hope t\>r two things? The one, that you will forward this money to your father at. vour earliest convenience; the other, that you will admit my words to be at least—honest ?" vvaklron laid trie slip of paper on the Tabic adbicim to her hand; then, rising, crossed tn the door. Unlocking it. he relurned to where Daphne stood, nervously twisting his cheque bchve.-m her fingers. "You are free," said he, quietly. "Your visit to my state-room to-ni«ht

is a secret we both of us, I think, can keep." The low-uttered words broke down the last barriers of Daphne's reserve. Her lips quivered ominously. "You are strangely good to me," she whispered, tremulously. "Can rumor be, then, so wrong when it says your heart has never felt the iret of either mercy or of pity? Surely it must have lied, Mr. Waldron, when you have been so good to me—to us?" "Good!" The millionaire echoed the word huskily, .possessing himself of her hand as he spoke. "Good! Daphne, you flonTi know —you can't imagine how good 1 could be, if you would only sive me thfc right to be so." i Daphne did not withdraw her hand from his, for all that her breath came in a short, sharp gasp at the touch of encircling fingers. '"The right? How could I give you that?" she whispered, raising her eyes to his in timid question, for all she knew the answer ere it could be voicul. "By marrying me," replied Waldron, with so sudden a tenseness that it robbed him of his hardness. "Daphne! Heaven alone knows how I love you—how T want you to be my wife. Child —do you think you could ever love n'C sufficiently to be—that?" 'Daphne's nether lip quivered ominously, yet she met her lover's »aze with another almost as steady as his own. "I don't think, dear," she whispered, brokenly; " I—know I could, now, James."