The Ironmaster's Daughter.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8263, 17 October 1906, Page 2

The Ironmaster's Daughter.

By OWEN MASTERS. Author of '*Clyda's Love Dream," "Nina's Repentance," «Her Soldier Lover," '-The Mystery of Woodcrojt," " For Love ofMarjorie f " etc.

{■" ' CHAPTER I. j DIOK TRESSIDY AND—ANOTHhJH. 'l'm glad you didn't go home without giving me a oall,' said Chester Stark genially. 'How long tiave you been bere, Mr Tresaidy?' 'A week.' . 'A week! And talk of leading 08? You can't do New York justice in the time, and yon must be my guest for just as long as you care to.' 'I hardy liked calling,' the young Englishman said, with a short laugh 'Our firms have been rivals for a pretty long time But 1 had a letter from the governor this mornins, and he said you wero all *>«"• 'Did in?' the America smiled primly. 'Look here, Mr Ti seidy, I have a wonderful amount of reepeotfpr your father-outside the Iron trade. Now, what do you know about fth ? business? You ve wandered around the works a few times, perhaps, and are content to go on in the old way, because you know no better.' Dick Tressidy made a scornful gesture, 'VVe have heaps of money he said. . „„ 'All righ\ young man. Not another word upon that point Jf you are above learning something, l have ten times the amount of your business under my control, and I'm nor afraid to show you how we beat the old country, or to pick up a wrinkle when it chances along. 'You sacrifice everything for money,' retorted Dick. 'Homo, wife, and children. Britishers think of home first. Still, I'm deeply interested in the manufacture of iron and steel, and, if you can teaot me anything ' , There was a knock on the door, and he rose to go. _ . 'Sit still,' commanded the iron magnate. He walked over to the library door, and opened it. A girl was standing on the threshold, and Dick Tressidy caught the fla£h of a pair of vary dark eyes. 'Ready so soon, Pauline?' 'Soon, papa? Why, we are near]y ten iniuuteß late! Frank is rampaging up and down outside like a wild beast.' The girl bad advanced a couple of. steps, and stood revealed in the glare of the electric light. Then she observed, Die* Tressidy, and a touch of carnation leaped into her rounded oheeks. In a flash he comprehended that Pauline was a very uncommon-looking woman, tall, graceful, ana beautifil, but her beauty was of an almost indescribable kind. Her eyes were '«™arkably large and lustrous, and blaok ns coal; her hair was blaok too, »nd was wound above her head in wavy coils, for all the world like shininc ebony serpents; the nose wa? straight, the lips full and red; and altogether, arrayed in sable, with touches of ecarlet at her throat, and in'her toque, she presented a very remarkable and charming picture. 'I didn't know that you had anybody here, papa,' she stammered. 'Oh, this is a young Britisher, who has been touring the world—-Mr Dick Tressidy. You've heard his name, Pauline. 1 won't bother doing the social now, because Mr Tressidy will be our for awhile and you are aching to get away. Now, off you go, and tell Frank why 1 must stay at home.' Pauliue flashed her solendid eyes toward the bewildered Dicu Tressidy, and hastily left the library.

•I'm very sorry if I've upset any plana • Dick began, but Chester Stark shook his head. •Nothing of the sort. A lot of the young folks are organizing a big surprise party, and I'm glad of any excuse to slip out of it. Sledging from one part to another into the small hours of the morning doesn't fit in with men of sixty, who are not exactly strangers to rheumatic twinges. But perhaps you don't know what a surprise party is, Mr Tressuly? Just making unexpected calls upou people, knocking them up, and demanding their hospitality. Ob, there's a lot of fun in it.'

'lndeed!' said Dick, - with h wry smile. 'Your daughter evidently anticipates the fun.' Chester Stark's fine face olouded, and his keen eyes read the young b'ritiaher through and through. 'You admire Pauline?' 'She is a handsome girl,' stammered Dick, with a flush. 'l've an eye for bennty in any form; I'ui a bit of an artist, you know.' 'Pauline isn't my daughter, Mr Tressidy I hare only one child—my son Frank. He's f»bout your age. Paulino Reitz came into my care when she was barely five yeara old. She is immensely tich —and hasn't a single blood relation in the world whom I would permit her to know,' ho added, half 10 himself. 'She owns a tract of two hundred thousand orese in Colombia. Just try and iiutigine tho revenue! Rubber, cedar, mahagons', wild ooco! When i was n young fellow, I did her father a trifliug service, and in return ho assisted me into business, and left his only child for me to care for. 1 think 1 have been true to my trust.' He gazed upward contemplatively, and sighed. 'lt waß his wish that she and my son should make a match of it. People get sentimental notions when ill, bat Pauline has a will of her own and I shall not interfere. ' lie stepped to the noble window which looked out upon the wide street and drew aside tf"e curtain. 'Look nt this Tressidy and tell me If you ever have similar scenes in Enclanti. One',moment; I'll swicob off the light. Theronow!' A pair of spirited ponies harnessed to a sleigh were impatiently paw-,

ing the frozen snow and tossing their heads until the sleigh-bells tinked furiously. The sleigh held four people—two men and two girlsone of whom was Pauline, and servants were in attendance with wraps and rugs. The men talked and joked and the girls laughed merrily. All at once the ponies leaped forward and with their little burden of joyous humanity seemed to be goue in a flash. 0 'Very exhilarating, very enjoy able,' said Dick Tresßidy. His eyes lingered upon the entrancing beauty of the wintry ni*ht. The sky so deeply, darkly blue the glittering stars the full moon gleaming add pale. And all the world below was frosted white aud jewelled by nature's muster necromancer. 'My son was driving,' remarked Chester Stark. 'A flue business fellow. 'l'll introduce you tomorrow.' He snitched on the electric light, and Dick puUad the curtains across tho window, 'Help yourself,' said Chester Stark, indicating a sideboard whereon halfa do:en elaborate decanters glittered with iridescent splendour. 'l'll have just a woe drop of sherry. Thanks. Here's a choioe of dears.' Diok sat down again, feeling very much at home, and yet these men had never met before in the whole course of tLeir livee, and then Chester Stark renewed his hospitable invitation. 'I should have been grieved had you gone awr.y without calling, and, now that you are here, 1 mean for you to stay, Mr Tressidy. Your twelve months' tour hasn't done you much hurt.' He gazed critically at the young fellow's bronzed face aud atheltio figure. 'You should make your mark in the world—but, there, you Britishers do nothing unless driven by necessity. I understand that your father is well?' 'Yes,' Diok answered musingly. I have kept him well posted as regards my movements, and I've a small ship-load of ourios to tako him.' 'Cost a pretty penny, eh.' 'I expect so; I haven't bothered my head witn figures.' 'A hundred thousand, I guess?' 'Dollars? Üb, yes easily,' Dick answered, ao lie carelessly flickered the ash off his cigar.

Chester Stark smiled grimly. 'Your fatner's letters always arouse and annoy me,' he said. He mixes up business with science. In his lest commuuioatiou, he told me that the moon severed its connection with the earth sixty millions of years sinoe, and now occupies a position nine terrestrial radii distant. Originally, poor old Luna was nothing but a tidal wave! The next paragraph was about pigiron and steel rails. Don't be offended; I know that he is nne of the most illustrious scientists of the day, but business men want faots that they can handle.' 'Yes,' Diok assented grudgingly. But, when he spoke of his father, ho became eloquent and enthusiastic.

'lt does one good to hear you talk,' said the American wistfully. There was a short silence; than he remarked: 'You shan't suffer the inconveniences of hotel lite, good as the Waldorf is. Bring your personal baggage along to morrow, and a suite of rooms shall be ready for you. I've taken a fancy to you, Dick Tressidy. I suppose you have a valet?'

'No; I started with one, but oan't endure any one fussing about me. When I'm old and infirm will be time enough for that.' •There's hope for you,* said Chester Stark, enigmatically. CHAPTER 11. MAKING FRIENDS?. That nightDiok Tressidy's dreams were of Pauline Reitz. He heard the rich voice, he saw the mobile face, the magnificent dark eyes, the wonderful coils of black hair. Then he woke to *<he fact that he was glad to accept Mr Chester Stark's hos pitality. He had half resolved to make some excuse. It was suoh a bore to have to conform to the rules and regulations of a wellordered household, after a year of veritable Bohemia.

He rose early and went tor a sharp walk. It was the middle of January, and the weather was about as cold as it cab be even for New York; something below zero,aud a spiteful, cnting wind sweeping unexpectedly round every corner. But his blood was young and warm, and laapad to tlio' kiss of the morning. What folly had possessed him to dream of quitting America's Empire City within a weett of his arrival? Where in the wide, world was a street of equal maguificanoe to Fifth Avenue? And this morning it looked very beautiful. There had been a slight fall of snow in the night, and its virginity remained unsullied. This way no byway for the shivering poor. A red sun, rising timorously toward the palo blue of the sky, oast a faint glow over tho whitened world, and soon the work ofKiug Frost would be gemmed with millions of sparkling fires.

(To be Continued.)