The Ironmaster Daughter.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8266, 20 October 1906, Page 2

The Ironmaster Daughter.

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

["The InoxMASTKii's' Datjohtek" was commenced on October 17th.]

CHAPI'ER IV. GOOD-BYE, BUT NOT FOR LONG. 'Come home at once. Your father has paralytic seizure. Financial troubles. Cable reply. 'CHARLIE MOSTYN.' Literally, Dick's heart seemed turned vo ioe. Ho grasped the edge of the table for snppirt; bis knees were shaking, <*nd he was half ashamed of his weakness. 'Very bad oews, Pauliaa ' be whispered, hoskily. "My father is ill. You may read it.' He buried nis face in his hands, aware that both Pauline and Chester Stark were near, and offering thoir sympathy. The girl's eyes were wet—ber lipa quivering. Ob, if ber guardian would but leave the room. She touched Dick's head tenderly, caressingly. It was her right. 'Dick—Dick!' she murmured in his ear, 'if 1 oan do anything ' tie neither spoke nor moved, and Chester Stark motioned Pauline aside. 'That cable spells ruin—death I' He spoke under his breath. 'Go, Pauline, for a little while. Only a roan oan understand this sort of thing.* She hesitat?d, then slowly quitted the room. For fully ten minuteH the clock on the mantel ticked loudly, insistently. Twice Chester, Stark glared at it savagely, and raised his hand to stpjD_jt'._ but he remembered that the dead silence would be harder still to endure. Oh, these men of nerves! 'Tressidy,' he said, nt last. •Well?' 'How are you bearing up? It may not be so bad ' 'Bad! It 1b holl itself, and you know It. Haven't you been insinuating, and proohesing like a bird of evil, for weeks past! Now tell me the plain truth.' 'I have only said what ia being whispered in the world of commerce, Tressidy. Your firm has been &haky for months past. The hornets have you fast enough. But you wouldn't listen to me.' •And who may the hornets be?' .'Your trusted managers and confidential men. They have feathered their own neata, while your father has been spending vast sums of money on science, and while you have been philandering around the TTorld, buying rubbishy ourios, and rotting. I don't want to be bard upon you, boy, but the sooner you realize that you are next door to the ,alm house the better for you.' 'Oh, it can't be as bad as that.' Dick made a despairing gesture. fAud the madness of sbeing here-, three thousand miles away I I am as "helpless as a child. If what you tell me is true, I'll shoot Stanley, and the rest of tho fawning crew, .Hut my prinoipal worry is for. my father. I must oable to Charlie • Mostyn for definite news.' •Who is Chailie Moßtya?'

r A doctor— an old college chum of mine. 1 He jumped ap in a feverish, impatient manner. ♦dome to the library; I have aome cable blankß there, and a message shall be despatched at once. Keep as cool as you can', Tressidy. Let me write it for you; your iaands are shakihff. Now what shall I say?* • 'Tell Moatyn that I auil In the Campania to-morrow and aßk him the truth about poor 010 dad.' His voice broke, and tears sprang into his eyes. When the message was gone he became calmer, and began to look things squarely in the face. *Pia not the sort that squeals,' be said, 'and I'd better suspend my judgement until I'm on the spot.' What I want to say is this: Why have you allowed Pauline to fall in love with a beggar? Yoa knew it all the while.' 'She did the triok for herself,' Chester Stark answered grimly. 'And when a woman will, «"bo is going to say her nay?' 'But you could have interfered. 1 am not such a fool as all that. Now tell me, what is your ob jfiCt?' 'My object?' Chester Sark's face was agonized for the fraction of an instant, but its sudden pallor lasted minutes. 'What object beyond secnring n good husband for my adopted daughter? I was deeply indebted to her father, and I swore to cherish her as long as I lived.' He smiled. 'We Americans have hearts that know bow to Jove.' Dick looked him straight in too eyes. 'But your son?' he said. 'I can't understand yet.' ; •The match is unsuitable. Brother and sister! Now, Mr Inquisitor, what =:ore? Don't be mad enough to question tho wisdom of the gods!' Ti:ero was a painful siienoe. '.There. were nervous twioblngs about Chester Stark's lips, and under hiß eyes. lie appeared to have aged years. •I like Pauline,* Diok'said, at last. '1 admire her, and I believe that she is infatuated with mo. I do not know why, hut there it is. But I cannot say that 1 love her as a wife should be levod. And my self respect will not permit me to marry hoi until I have retrieved my fortunes. 4 flheser Stark laughed coarsely. •Bosh!' he said. 'That sort of chivalry only lives in poetry written for women. Wo live in a material world, Tressidy, and everybody hns a right to expect a fair exchange, even in marriage. Drop the King Cnphefua nonseuau. You aro a well-bred, handsome, and I honourable young fellow with plenty of grit and brains. As for

dreaming of throwing Paulino over now-—well, I guesa she would have something to say in the matter! You will need a little of Pauline's money, uud a good deal of my help to turn the tables on the enemy, or 1 nm vastly deceived. Now, get a nißht's resf if you oan; you can't have a reply to your oable until morning, and worrying never helps one over a crisis. Chester Stark bad beaome his genial self again, and his voice *»as almost teudei. 'Remember, Tressidy,' he concluded, 'that 1 now regard you in the light of a son.' Dick went to his room, and passed a night of dreams—feverish —grotesque—terrifying. Onne when he had climbed a lofty pinnacle, its base crumbled away, and he wai belug hurled to unknown depths; then he was chased by wild beasts and his leaden feet could only struggle onward at a suail's nace. The first ray of dawn found him pacing the street. Allowing for the difference in time it was now nearly midday In Engtand.andareply from Charlie Mostyn was almost, if not quite, due. 'So that my father is all right, 1 oare for nothing else,' he thought over and over again. 'What is fiuapcial humbug compared with the welfare of the loved ones?' One—two hours passed. It was nearly broakfast time. He shivered when ho saw a boy in uniform flying toward him on a tiaycle, and a feeling of vertigo made him stagger. "I'bo* boy dropped from his machine at the gate of Chester Slant's houio, and Dick held out his hand. 'You have a oable message for Tressidy?* 'Yes, sir. Are you Mr Tressidy? 1 must take It to the dour, and ring the bell.' But Dick snatched it from him, ripped off the covering and read: 'Partial paralysis. Reoovery probable. Constantly asking for you. Business affairs disastrous. Hurry homeward. 'CHARLIE MOSTYN.' Dink gave one long sigh of relief, then cried: 'Hurrah!' The oable messeugei thought he wbb mad. 'lt's all right,' Diok said, as he signod the lad's receipt book. '1 am Mr Stark's guest. Here's a dollar, for you, and you can watch me enter the house. He hastened to the breakfastroom, and the message was passed round the table. •Good!' said Chester Stark. 'I can see where your heart is, Tressidy. A mine of wealth compared with the well-being of your father is but the veriest dross. 'That's it exactly, sir. I don't oare for the lost fortune.' 'Wait till you have suffered the bitterness of poverty, my boy, ,v Frank grunted. His lip cutled contemptuously; and there was an un- j pleasant look on his face. 'lf you | are poor, you cut no figure in the | world nowadays, and you go througl' life,in the shadows, an object of pity, suspicion, and derision.' 'I live to please myself, nbt the unaharitatle,' said Dick. 'No form of slavery is worse than the moneymaker's.' Prank Stark laughed wickedly. 'Still, you have been pretty slick around here,' he snapped, rising from the table. 'I mqst get to the works. Bon voyage I' 'He is jealous, after ail,' thought Diok, choking baok an ill-natured retort. Then ho glauoed at Pauline, and shuddered. She was glaring at Frank Sttrk just as the panther did when teased. Her head was bent forward, and lightning flashed from her eyes. For an instant the savagery of the beest bad transformed the woman's face into something at once terrifying and disgusting. i Frank laughed in his irritating and taunting way. '1 am glnd that I am beyond reach of you olaws, Pauline! But nature will out, 1 suppose.' (To be Continued.)