A Daughter of Mystery

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10261, 13 June 1911, Page 2

A Daughter of Mystery

OUR SERIAL.

BY F. L. DAGRE, Author of "Was He the Man?" "A Phantom of the Past," Sir John's Heiress," "A Loveless Marriage," "The Doctor's Secret," etc-

CHAPTER XXVll.—Continued.

He paused with sudden suspicion. "You +hink I have been drinking, Ronald flashed disdainfully. "Two drops of brandy, You know more of my life than any other person breath ing; my business affairs; my love affairs, my hopes, my aspirations. I wanted to start here in a small way, but with money dangled before my eyes my imagination became inflamed. And you know what I have done. I thought the bankers were finding the money—that they were advancing i + on mortgage." "Splendidly generous!" commented Basil. "It iseemed to me too good to he true." "You suspected?"

"Well, I took into consideration ; your family connections, but even my limited experience has taught me that there isn't a ha'portth of sentiment in financial ■inatitutions; I suppose you have had a lot of money. 7 '. "Over thirty thousand pounds, and I have just added a big motor car to my follies. The maddening part of it is that I can't pay the money back, there it is in bricks and mortar, machinery and stock." "Why should you worry unless you are being pressed " "But it is horrifying to be mothered like this by a woman!" ''Lady Eva regards yovi as hers by right, and she loves you. " I think you are to blame for not having undeceived her. From my point of view your conduct has been most reprehensible, most cowardly. Any right thinking man would tell you the same."

"Drop that. This is no time to lecture." Heseltine tossed the fatal letters toward his friend. ''Read them."

was a system of dovetailing all the small orders with the big ones, and the production of good, sound work. The best advertisement was reliability in' every department. '"Hie government order will runinto tern thousand tons of stuff," the general manager said, "and we will have our hands full." "You think we will get it?" "Sure tiling, sir." The manager smiled slyly. ' 'And no. trouble about the .goods. The inspector is an old friend of mine." "Good! I know fcoa-t you have been mainly instrumental in getting the order, Toiley." "i shall want a twenty pound note!" "What for?" "PaJim oil. It's always done," the manager added hastily, "when you know how to do it. The columns will have to sitand the steam pressure, so many pounds to every square inch, and the labour and expense of it would mean ten times twenty pounds." "' "But how would that affect "resuits?" "We shouldn't have to test many, sir," Toiley added, significantly. "You mean that the bulk would be passed untested ?" "That's it, sir." "But is that honest, Toiley?" "'Honest or not, it's the regular thing, and will be for as long as human nature is what it is." He glanced obliquely at his employer, and whispered: "It's got to be done, or we shalll have a big proportion rejected, and no further orders." "Lord! Another example of commercial integrity." There Was a silence for a few moments. "Toiley," continued Haseitine, gravely, "this is the translation of an honest man."

There was deep silence for several minutes, broken only by the rustling of paper and Ronald's stertorous breathing. At last Basil looked up at Mm and spoke. If there was sympathy in his eyes, his voice expressed none. "The solution is simple enough.. Miss Tyndall will have nothing more to do with you for reasons best known' to herself. The tone of her letter expresses anger and annoyance."

The manager smiled hopefully. "If you made a'failure of the business, sir, you would only he jibed at and kicked into the poorhouse. Those who fawn upon you now would be the first to shout hooray. I have had some 1 experience." "By the way, Toiley, when there is an overplus of work, remember the little manufacturers. I would like to do them a good turn, as they are neighibours." The manager shook bis head at the unwisdom of the suggestion.

"But she knew that I was advertising with the idea of satisfying her regarding her antecedents," R/onaid interrupted. "Makes it all the more certain that she is determined to cut loose —she has cut loose. No doubt it is a bit gaffing to your pride."

"Pride!" He "'bent his head over the table, and lids whole frame shook. "I thought you loved your wife, and would understand. It is like rending, soul from body."

"If we did that, sir, do you know what the result would be ? The work wouldn't be up to our standard, and even if we accepted it these jealous fellows would ferret out our customer® and tell 'em all atxmt it. We should lose tlhe confidence of our people in no time." "Dear, dear. Isn't there an honest man anywhere?" "Not in the iron trade, sir, unless he is an absolute fool."

"My wife and I have never had a tibought apart, so the illustration is without point. You ask for my honest judgment," his eyes were searching Ms friend's face. ' "Your 'WAneart should be your best adviser. If I were in your shoes I stoould 'go to London, this very day, and set matters right with Lady Eva Lorington. It is your duty to her, to your mother, and to yourself."

"That will do, Toffley. Send Mr Aubrey-iSmith here, if you can find Mm."

The little man soon put in an appearance, and cheerfully threw himself into the softest and easiest chair in the room.

"I suppose it is" Ronald said stonily. . "The money part of it has tangled me up. I can't get out of that with any sort of decency. I hope folks won't talk to me any more ahout crushing little men to the wall —senseless, sentimental rot! From this; day on I sllall be a hard man to run up against." | "I don't quite 'follow vou, old fellow."

'lAnd you don't need to at present. "I'm going in for the dust to repay that loan. I have done with Christianity and humanity and love."

Basil was puzzled for the moment, but he later.

{ chapter xxkhi. the translation of "an hon-EST-JIAN.--*^: After an hour's hai-d walking, and an hour's hard thinking, Ronald Heselitdne returned to Ms room at tflie hotel. He looked like a man who keys just passed through some terrible oi*"' deal, wShfase diastening halhd bad put his fondest hopes to the sword. He wrote two short letters—one to Lord Lormgton, and one to John Foxer. He told Foxer to forthwith put an end to all investigations concerning Miss Tynclall. He had himself heard from the young lady. His letter to the earl bad better be transcribed. ; 'My Dear Loringbon: Now that I know just where I am, there need be no further philandering. I have had to put up a big fight, almost singlehanded, but the battle is almost won. J. have now an opiportunity to look round, airid set my house in order, and my marriage with Eva heed-not be undiuly delayed. It is imperative 'that I live witliiih a half-hour's journey of the works, as nothing will turn me aside from wihat I have set my hand to do. I will see you in London to-<morrow. Sincerely yours, j RONALD HESEI/EENE. Afiter lunch he went back to Ms I offioe at tihe works, and miade arr■angemetns for an absence of Ijwo or three days—one in London, and one at least should be devoted to his mother. The interview with his general manager was eminently satisfac-. tory. One of the elements of success

"Ha, ha!" he exclaimed. "What maketh the oracle dumb ? Pondering the beginning of the end?" "Paving the way for the result I have mapped put. No further policy of venture." Aubrey-Smith stared. "Business?" . "Yes, business; unceasing activity-" "And I was just dreaming of a holiday. I thought you were going to tell that love story of \your®, Heseltine, and I've been indulging in all sorts of eestacies of the imagination, it was too bad of you to pack me off in that 'to-ibe-continued-in-our-tfiext' style, after whetting my appetite." "You can take your holiday when' I have done with you. I am going away for a few days myself. iNow, John Auhi-ey-Smith, I want your attention." "All right. Proceed!" "You and I have verbally agreed to go equal shares in this improved submarine speculation. I have provided the cushy and a, small proptfr"tion of brain's'. Quits! From the reports I gather that 'the British Government will take up our invention. Hitherto one of the main defects of the siibmacrine is the inability to see what is going on above when the machine is submerged. We appear to have solved that difficulty with our cleptoisoope, after years of study and exipeiiiment. Now, Aubrey-iSmith, I want to know what it is going to be worth in bard cash?"

"Reduce me to plain John. My constitution cannot stand the whole istrimg. Look here, I am as limp as a rag. Phew! The very suggestion of wealth to the last of the Smiths staggers me. Oan you lend me ithiree pounds? lam going to London to lay my fortune at the feet of Lady Ilva Lorington, or, perhaps, I hiad better wait until you oan put in a word for me at court—you prcimliised, that. Hullo, what's up, Hesn eltine? I'm so jolly hopeful and happy that I can't heljp playing the fool. I'm an ass, I know, and you .must forgive me for worrying you while you have got that beastly headache. Well, I am sure we can get fifty thousand—that'll be twenty five thousand each, eh " (To be Continued).