Silas Dennington's Money.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10688, 15 July 1912, Page 2

Silas Dennington's Money.

BY F. L.' DACRE. Author of "KeM in Erabge," "A Flian tow of |U *•> John's If*rli*G.?s 9 ?J ' "Xbe Shadow of Shsa:£ ; r - '"L rauc.'ctsr c-£ M,y ':tc-ry,' J etc.

CHAPTER XX.—Continued. | "Still it will do us a heap of in- [ jury," said Brown. "They .wo talc- i ing advantage of our advertising. 1 j | suppose we owe this to the treacaery of the Jinks woman?" "Not a doubt about it. She hasn't answered my last letter, or sent in any more stuff. Now, Brown, ho>v do wo stand —legally I mean?" "That's the puzzle." Brown beat a fierce tatoo on the table with his fingers. "We registered a dummy copy a week since/but that counts for little nowadays. The enemy is strong and cunning, and the law is uncertain. Wc can prove this this is our idea, and that it has been in process of manufacture for weeks. We might even | try to get an injunction against the ! 'Paragon,' but I should prefer to await their action, and let the papers fight the battle. Ours is far and away the better one, and the big illustration, which has cost us .-;o much precious money, will win the day Thou there's your list of prize offers." He laughed ruefully. "Nobody elan is giving away apostle spoons and brass candlesticks! More advertisements, more gifts, and issue the third number impregnated with a powerful scent —attar of roses, wood violet, or anything popular. I know the people to do it after the paper is printed. Let us all put our heads together —all whom we can trust, and get up some scheme." "We'll fight them to a finish," Jack said hopefully. Then his eyes fell upon his bank book. It lay beside a writing pad, and the top sheet of the pad was smothered with figures. "We haven't much money, Brown ; we can't fight without money. And there's the tAvo hundred for Grantley and his wife." He looked rather shamefaced, 7m t Brown bowed no surprise. "You drained your bank account for the pleasure of old Grant, and have used your brother's money, too. The ; bank manager was a little uneasy I about it, and drew my attention to the depleted balance. It doesn't matter I a hit now that your brother's coming j back to own up, and the passage \ money must go to-morrow. I've thought it all out; and with your permission I'm going to see one of the Strand pawnbrokers." Jack looked up alertly. "I never thought of that," he said, i "Why, of course, there are hundreds I of pounds' worth of jewellry among the stuff from Grant's! I had made j up my mind t° sell the surplus furniture." "There isn't any reason to tell it if you are likely to want it again. The pawnbroker will lend more than you can get from the furniture buyer. The pictures and ornaments will fetch a tidy sum. I know what Grant's stuff is, and there's a sure thousand pounds waiting for us." Jack's face became radiant. He jumped up, and slapped Brown on the back, swore that he was a genius. "You agree, then ?" "Agree? Do you think tlf.it I a-n mad enough to question a heaven-sent inspiration? Come and have some dinner with me. We've done enough work for one day." "I don't mind, hut I must'soc. the pawnbroker first, and make arrangements for his appraiser to inspect the things in good time to-morrow. Then we shall have to deliver them at his stores, sign the contract notes, and take the money." "Seems easy." "Oh, I've been there before! I'll .hurry off, and pave the way for tomorrow. Shan't be more than twentyfive or thirty minutes, if you will wait' for me here." Jack nodded, and Brown hurried away. If the situation as regarded ;'Wedding Bells' was critical, it- was not without excitement, and a peculiar, piquant interest. The 'Paragon'was a powerful company, but Jack had no intention of being snuffed owt without a struggle, and he felt that he had something up his sleeve for the near future. He would carry the war into the heart of the enemy's camp, by way. of unexpected reprisals. He lit his pipe and sat down by the ' window. There was a big furniture moving van outside, and half a dozen men were putting Theodore Grant's furniture into it. Jack wached them for a little while; then, struck with. a sudden thought, he went down and spoko to the foreman. "Are these things going to be sold by auction?" "I don't know, sir. Not in London, anyhow. My orders are to pack for a long railroad journey. Did you want to buy?" "Some of them —yes. Mr Grant, the owner, told me that he should sell everything. Do you know their destination?" "No, and I'm not supposed to tell anybody the firm's business. Why don't you make your inquiries of the agents." He pointed up to the b'g board over the window: "Dodd and Weeks, Southampton Street." "Thank you, I will," replied Jack. He had spied Brown bustling round 1 the corner from the Strand. "That's done. The valuer and his clerk will be here to-morrow at ten a.m. sharp." Brown rubbed his hands. ("Now I'm at your service, sir." They strolled in the direction of Holborn, talking busily the while, and their talk was all about the paper and

'OUR SERIAL.)

then- prospects. It would be in the hands of a hundred street-hawkers tomorrow, and the rival squelched ahsoii utely flat! j "A weakling at the best/'' raid Brown. "Almost stillburn. Hel'o, wliat's this?" Tliey were passing a newspaper stand, and the posters displayed th most alarming-looking type: "SUSPENSION OF THE PHIL AXTBOPHIC BANK! A HEAVY DEFICIT!" This news was of peculiar interest to leddy Brown, and while sympathising with the thousands of poor depositors he uttered a long, low chuckle. The Philantroplvic Bank was one rf +{ ie best known in London, with .ranches in all the important provincial town* It boasted of upwards of fifty thousand customers who had confided their savings to the fostering care of rhe Philantrophic for years. As an inducement the bank allowed double the usual interest, and it was considered to be one of. the soundest institutions in the country. "Ariose call for our bank/' Brown said. "I advised our people in atop their paper six months since, when the balance sheet was delayed. Their principal assets are gilt-edged securities, which have dropped ten points within the last few months."

"Serious, is it?" Jack asked indifferently. "To those involved. By *Ms time there are thousands of depositors raving at the doors, and thousands more wondering what life in the workhouse is like." Brown bought a paper, and during J the dinner hadn't a word to bay. He ' was absorbed wholly and completely, by the news of the bank failure. Some of his clients would be pretty hard hit, and he was making mental calculations on the result. How much would the bank pay on the pound, and when? "By George, sir!" Jie suddenly [exclaimed, "I do believe our friend, I the curiosity man, is in this —Mr [ Grant, I mean. I know the first [cheque you paid him was cleared by the Philantrophic." "That's bad," Jack said gravely. "Now that you speak of it, Ir. member the name of the Philantrophic across the paid cheyues—a big rubber ' stamp impression in purple ink. Yes, , there's the same stump across the last big cheque ; I got it from the Lank this morning! Mr Grant will go out of his mind." "He may have drawn his money out before he loft London." "There's the chance, certainly." • Half an hour tlater the two men parted—Jack to go to his lodgings at Tooting, and Brown to his home at Brixton. Both had plenty of food for reflection. The immediate future was bristling with possibilities. A big mail cnxt morning, Kit no news of Eonamund and her father. With Jack's feeling of resentment there was a mingling of grave anxiety. Rosamund was not a girl to lightly break a promise. Something very serious must have happened to her. The very fear turned his heart cold, and he resolved to go to Dover the r-ext clny and make inquiries. With this in bis i mind he hurried off to Dodd and Weeks, the Southampton Street realestate agents. was • romptly shown into Mr Dodd's office, ;n:cl Mr Dodd listened to his request of sews of Mr Grant. "I am the man who bought irh business stock —paid him four thousand pounds for it, and hope to buy the shoo shortly." Jack said ramblingly. "We are fully aware of that, Mr Castlemaine," said Mr Dodd blandly, "a»d T think it right to be quite explicit with you. You won't be offended, because I don't want to hurt your feelings." "Let's have it." Jack said, flushing. "You are the very man Mr Grant warned us against—l mean as regards his movements. We are not to tell you one word." Mr Dodd spread out a pair of white hands deprocating- • ly. "This need not interfere with our possible business relations, Mr Castlemaine, but we are bound to respect four client's wishes."

"Yes, yes, of course!" Jack snapped. "How is this bank suspension going to pan out?" "Imposible to say at present. Terrible thing for the depositors! There was a crowd of a thousand people, or more, men and women, in front of the bank all last night. Heartrendingheartrending! One of our clerks drew his savings from the post office and deposited it at the Philantrophic only the day before the suspension. Fifty pounds —the savings of three years. He can't work to-day—in a state of collapse." "Poor devil! But his case can't be as bad as Mr Grant's. Four thousand pounds, and his business gone!" "Good heavens! You don't mean [that?' I "Just what Ido mean." | • (To "be Continued).