Silas Dennington's Money,

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10674, 22 July 1912, Page 2

Silas Dennington's Money,

OUR SERIAL.)

BY F. L. DACRE,

CTTAFFEIR XXlV.—Continued

"I have n vxiitfn confession here, made Ivy Mr Grautley before lie went abroad, and witnessed by myself and my clerk. His instructions were Mat it should not 'bo opened or used-, unitil bits 'brother's bberty ■watf threatened, or in the event cf hf' own death. I only 'heard of Mr Jack •Dfcnnin.gton's arrest this mc-rump;,' as I was taking a- holiday in a country village where newspapers are uinrael aurknown." A buzz of excitement went through the court, and the counsel for the prosecution pursed up i.v.s iip-i" and frowned. Jack's counsel threw back lh:s head and .squared his shoulders in triumph, audi Jack laughed, and nodded to ißosamund. Carefi'lly the Magistrate -read and weighed every word oif Grant ley's ' confession; then he folded it aip, and wiV.iout glaring at tho array r.f legal Naming oil the front bcnchec, told , the prisoner that li? was discharged. The public appia.uded, cs they will applaud a popular verdict. Jack filed out cf tho dock, and. shook hands with legal friends. "I'm off," ha said. "I have a lady friend waiting for tog outside.'' • "You must conic to ,ou.r eihamben.' between four and five," his 'lawyer said. "We've got to sltr up tho court of (hairx-cry about your property." "Go ahead; I shall need i"ome cf it pretty soon. Four o'clock do? I'll •be there on trine."

As 'S'.ie court ihad adjourned for luncheon the public was filtering out. Hive star case of the day was finished, audi there was an enormous crowd outside, waiting to hear the les-iiit. Jack was instantly .recognised, and a great cheer went <up, while Teddy Brown', and Tom Wavmaii shook botsh !his bands as thougih they would ling them off. With a laugh -lie tore li:;m----\'S'M free ,and, 'under their very eyes, : and scores of ot-heirs*. he to'o'k Rosamund in liis ain»s, and kissed ih'er face. . "Coine, Gweeheart, a.nd we'll get out of this," lie said. "You're grit, Rosamund, gr.it right through! I Inieve.r find a .particle of doubt about the result when I saw your angel fnce." ■ . Eokamund was trembling from head to foot.

"O'li, Jack#l feel that I must cry I can't help it!" He half lifted iher into a taxi cab, and, said to the driver: "Off with you!" "Where to!, sir?" "Anywhere. I'll- tell you where to stop." "Very good, sir." | And the taxi cab buzzed west- | ward.

"T'hink goodness!" breathed Jack. He slid on- 1 arm round .Rosamund's waist, and in= a moment of a'uuuh.'.i i'hc! rested- the'e lie-ad on 'his shoulder. "Let's do the thing thoroughly while we are about it," eaid lie. "Do what?" "We look like > loping lovers. We will elope, and get married. "What nonsense you talk, J;:ok!" "Oil, well, we'll nave a delicious little tea in <Regei)i Sti^:et u and then I'll esort you heme to your parent," he laughed. "Not all the way to Deal, Jack. You don't mean it!" "That's exactly what T do mem. Bother business and lawyers. Love laughs at them!"

CHAPTER XXV

THE END IS PLEASANT

A memorable summer was that. There were days of intense Tieat, violent thunderstorms, (rumours of war, and a general'election. In the midst of this turmoil Grantley Demvington's trial on. ■tilie charge of kill l :tig a man passed almost unnoticed. Everybody knew that 'he hadn't killed a man, but the formality liad to go on, and it excited little interest. A few '-hours of \U.ndy talk on the pavt of tiie cc-unssl engaged, at the rate cf a. gu'inea a word, and there was an end of it. The jury said that

Author Of "Held in Bondage," "A Fhanfcorr of the ? f - " John's Heiress/' "1 be Shadow of Charr.c.'- " daughter ci Mystery," etc.

| G-rantley Dcnnington was an innocent man, and ihe stepped out of the dock, and out of the law.,, as; a profession, at the wuiie time. T'liere wan plenty cf work for -him in. tlfe growing 'business of •Castle-niainc and C 0.,. a:xl it was .more to liis liking. wore four weekly papers now, and c'.iiiarc bcitit? projected'. Tlib business, liad been turned into a limited liability company, and Gira.ntJey Jiolcl sever;] shares. Ho looked after tihe financial department, and iliis legal mind kep; iti check the contributors who wcr:; ambitious to be funny at the expense of other people. TJie original scheme of the business was being gradually perfected, wMi M'r Teddy "Brown . r-s

general manager, and the only person out of it was Sir Peter Tempest. His punishment was hitter enough, and St had been hinted that he had been instrumental in giving Jack away to the police. But Jiis traduce rs wore in the wrong; the informer was a. certain' Strand barber., i'nvt ?.ie didn't make a penny out of it.

A memorable summer in the hieto rj' of RbKunund Gran.t and Jaclc Bennington, and in illie history of Rosamund's father, also.. The Philanthropic Bank only paid a few shillings on evory pound of its liabilities, but 'lie 'bought the cottage after all, and fondly believed that he bought it with ih-ijs oavii! money, too. When the old curiosity shop was put up for sale, Jack Dennington was there, and Teddy Brown was there, and between them they 'ran it up to a ridiculous figure, one bidding aga'in.st the other. Finally it was knocked down to Jack for five thou,sand pounds, and there were people who called him a madman. But Do d-d and Weeks understood, and pocketed fihe extra commission with the satisfied reeling bh*t they had been partners to a virtuous deed.

[ So the summer days were idled laway by Jack and [Rosamund on the 1 beacli ,aud in the pretty ground of the cottage. A millionaire could afford to pay others to do his work. Arxi Grant ley and Madge arid To 'civ Brown -were at t'he ilielnj. A millionaire could well afford a holiday, and a luxurious suite of rooms at the principal hotel. Oh ,the courting days afro the Jbe&t of all days! But your true 1 ovens are always impatient" for h j grand consummation—the nest tv two. And so it was witli Rosamund and Jack. TfTE EX I).