The Romance of a Business Girl.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10714, 25 October 1912, Page 2

The Romance of a Business Girl.

OUR SERIAL.)

(inAPTKR Vll. (Continued.) ; \j •.-.-sr. only a tMidd, and my -father and .uv.viiier tiad beou dead for year*. Ho captivated my imagination, talked oi affinities, vit:d I 'believed thatthe nvplfl vv'uiS iit his foot." After a short- silo ace, Jim said: "I see then -ho added : I'll look him up at iho Garriok; I think I know the piiioiv A--lot of professionals frequent it. I'll sizo Mm up, if he hasn't already bolt-ed. You really hope. that he is the thief?" "if tho loss of tho jewels will take him a w ay. I hope, but I do not believe." . They stood up, as though actuated "hy a common impulse. "We (have only -know, each other for a few -weeks, Mr Oarling," Lady -Laura-said,. iier' eyes shining .through. j a mist of tears, "and I count you my most trusted friend. Isn't it wonderful?" ' 'lt's good, too. I'll find out all T | can, and you s'liall have the result today. Everything quietly > done; no talk on the telephone—no writing; no -obanoe for scandal." She nodded. "I must 'consider t>ur connections, aaid most of all the judge—the brother of Lewis."- Her face whitened, and she laid an*imploring hand on Jim's arm. "Do you know what he once said to mo—the judge? He gafd that he lived in, dread of his brother Lewis; he quite expected that some awful day ho would be tho judge and j Lewis the prisoner at the bar." "Generous of him! Nice sort of brother, I should think. Hnsh!" hei added, in wudden confusion, "here is your oousin." Jim was looking through the window which faced the street

Half a minute later, Captain Maythew entered 'the room unan.nounc.ecl, and was plainly astonished when, lie saw who was there.. He glanced from Jam to Lady Laura, laughed oddly, and, without any sort of greeting, sat down on a chair nearest the door.

"What's the conspiracy ?" lie said suspiciously. "Yon are the last per.son I ©xpeoted to find here, Cariing." "Exactly my feelings," Jim answered. "Lady Laura phoned me —wants me to do a little job for her." He noticed .Mayhow/s unusual .pallofr, the ti red eyes, the trembling hands. "Don't trouble to explain. I've come, hoping to get a decent breakfast. Are you going, Cariing?" "Yes," Jim said short I>.

. Ho took , the hand Lady Laura held out to him, nodded to Mayhew, and left tho room. His nerves -were throbbing; his mind wag dazed. At first ho ihad scouted the idea -that Mayhemcould have had any hand in. the theft of Lady .Laura's jewels. It had seemed unjust, fantastic, absurd. Then a faint suspicion had obtruded itself, and the conviction was growing. It was certain that Mavhew had not slept since he parted from him overnight.

IHe went to Thames Street, and hurried through his letters, but his mind was so Absonl>ed by other matters that the result from a , business point of view, was nil. He swept thelot into "a. private drawer for future inspection.

. At noon lie was in the Strand, looking for the public house known ag the Garrick. Its appearance was rather insignificant from the outside, but within, at the end of a long and nar--srwv passage, ifcherof was a spacious lounging room, luxuriously furnished and carpeted. Handsome mirrors were set in the gilded -walls; clusters of electric lights,lung from the painted ceiling;' the carved .mahogany counter which,, swept in a half circle at the farther end, glittered with ai*t glass; the elaborate fittings behind the counter were filled with choice vintages, and other delectable drinks for tho palates of the . jaded—white and green, red and gold, sparkling and glinting in the light of the spring morning. And' all this was presided over by a goddess .with stencil jd dark eyebrows and yellow hair. Two or three men were leaning on the counter, half a dozen wertvlounging at the tables. All wero very much of the- same stamp—-^clean-shaven,, hatchet-faeed, tired-looking—old before their time. Jim 'bought a cigar, applied a light to it, and puffed airily. His rna-i wa< not there. But at tbit precise moment the door was opened haltingly, and Graham Malcolm came in, Jim knew him instantly. Tho figure ihe remembered when the man wa,s a hero to him, only heavier and fat; the same /face, puffed and bloated; the same .voice, only husky and tremulous. He was greeted with subdued cheers.

BY F, L OACRE i Autbbr cf "A Fleet of Dreama," "Silar Denri:iigton'6 Money," "'The Shado wof Shame," "A Phantom of th© Paet," H eld in Bondage etr.

, "Morning, boys," said Malcolm. "My heaven, what a night we had cf ; it! A corpse reviver, Gladys, or my . funeral will lio at your door." ! "A good riddance to your friends," 1 the goddejss scornfully retorted, i "Friends? But for the hoys here, Graham Malcolm has no friends now. 3 drink to your eyebrows, Gladys, and j to tho gold of your hair." j "Idiot!" snapped t in.? goddess. "Not | going to pay again to-day? I don't j ; know what the boss will say. You owe several pounds already." i "Lucre—filthy lucre! Tho negative of every noble Miought. 1.-ot the j boys have what they want. Tho ghost walks on Monday. Haven't T emptied my purse into your greedy coffers—" i He paused, cocking an eye at Jim . Carling. "Join with us, sir," continued he affably. "My expense." '-'Thank you-," said Jim, quick to. take the opening. He advanced to th© counter. "I feel honored, Mr Maloolm." For the moment he -was sincere. He saw- London's idol of a dozen vearß ago. "So you know me, sir? All the world knew <me once. Yon wonder to see the great Malcolm sunk so low? This has been my downfall." He iheld up hig glass shakily. "This, and women—or I should say a woman " "Ah! said Jim sympathetically. "My -wife. A woman in a million ; and, like Caesar's wife, above reproach. She left me —abandoned 1 trie, hence the derelict you see 'beore you. Btit no man has ever hoard me breathe

her name .Have something more with mc\ sir. T haven't cot a sou but my credit is good. Gladys, come here, you sandy-headed crow." ."No more, thnnk you, Mr Malcolm. I'm sure that I'm glad to have met you. Once you were my ideal hero." (Malcolm shed madulin ten^. "Shall I send for a mop?" asked Gadys cheerfully.

"My hoy—my dear bov." whipperr-rl 'Malcolm, ''if you could lend nfo a eov©riftn until Mondav " "Withpleasure." cnid .Tim. "Your card. sir," frandiloquentlv. and the spondulicks shal he returned on Mondav." »

".No hurry, Mr Maloom. I can see you here sometime." "As you will, sir," the fallen star said haughtily. "If lam poor, I am honest."

Ho bowed ceremoniously, and Jim left him surrounded by the "boys."" i;They were bent upon helping bim melt [his unlooked-for wealth.

"Looks black .against Captain Mayhew," Jim thought, shaking his head. "That wretched sort of a Malcolm never "touched the jewels. . . . . Well I don't know I am getting myself i"to a nasty tangle. I'll go to Kensington this evening, and tell l Lady Laura al about it. and then" —his heart gave a. leap?"and thou —Serena.

CHAPTER Vril. SEREXA DECIDES Forty-eight hours do not count much in an ordinary life, but in less than that little space of time the most momentous decisions affecting both,' men and -women arc generally made. (To be Continued.)