“MAN FROM THE AIRPORT”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 December 1939, Page 12

“MAN FROM THE AIRPORT”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

LESLIE BERESFORD.

Author of “Mr Appleton Awakes,” "The Other Mr North,” etc.

CHAPTER V. Continues. All the same, she felt very lonely. The great house was full of people, guests as well as servants. It was indeed never empty of either. There were occasions when, so far as she was concerned, she was almost a stranger to her own guests, knowing really nothing about them. ■ She heard their voices this afternoon, as she passed through the house, a clatter of tongues which had no interest for her. At least, at the beginning. Suddenly, as she was passing the library door, she heard her name mentioned in a voice she immediately recognised. At once, she passed into the room, exclaiming. “So you have managed to look in. after all, Mr Wallingford. Now, that is nice of you. Do come with me, and let’s talk.” CHAPTER VI. The solicitor, his round clean-shaven face just like a jolly., smiling moon, shook hands with her, leading the way with her through some open french windows onto a terrace. “Well, my dear Paula,” he said. “You seem to have been getting yourself into the newspapers as the central figure of a most unfortunate affair." “In perfect innocence, Mr Wallingford,” Paula assured him, and he nodded, laughing.

“I suppose so, my dear. That’s a gift of yours—that perfect innocence. Honestly, you know, I do think it’s time that you pleaded guilty for once in a way." “So you don’t believe me? You’ve no faith in me?” she asked, even a trifle angrily. He patted the fingers she had laid on his coat-sleeve. “You’re entirely wrong, my dear,” he said. “But, unfortunately, the Accringtons have —from my personal knowledge of the family—always made it a business of getting into trouble through no fault, of their own." "At least, Mr Wallingford," Paula answered him laughingly, "some of the Accringtons have made money, which is important in this world.” “It depends, my dear . . .” He turned his shrewd eyes on her with an expression of anxiety. “You know, Paula,” he went on, “there was a time when I thought—no, I may say that I hoped —you would realise just how important money was. and yet how limited its effect was upon the really vital things in our world.” "I disappoint you, Mr Wallingford?" she asked.

“That’s putting it mildly, my dear,” he answered, in his rather abrupt way. “Now you’re going to lecture me,” she said with an ah' of defiance. He shook his head.

"No, no. You’re of legal age. You knew your own mind, and must follow its bent. I am only your servant — your legal adviser—my dear. I can only offer suggestions, as to your private life. Naturally, I am disturbed over this affair at ’The One-Eyed Moon.’ So very unnecessary ” “1 tell you, Mr Wallinford, that it was all Emil Lutlner’s affair, and I knew nothing about it —” “Well —after your telephone message —I proceeded at once to take such necessary steps as will bring that gentleman to heel. At least, I hoped so. He appears, however, to be making himself rather difficult. Something, in fact, rather approaching a form of blackmail, only cunningly guarded. I wanted to talk to you about the matter, my dear. He insists that he is in a position to do you irreparable injury if any steps are taken against him."

"Does he?" Paula laughed lightly at the serious tone of the other, and shrugged. "I haven’t the slight idea what he means by that threat. He can certainly do no more injury to me than he has already done, so —I’m not worried. You can tell him that from me.”

“Very well, my dear!” Old Mr Wallingford looked relieved. "To tell you the truth." he said, "I was wondering if, in some foolish way. you had placed him in a position to create some sort of scandal ”

"Oh, no,” -she interrupted him. and laughed again. "Emil couldn’t say anything about me which would make me a more talked-about person than 1 am at present ” "And —is that necessary, my dear?" asked the lawyer in his quiet, almost toneless voice, adding: "I read in the paper, not only about the road-house case, but also that your engagement to young Terry Carlton, had been broken off. That’s a pity, isn’t it?” "I wonder," she retorted, looking into his shrewd, questioning eyes. "I’m not. heart-broken about it, anyhow." she added.

He said nothing io that, though he studied her out of Ins shrewd eyes with an expression of uncertainty. Then, a little abruptly, he changed the subject. "Well, 1 must be going, my dear," he said. "I looked in for only a few minutes, to find out from you the 'strength of what might lie behind that German fellow's attitude. I'm glad it’s not too serious, and I'll handle him accordingly after the weekend.” "And —where are you staying?" she asked, adding with a touch of reproof: ’lsn’t ‘Sunnyside’ good enough for you these days as a home from home?" "My dear, you know I'm always happy to be here,” he answered, qualifying his remark, however, a moment later, with a dry little smile: "So long as you don't expect my rather oldfashioned notions to fit in with the ideas of the modern type of young persons you seem to cultivate as friends’ "Not friends. Mr Wallingford." she corrected him I wouldn’t call them

that. Just people one has to know more or less for social reasons. But now you haven't told me where you’re staying.” "With Si)' Oscar Baring, at Lea House,” he answered, looking puzzled over her immediate exclamation of surprise. "Sir Oscar and I are old friends.” “Oh quite!" she laughed. "But, I’m not so much interested in Sir Oscar as someone else, whom I’ve been told is also a guest of his. Quite an appalling sort of man I met at the Beaconsfield aerodrome this afternoon. A Canadian ” “John Peters?” Old Mr Wallingford studied her gravely, adding: “So you’ve met him, my dear? ’ “I should say I have. He was most offensive to me, and quite publicly. I intended to speak to you about him, anyhow. He’s another, like Emil Luttner, who needs putting in his place." “My dear, you surprise me,” the old lawyer said. “Why, I regard John Peters as one of the nicest young fellows I've ever met. in my poor opinion. We became acquainted on the liner coming over from Canada. He’d been employed at an airport there, but he’s too ambitious to remain a pilot. As a matter of fact, he's sitting on a little nest-egg in the form of an invention which, when properly hatched, ought to provide him with a very excelent return.”

“Much good may it do him,” Paula observed coldly. “He certainly needs some polish to his. manners, anyhow.” "Not exactly a woman’s man, I dare say,” the other smiled. “At least, not the kind of woman’s man one sees about these days. He’s cut out of rougher material, is Peters. And I’m sorry he’s put himself in your bad books already. I had meant to introduce you two at the first-opportunity.” “I don’t think it matters,” Paula laughed. “We wouldn’t get on at all. Still, as he seems to be a friend of yours. I’d better say no more.” In fact, after old Mr Wallingford had gone. Paula made up her mind to think no more of the man, or the incident which haft brought about their clash. But she did not find that self control nearly so easy as she had imagined. The man was not to be lightly dismissed, she found. She discovered herself involuntarily comparing him mentally with the men in the house-party. Almost angrily, she had to admit to herself that he was of a far more interesting type, even if he was rude and over-bearing. The affectations, the slanginess and pose of superior intellect which were passing here as the right thing, and which were beginning to bore her when manifested in her acqauintances. were characteristics which were not acceptable to her own nature.

Putting the man, Peters, completely aside, she found herself acknowledging that “Sunnyside" would be the nicer for a clean sweep of the guests it was housing at the moment. It was with difficulty that she forced herself to pretend enjoyment in their company. She had never of course believed that their real interest was in her. The Accrington millions were the principal attraction.

Especially with the men. And now that her engagement to Terry Carlton had been broken off, others were hoping for a chance with her. She found a certain amusement in watching their efforts, which would lead them nowhere. The break with Terry had wakened her rather sharply to realise that perhaps it had been for the best. It hurt her pride, but she had been a little surprise to find that it had come as a relief. It had proved that, anyhow, Terry had not been after her money, as all the others had been, and still looked to do. It proved too that she had been drifting dangerously into a marriage which could not have been called a love-match, on her side at least. Now. in this atmosphere, noisy with stupid chatter, heavy with a blue haze from innumerable cigarettes, and made drowsy with just as innumerable cocktails, Paula suddenly asked herself if it was possible for one really ,to love in such surroundings. She slipped away, quite unobserved. Indeed, looking back from the purer atmosphere of a terrace, she asked herself if this really was her house, or whether these people owned it more than she did. They were far more interested in themselves than in her.

It was early evening, and Sunday at that. Quite distantly some bells in an old village church were pealing out their bright notes, clear and resonant. The heavy sweetness of stock drifted to her from the borders below, and she passed down into the garden, making her way with a swinging stride towards the gates. Beyond these, across (lie motor-road a narrow lane wound though a wood to a rise, and she was moving in that direction when a car swung into view from round a bend in the motor-road. At sight of her. the driver braked Heavily, bringing the car to a standstill just outside her gates. Paula had already recognised him before he had slipped out from the driver’s seat and was standing in front of her. "Emil Luttner . . ." he responded, with his stiff little German bow. "1 was about to do myself the honour of calling upon you. It is fortunate that we meet so conveniently. Wo may perhaps have a little talk together? ' •'I can't see any reason wiiy we should." she responded. "Strictly speaking. I ought not to talk to you til all. seeing that my solicitor, Mr Wallingford, has taken the matter out of my hands.”

;T.j he Continued )