CHAPTER II.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1833, 5 April 1884, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 11.

The Bovine Bank had thoroughly partaken of the nature of its founder and largest shareholder; in fact, was impregnated and inocu-

lated with his spirit, so it could be well said : " He being dead yet worketh." It was reported to be, and rumor lied not, the meanest bank in the colonies. It paid starvation wages, and if a clerk robbed the corporation he was pursued to Pentridge Gaol with a hatred that never held its hand. Other banks saved the credit and souls of the unhappy erring ones by a compromise, taking their relatives' money, and bidding them go and sin no more. But the Bovine Bank never relented. Granite could not be harder than the heart of the manager, Mr. William Whinstun, who had been elected by Mr. Gifford. Those who indulged in jokes at the expense of the Bank said when the appointment -was about to be made Mr. Gifford was greatly exercised as to the merits of Whinstun and an opponent, each equally penurious and graspiDg, but waa decided by the manner in which the former beat down an orangewoman a penny while his rival paid the technical price. Women, young and beautiful, sisters, mothers, wives with babies at the breast ; men, grey-headed fathers tottering on the verge of the grave, had knelt before this man and offered double the sum the loved one had stolen in vain. He took the money, and sent the lad to Pentridge to become a curse to mankind. " The law of God," said this cruel man, "forbade to show mercy in such oases," forgetting that the name of God is Mercy. At his hand, when he would face the Dread Tribunal, would be required many a lost immortal soul, for he had caused the crime and then punished it too severely. When Herbert's father died he wa3 elected not only director of the Bovine Bank, but also chairman, a safe proceeding enough, for the directors felt certain he coald not do anything. They were all nominees of the dead Gifford, men with their hearts of iron and faces of flint. Herbert had indeed succeeded, young as he was, to all his father's offices, but on muoh the same standing. He already hated, as much as he oould hate, the manager of his Bank, and had resolved upon his removal. He had dreaded, detested, the man since ho remembered, for Whinstun was a frequent visitor at his home. Herbert remembered, too, many a case of desolate despairing women, kneeling at his mother's feet, clinging to her garments, and begging, through their sobs and tears, for her intercession for a loved one with her huaband. And ho recollects, too well, the terrible agony of that gentle creature, who could do nothing. Her husband never allowed her to say a word about business. She would tell her son that a great day of retribution would come, if not in thia world in that in which God alone is judge, and now that oon had risen in judgment. And Herbert remembered how many an honest man this wretch had ruined by coming down upon him at an inopportune moment, merely that himself and his fellows might obtain the property at a third the value. He recollected, one day, being in the bank and hearing the voice of a man, broken with sob 3, imploring for time, and the harsh reply, "It cannot be done; the directors are inflexible," and he knew now that man's god — that man who, if allowed six months' grace, could now be the richest man in Australia— had lifted to fortune the harpies of the Bovine Bank, Whinstun amongst them. The victim had died of drink, a vagrant, on the streets. And more than that, Whinstun's son had destroyed the poor man's daughter. Herbert could well remember how he first saw those two together ; in Survey Park, on the banks of the Yarra, and how he saw the ! victim last. Young Whinstun, who was on j the river in an outrigger, paused while he i looked at Lucy Morton ; her jovial father mopping his head in the distance. And now Herbert resolved to strike a terrible blow at this man. He thought that the lost souls and the ruined men and women that strewed hi 3 path called upon him to avenge them, that it was a sacred cause. He felt his mighty power for the first time, and resolved to use it in crushing Whinstun, who was known to have been his father's evil counsillor. And the last scene; Oh, who describe it ; both scenes had burnt themselves into Herbert's memory. He had heard that this same Whinstun had been with Morden and his father in the early times, and that it was Whinstun who had helped to work Morden out of his property. The very day after he had increased the salaries, he drove into the city to attend the meeting of the direotors. As he passed through Collins-street groups stopped and gazed at him, oven more so than usual. The news had leaked out, and the monetary classes were furious. Wages would have to be raised all round now; men on stations adjoining Gilford's would not stop at the old rate. When he got to the banking chamber he was greeted by the grey-haired directors with a chorus of horror. "Mad," "foolish," and such epithets were showered at him. He simply took his seat at the head of the table with the curt observation, " I will do what I please in my own affairs," silenoing these men at once, for this was a maxim they greatly affected, especially in politics. Business proceeded smoothly enougn until the close. "That is all the business on the paper to-day," said Herbert, as he saw preparations for departure being made ; " are there any notices to give ? " Herbert had thoroughly restrained himself during the meeting, not even interfering when bills or accommodation were denied to worthy men, simply because the money available was wan tad for the friends of the directorate. Whinstun was usually a sort of despot, even with the directors ; but since Herbert had sat in the chair he had been suavity itself, and to-day he was most deferential towards the chairman. Ho looked upon him as a plastic twig, to be bent to his own purposes after proper training ; ignorant of the intricacies of bantering, what could he do but follow the guidance of an acknowledged expert. Whinstun had no knowledge of the severe training to whioh Herbert had subjected himself for long dreary months, and the great business capacity of the young man, inherited from his father ; hitherto latent because it had not been called forth, because life had been too pleasant. Mr. Whinstun was to be terribly undeceived. Ho was a great reader of faces, and h&d the ocoasion arose and he had studied Herbert's face that day, he might have seen in it a set purpose to do something that was perilous, and required strength and nerve. While some discussion had been proceeding conversationally as to certain clients' financial position, Herbert had carefully written out two small slips of paper — each the same size— one of which he tore up. When there was no response to his query about notices, the directorate carried on business in a semiparliamentary style. He rose— not to go, that was evident, but to speak— and his appearance at once arrested those who were about to rise, and glued them to their chairs. "What now?" thought the directors and manager; another of his freaks. What do we care ? he can't carry them here ; the laws we work under will not allow that, we have the power." Herbert hesitated for a moment, and his face flashed; ha felt the great contest to which he was committing himself. He looked at each face familiar to him, disliked by him since childhood, and he saw on each a grim look that said plainly enough, "We defy you ; we have the power here." This in reality nerved him to the fright, braced him to begin that great struggle, fraught with, momentous consequences. In a moment he had grasped all his plans and pronounced them perfect. " Gentlemen," he said, at first thickly, and with stops caused by the beating of bis heart, but soon cold, clear, and distmct ; " I give

notioe that at the next meeting I will move that & special meeting of the proprietors in the Bovine Bank be called, as provided for : —First, for the purpose of raising the salaries of the employ6s 25 per cent. ; and, second, tor the dismissal of the present manager, Mr. William Whinstun. The meeting is now adjourned." He moved from bis chair to take his hat '■ and cane, bat not a soul save him as much as twitched a muscle, except those governing the eyes and mouth. It seemed as if a ! thunderbolt had struck them. The blood , receded from the manager's pale face until it j grew a ghastly green. He was t\e first to recover, however, and to spring to his feet, ] the blood r ashing to his face as it had not i for many a year, and crimsoning it. The other direotors could but shut their eyes and mouths, and put their hands to their ears as | if disbelieving these organs. 11 This motion," cried Mr. Whinstan, loud enough to be heard (the sound, not the words) in the banking chamber, at which the olerks and customers were horror-stricken, for no such sound had ever been heard to proceed from the directors' room, " is bunkum', sheer bunkum. You know you cannot carry it, proud and rich as you are. Withdraw it at once, unless you want to destroy the property, to run the bank's shares down from £25 to os. The public will lose faith in us if we allow them to know wo have a fool and a madman as chairman." The directors, slow-witted men, but of the surest kind, had been unable to grasp the situation until their manager spoke. Then, at a moment, tho helplessness of Herbert through the voting powers conferred by the bank's laws burst upon them as a gleam of sunshine on a heretofore darkened landscape, and the reaction being very great, they broke into what the walJs of that chamber had never heard, a roar of laughter. The clerks and customers heard it, and staggered with amazement. What wa3 the Bovine Bank coming to ? One fat director, in his exhilaration, absolutely rose and snapped hia finger in Herbert's face. Whinstun stood bold and defiant. At first, when Herbert had read the notice, he thought the trumpet of doom had sounded ; the catastrophe that would follow, which would utterly destroy him aa he had destroyed so many better men, flashed acrosß his brftin, and nearly stopped his heart. Now, he had grasped his position, which he thought impregnable, and felt confident ; not only so, but revengeful. "If the meeting wasn't closed, and we oould re-open it," said the fat man, who had been for years sustained by the bank, " I think I'd move for an extraordinary meeting to remove the Chairman." " Next meeting yoa can do this, Mr. Oxham," said the manager, with a diabolical smile. " I have nothing more to say," said Herbert. " I have given notice in a proper manner, and when the time comes it will be seen which of U 3 will prove the stronger. Don't spare me ; I don't intend to spare you." The latter sentence was directed to the manager, upon whom it had a visible effect, for again doubts sprang up in hia mind. He knew Herbert's power was very great. But he also knew that the directors and the principal shareholders were tied to him by adamantine chains, and his face brightened, and he almost looked smiling, if that could be said oi his saturnine face, as Herbert with a defiant air walked out, his youth, beauty and grace forming a strange contrast to the bloated or withered harpies in the director's room. " Dismiss thi3 matter for a moment," said the manager as Herbert disappeared ; I have important instructions to give." And he went into his own room, which was just behind the banking chamber. Once there his bell was heard to ring violently and a clerk hurried to answer it.