HIDDEN GOLD

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20281, 25 August 1937, Page 4

HIDDEN GOLD

SERIAL STORY.

b BYNOPBIB. ( 1 John Seton says good-bye to Jocelyn j ' Drake prior to his embarkation for Africa, j where* he, as an engineer, Is to report on the prospects of the Mammoth copper mln/j. Various cryptic warnings are > . glv 6n to him before he sets out. There j Be/ms to be some mystery about William- ! s/n, the man who should have reported j in the mine. At Machado, a village near , , the mine, Seton meets a stranger named Parker, who, It appears, Is fully acquain- ; ted with the nature or Seton’s business, s Eventually there is a scene in a saloon > bar, where Seton thrashes Parker for assaulting an old man called “ Mad Daddy White.” Senhorlta Eunice Louvela, daughter of the Commandant of Machado, ! Is all powerful In the district. Her actions suggest that she Is In league with Parker. Seton soon discovers the mine to , he worthless, and sends a cablegram to , this effect to England. A favourable mes- 1 sage, however, is substituted In its stead, as Seton learns some months later when ha returns to Machado to find a letter from Mrs Drake. She has speculated with her daughter’s money, and lost It all In Mammoth shares. As there is no letter from Jocelyn, Seton thinks she has believed the fraudulent messages to have been his own. He meets Daddy White again who gives him Information about the Mammoth mine which he says will make him rich. 'CHAPTER VI (Continued.) M I know Mr Seton. He’ was, as a matter of faot, engaged to my daughter, until this scandal, when she, very properly, broke It off.” Mrs JDrake’s tone was severely virtuous. Parker nodded. “I know him too, to my cost. He was mixed up with all sorts of queer people In Africa.” The lady leaned forward eagerly. “Women?” she asked. Once more the man nodded. “Yea, especially with the daughter of the Commandant of Machado, the Senhorita Eunloe Louvela.” “Eunice Louvela,” Mrs Drake repeated the words,' as though to Impress 1 them on her memory. “Eunice Louvela And now, Mr Parker, what is Mr Lawson prepared to do for me ? I wish to make no more scenes—no \ scenes, I should say—but—” and she paused dramatically. The man did not hesitate. “I must see him to-morrow, and tell him how matters stand. Perhaps he—we, I might say—can find some way out. May I oall again to-morrow evening?” Mrs Drake bowed, and he rose to go; but somehow, took a long time over his farewell. “Your daughter—” he began at last. “Probably she has gone out. She must apologise to you to-morrow.” Mrs Drake’s grand manner had returned to her now. And with that Gerald Parker had to be content. As soon as he had gone, Jocelyn returned. “What do those two men want here, mother?” she demanded. Mrs Drake flushed. “Don’t speak to me in that rude way, Jocelyn,” she retorted angrily. “They came to see me on business.” The girl stood with her hands on the back of a broken-down armchair, and faoed her mother squarely. “It is time we had a clear understanding. What has happened to our Income, mother? What have you done with the capital for which you were trustee? I must have a plain answer, or I must go to old Mr Fyffe, the other trustee and ask him.” CHAPTER VII. Gerald Parker Receives a Oable. It is safe to say that as Gerald Parker went baok to his rooms after leaving the lodgings in Fulham that his thoughts were more of the daughter than of the mother. “She’s splendid,” he repeated to himself. “She's got good looks, and pluok, and a brain. She would want some taming, but still, after Eunloe —” he smiled grimly at the recollection. “To think that fool Seton lost her. It would be queer if I took his place. I’ll go there again.” The Idea seemed to please him Immensely, and he was in an unusually good temper as he dressed for dinner —he had become quite the man-about-town now; but Just as he was going out his man handed him a • telegram which ho tore open with an impatient gesture. “I suppose it’s from Katie,” he muttered, but as he read it through—it was of considerable length, although It had come all the way from Africa — his expression changed again. For a full minute, he stood perfectly still, staring into the fire, evidently deep in thought. At last, he seemed to pull himself together. He went across to his desk, locked the slip in a seoret door, then took his hat and overcoat from the rack. “There’s no time to lose.” he told himself as he went downstairs and out Into the street. “I’m glad I’m the first to hear this. Seton, of course, was always a possibility, but the other part," he laughed softly, "ihe other part I did not expect. Once more I shall score of Mr John Seton. It's lucky I left someone I* could trust there. Curtis has been pretty 6mnrt.” He made his way io his club, where ho dined well, then crossed lo the smoking room, and Immediately began to make a series of calculations on the hark of an envelope. Apparently, the result pleased him, for lie rose with a sigh of satisfaction, carefully burned (lie envelope, then left ihe club. Ten minutes later, he was seated on one of ihe big armchairs In Mr Lawson’s smoking room, whilst the managing director of the Mammoth Mining Company was standing with his back to the ifro. regarding him with an anxious, worried expression on his face. “You say you have had a cable to the effect 'that Ibis man Scion has turned up again, and is on his way home?” Mr I.awson asked. Gerald Parker nodded. “Yes, that’s so. lie sailed to-day." The other made an impatient gesture. “But 1 understoood from you that, he was dead.” “No. no.” Parker answered sharply. 1 ”1 said 1 thought and hoped he was. Thai was all. I admit this may ho .iwkward for you. Still, we must hope :'<t Ihe best.” The Managing Director was growing more angry every moment. “Awkward! Is* that all you can find to say? With this new campaign go- “ Against you,” ihe ex-prospector retorled. "I was only the vendor. I never came into Hie affair afterwards. All I’ve done is to help in a friendly way. 11 will he your trouble." Mr I.awson began lo pace up and down the room. Evidently, it was no use quarrelling with Parker at this juncture. What do you suggest?” he asked at last. “He may get hold of some—

By STANLEY PORTAL HYATT.

f some important paper. What then?’* Parker yawned. “Then, undoubtidly, he will blackmail you, and you vill have to pay.” “If I don’t pay?” It was quite dlsresslng for a man of Mr Lawson’s josltion to go into such problems. Once more, the younger man yawnid. “Then you would oertalnly go ,o prison.” Mr Lawson took a couple more ;urns up and down the room. He tvas a financier, he told himself, and le did, not know how to act In such jlroumstances. “What do you suggest?” he repeated his question rather feebly, this ;ime. “Stop him oomlng home with his story and his proofs," Parker retorted. “Buy him off, or, If that isn’t possible, there might be an accident. But it’ll cost a lot of money.” Mr Lawson frowned. **How can you do that? You say he’s started already.” "Yes, by the East Coast route,” the other retorted. “I can meet him at Port Said, and fix it—if you pay enough.” The financier's frown grew deeper still when he heard the sum which Parker considered necessary. “Absurd, absurd,” he declared. “I can’t afford that.” The other shrugged his shoulders. “Your defence at the Old Bailey would cost you more, and you would go to gaol in -the end.” With a sigh, Mr Lawson took his cheque book out of the bureau, and proceeded to draw the cheque, which Parker examined critically, and then . thrust Into his pocket-case. “It sheer blackmail,” the financier declared as he closed the bureau again. “Sheer blackmail. Disgraceful. . * . Can you make sure?” The other man nodded. “Don’t be afraid. I will fix up the fellow. I’ll cable you from Port Said. I start for there to-morrow.” “I trust It will be all right. I’m sure I trust it will,” when Mr Lawson was nervous he had a futile trick of repeating his words. “Whyman should i never have recommended, this man, I Seton, I can’t think what made him I do It.. And now, to make matters 1 worse, he’s resigned from the Board of the 'Mammoth.’ When that gets known to-morrow, Mammoths will be utterly unsaleable at any price." Parker pricked up his ears, but he made no comment on that matter. Instead, “And now how about Mrs Drake?” he asked. The financier was not given to swearing, but on this occasion he did vent to an oath. “That old harridan who’s always threatening us with the police? What did she have to say?” “I don’t think she oan pay,” Parker spoke slowly. “If you press her, she may go bankrupt; and you’ll have reports of the case headed ‘Mr Lawson and the Widow’s Mite.’ ” Once more, Mr Lawson swore. "See her again then, before you go; and tell her we’ll leave the matter in abeyance, if she holds that scurrilous tongue of hers. ... I suppose there’s no chance of this wretched Mammoth ever turning out any good?’’ It was a strange question for the Managing Director of a mine to put to the vendor. “Absolutely none,” 'Gerald Parker answered cheerfully. "I never expeoted it would, as you know. . , Well,, I’ll see the old dame again for you.” j Mrs Drake was at home when Parker j oalled the following afternoon, but she reoelved him without * any excess of oordiality, whilst Jocelyn, who happened to oome In a minute later, retreated after the barest acknowledgment of the visitor’s presenoe. As Parker was quick to note, however, she did not even speak to, or look at, her mother. The man plunged straight into business. “I have seen Mr Lawson again for you, Madam, and he is none too well pleased. I fear that the Gompany will press you for the money due. They are bound to do so. But,” he paused a moment to give effeot to what was coming next, “but I am truly sorry for yourself, and as, in a sense, I am responsible for the Mammoth, 1 am prepared to take your shares off you myself,” and he mentioned a figure ■considerably in excess of the market value of her ten thousand Mammoth shares. If he expected gratitude, he •was mistaken. Mrs Drake merely smiled “It is very kind of you, Mr Parker," she said. “But I have already received a better offer, and I may keep the shares myself, after all." For a moment, Gerald Parker was obviously surprised, then he recovered himself quickly. “I am glad to hear of It,” he replied. “Now, you will be clear of your difficulties, I hope. But if I oan help you in any way, or if you change your mind —” Mrs Drake nodded. “I have your address, and I trust that, in any case, we shall see you again,’ she looked round for Jocelyn, but discovered that tho girl had left the rooih’quietly. “My daughter is troubled over that dreadful Mr Seton. Please do not mention him again before her." Gerald Parker leaned forward cagerI ly. “You have not heard from him ; again?” Somehow, ihe answer, which was ! evidently true, seemed to disappoint 1 him. "No," Mrs Drake said. “And I i trust we never shall hear again." I The visitor looked distinctly puzzled | as ho went down Ihe crazy staircase. I “If she didn't get the hint from Seton, | where ihe deuce did she get it?” he asked himself. At the gate, however, he seemed to I got the answer to his question, for he came face to face with a short, sallow man who was just entering. I Parker started hark. ‘ You! You!” ihe exclaimed. “You! By all that’s i holy!’ j Mr Dawson pushed past, as though j i, c had never heard the. words, anc| I slammed Hie gate behind himself. (To he continued.) are you a sword swallower? [>,, you suiter uio or sharp, a ta martyr to indigestion or any other 311 Then follow the lead or the thousands ,>r \o\v Zealanders who have banished or ever the pain and sulTcrlng or indigestion, I'lee rated Stomach etc., with Dr. im Maurler’s Digestive and Stomach powder. Dr Du Maurler’s remedy ensures permanent amt Immediate benefit in even the most severe cases. The presence or i rol’oldal Kaolin In Dr. Du Maurler’s ForI muia places a protective soothing film l over ulcerated surfaces, stops pain and | starts Die healing process from t lie very I " l The sooner you buy a packet the sooner you’ll he free or pain. I ‘ At all Chemists and Stores at 2/-