PAID IN FULL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21245, 16 October 1940, Page 11

PAID IN FULL

|= NEW SERIAL STORY

by H. S. Sarbert

CHAPTER Xi—(Continued) There had been a meeting just prior to this. Gentlemen had driven up in their cars, and there had been a most important conference. Harry had known to some degree what it was that had to be discussed. And just alter the last of the visitors had gone, tne office boy came to Harry, and told him that he was wanted in the private office, he felt delighted and extremely hopeful. Mr Greenwood told Harry to close the door, and motioned him to take a seat. “Probably you have heard, Preston, that there is to be a model vil- | lage planned on the Birchgrove I Esiate” he began, j “Yes, sir, 1 have seen it discussed —there has been mention of it in I the papers.” ' “That’s right! Well, Preston, it’s more than a rumour— it’s going soon to be an accomplished fact. They’re going to put up houses—scores of l them. They’re going to build new I roads. There will be a church, a , hall—in fact, this Birchgrove Estate ! is going to be a b ; g thing. Situated j so near the arterial read, there is j every opportunity of development. ; A year or two, and we shall have a thriving town there, served by its own railway station and lines of buses. bluite a tiuilling sort of idea, isn't it.’” “Rather, sir?” Harry spoke enthus asticallv. Tt was what he actually thought. ft was what he had always thought. This was the most tascinating part of j the work he had elected to take up - as a career. He nad thought that j from the very commencement. To j watch the opening-up of new vii- ! lages and towns; the growth and j development of things. That was j doing a really great work. I And this was the biggest thing | about which he had ever heard. It i was great even to be working for a I firm that was connected with such J an undertaking. j Presently Mr Greenwood went j on: “The whole scheme is to be left to us—to this firm—with myself in supreme control. A big job, eh, Preston?” “I should think it is, sir»” “The biggest I have ever handled.” “But you’ll do it, sir!” “You think I will?” “I’m quite sure of it, Mr Greenwood.” Mr Greenwood gave a quick nod. “That’s all right, then,” he said. “Now. of course I can't do this on my own. I’ve got to look around and get the right folk to help me. and I want to go out of this office a? little os possible. I want plans drawn up, and then I am going to get the

suggestions considered and passed the- ouard. I want the modern • ucn, Preston. I want ideas—iriking, original ideas. If there’s a ireet corner, for instance—well, I •/ant there to be something original tbout it. I don’t want it to be just .m ordinary street-corner. I want ng quietly but rapidly, and he •• atched the face of the young mai. .11 the time. There was no need fci turn to ask whether Harry Preston took all this in. He knew he did. There was intelligence in the boy’s eyes, and when, now and then, Mr Greenwood paused questioninglv. Harry was able to fill in quite ex pertly. Suddenly the principal leaned forward and sprang the great piece of news. “This is going to concern you quite intimately, Preston! ’ he said. “You mean, sir ” “I mean that I am going to put you to work on it.” “To—to ” “You are going out there with the other architects and surveyors. You are going over the ground with them—but also on your own. You are going to take your own note's You are going to make your own plans, I believe in'you! You’re young —but this is the age of youth. I was impressed with the way you carried out the other jobs I gave you. “Now, see here, my boy—l’m promising nothing, and I want you to understand that very clearly. J won’t say how this will turn out fci you. I won’t say that A will mean ny thing special. But it may mean a lot. If your suggestions are usable, you will get the credit and the financial benefit. It might mean a partnership one day—who knows? It will certainly mean an office of your own here, and a very substantial increase in salary in the very immediate future. I’m taking a chance with you, because I happen to believe in you. And it’s for you to prove that I’m not mistaken’” Harry went very red and then quite pale. He rose to his feet and tried to stammer out his thanks, but Mr Greenwood waved them aside. There was only one point that he wished to impress upon Harry—the need for absolute secrecy. Nothing must come out. His name was to be put on the list of staff working on this great undertaking, for private circulation amongst those who were financially responsible, but nothing was to leak out to outsiders. He must remember that. He was never to let it slip his memory. It was most important. Harry promised, for it was an easy promise to give. Of course, he was to be permitted to tell his father of the great opportunity that had come his way, and Harry was longing to do that —for was it not his father who had made everything possible? His great opportunity was at hand? It had come sooner than he had thought possible. He was going to make his Dad really proud of him—and that was not all. either. He was going to be of use to his father, and he was going to pay back every penny of the money he owed him. (To be continued daily)