THREADNEEDLE STREET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 302, 28 September 1940, Page 7

THREADNEEDLE STREET.

By LESLIE BERESFORD.

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.

David Bellew, elderly and immensely wealthy, witnesses a smash-and-grab raid on a jeweller’s shop. This is smartly foiled by a shabbily-dressed young man with red hair. The thief, however, escapes, helped by a blonde girl at tiie wheel of a car. By the time the police appear on the scene, the red-haired young man has gone quietly on his way, unnoticed, except by Bel lew, who has followed him. He insists that they have lunch together. He learns that the young man’s name is Christopher John Money. Bellow, without probing into his past, and satisfied . with the exhibition of resource given in the raid, suggests that the other shall enter his employ, though without going into details. Money accepts, is given money to fit himself out, and is to be at the financier’s house by the evening. Money’s landlady tells him that a certain Inspector Patcham, of New Scotland Yard, has been taking inquiries about him. Arriving at Bellew’s house in the evening, Money meets the financier’s daughter, Verity. One of her questions is: “I suppose Dad’s told you exactly what’s behind your position with him here?”

CHAPTER HI

PROSPECTIVE TROUBLE MAKER.

Atlhough Money hadn’t the least idea what his position in David Bcllew s household did entail, he saw no reason why Bellew’s daughter should be made aware of the fact. He was not deceived, or even affected by her attractiveness to the eye. He had already summed her up in his own mind as a prospective producer of trouble. She had herself hinted as much in her reference to discretion as essential to peace between them both. „ “The mere fact that I’m here, 'Miss Bellew, is your best answer to that question,” he suggested, adding, not without some inward amusement: “A man doesn’t usually take on a job till he’s quite satisfied it’s his, pieat.” She did not immediately make any comment, but lit a cigarette. A manservant brought in cocktails, wheeling the wagon to a space before the open french windows, which overlooked a walled-in garden of the town-house variety. One heard through those open windows the rumble of London traffic, now at its evening peak. The noise seemed to irritate her obviously rather tense state of nerves. And, when the servant had gone, she moved to the windows and closed them. Money, who also lit a cigarette, felt instinctively the intense scrutiny with which those blue eyes of hers, a feminine replica of her father’s, were taking of him. _ “I’m afraid you’re likely to find this rather tough meat, all the same,” she told him laconically, l “‘Dad’s the kind of butcher who stock that variety. He- ” she hesitated, shrugged and smiled across at him”—after all, for all I know, you’re probably as good a judge of- dad as I am. You’ve known him some time?” “Since round about one o’clock this afternoon,” Money answered frankly, clearly taking her by surprise. “You mean—that was the beginning of your acquaintance with dad?” “In person, Miss Bellew.” “And—five hours later you’re here. Quick work. This is becoming really interesting. Perhaps I had better explain. I heard of your existence only half-an-hour ago when I came in from the country. Parks told mo that dad had ’phoned through to have a room ready- for you, that you were taking— Mr Draper’s place.” Obligingly, she clarified the last point. “In case you don’t happen to know —on so short an acquaintance with ray fath.er— Draper was dismissed by him at nine o’clock this morning. With dad, people go more quickly than they arrive, as a rule. You’re quite a change, I. suppose you must have caught him on the rebound, or something?” “I really couldn’t say,” Money pursued the protective qualities of discretion on this matter too.

“You’re certainly none too bright at conversation, Mr Money!” she commented, laughing. “'l’m not sorry for that. Talkative men annoy me. They’re mostly unreliable, anyway. Perhaps that’s how you caught dad on 'the rebound. Poor Hilery Draper was quite a nice f>oy, but—one of the too too eloquent sort ——•” Perhaps it suddenly dawned on her that, after all. she was doing a great deal’ of talking herself. Ho noticed how the colour rose charmingly in her cheek as she checked herself. She moved towards the cocktail wagon, and gestured with fluttering fingers. “A drink might help this discussion, don’t you think?” she suggested. He noticed that she did not sit down, but moved restlessly about, while he mixed the drinks. He sensed that her conversation was little but a screen with her, covering a restlessness of mind as acute as that of her daintily-frocked. figure. She had come as a surprise to him. A daughter, and especially so attractive a daughter, hadn’t enteied his pictured scheme of things when he had tossed that coin in Regent Street, and accepted its decision as to hei father’s offer. He had to adjust himself-to this new angle on his future life in the Pel lew menage. As they talked there was some slackening in his earlier natural reserve, and an obviously increased warmth m her attitude towards him. BIRTHDAY INTERLUDE. “I notice one thing about your conversational powers, which aren t nearly so limited as I thought,” she iemarked presently, laughing. ie not easily persuaded to throw any hmclight on yourself. Supposing you tell me something about what you ye been, what you’ve done,” she suggested. “You wouldn’t find it in the least interesting,” he hedged, but laughing too. “It might even persuade you that I’m not altogether nice to know, ana your father made a mistake m having me along here •” . “One thing about dad, he never ad-

A Serial Story of Money, Adventure and Love.

(Copyright)

rnits to a mistake,” she flashed, a touch of cynicism in her tone. ‘‘And he’s made plenty. He’s just made one over young Draper, anyhow, and l shan’t forgive him for it. However She hesitated, then leaned towards him over the cocktail-wagon.

“You may liavi made a mistake, too, in being here, Mr Money. I don t know how much dad did/ or didn’t tell you. But-—•” She said no more, ;for a door had opened, David Bellew striding in with his purposeful air, and his daughter turned to greet him. It was not, 'Money noticed, a greeting with any ardour or affection behind it. “Been running the rule over our friend, Money, my .dear?” ho greeted laughingly in turn, and swung round on the other: “I hope you’ve been keeping your own end up, young man ? It’s bad enough to live with Verity at any time, bub—heaven help you if she doesn’t like your face!” “Verity doesn’t like unexpected young men walking in on her without warning 1” The girl spared him a reply. “Well, I’m making up for that, my dear, by not forgetting it’s your birthday to-day,” he took up her challenge with a chuckle of amusement. “You weren’t up this morning when I left. Not that I’m surprised, either, seeing the atrocious hours you keep.” He snapped open a velvet-lined case he had brought from a pocket. Money caught a glimpse of pearls, a very fine string with a beautiful sheen. It wasn’t of them he was thinking, however, or of the .girl’s involuntary exclamation of delight as she took them in small, eager' hands. Money had been stirred by the depth of emotion in her father’s face and voice as he finishecf speaking, a. sudden and almost startling revelation of the real David Bellew. Nothing could have revealed more vividly a pride and love hidden away beneath an otherwise unemotional exterior.

Then in his dictatorial way he began suggesting celebrations. A box at rlie latest musical comedy success, with a supper afterwards at “Haiti,” London’s most fashionable night rendezvous.

“Oh, why be so old-fashioned, dad?” Verity 'clearly disappointed him, and faintly irritated Money, by turning down the idea. “One doesn’t, get excited oyer birthdays these days!” she laughed. “Thank you tremendously for the pearls, dad. They’re marvellous, but not to-night, dad, please! You see, I’d nevter dreamed you would come home with an idea like that, and I’ve already fixed myself up. I’ll have to be dressing now, or turn up late.” “Turn up—where?” her father wanted to know, looking stubborn and even a little angry. “At the ‘Moon and Halo,’ up-river. The usual crowd, you know. It’s the last party before the break-up. Most, like ourselves, are off abroad in a day or so.”

David Bellew, Money gathered, strongly disapproved of the people referred to as “the usual crowd.” He said as much in no measured terms. Suddenly, in a veritable tornado of anger, his daughter flung open the door, and—once in the hall—sent the door crashing to with a noise which resounded through the house. “LOOK AFTER HER.” Money, by this time, was standing with his back discreetly towards the argument, and was unseeingly look-

ing out at the overt-tidy garden. Until, that is, he heard David Bellew* speaking to him. His voice was perfectly controlled, if a trifle breathless.

“That ought to he a lesson to you, Money, never to get married, and find yourself saddled with a daughter like mine!” he was saying tersely, _ while helping himself from the cocktail-wag-on, and added: “I’m not apologising for the exhibition young fellow. It’ll not be the only one you’re likely to see while you’re under our roof, wherever that may be, So it’s as well that you get used to it right away. What’s more——” He drank down his cocktail before continuing. “T want you to remember this, ‘Money. You’re in my employ—not hers. What I say goes, not what my little ladyship pleases to think the right idea. No running with the hare, while hunting with the hounds, Money. Do you understand?” “Perfectly, Mr Bellew.” “Then keep it well m mind. I warned my late secretary about the same thing, but it wasn’t a bit of good. Fellow named Draper—*— “I’ve heard of him,” Money nodded over his cigarette. “What—already?” Then he laughed. “I suppose Verity’s been telling you what a brute her'' father is for kicking the young nit-wit out?” “Being in your employ, Mr Bellew, doesn’t entail—l: hope—becoming an information bureau as to your daughter’s private views on her father. That wouldn’t be fair.”

“It wouldn’t. I don’t ask that, and I like you the better for putting the thing that way. Meantime, I’ll be quite frank with you. Matters were gettingjust a bit too intimate for my liking between that daughter of mine and young-Draper. That’s why he uins dismissed.”

“If I may suggest it, Mr Bellew, wouldn’t it be more to the point,” Money suggested a trifle impatiently, “if you explained to me exactly for what purpose I have boon engaged ? That hasn’t been discussed at all. It’s of far more interest than your daughter ever could be.” “Don’t be too sure of that,” the other chuckled. “Supposing I told you that I was paying you to take an interest in Verity?” “I don’t —I’m afraid I don’t quite understand you, Mr Bellow?” 'Money stared at him, puzzled. The financier sank down into a comfortable chair, pointed to another. “Sit down. We’ll get this straight between us. Young Draper—who is closely connected, by the way, with one of our aristocratic families—was here in the capacity of personal secretary to me, on the social rather than the business side. My business-secretary is,'in fact, a young woman. A Miss Vivien Ambrose, whom you’ll meet later on.” “When I) sacked Draper this morn-

ing,” he wont on, “I hadn’t the least intention of replacing him. But I happened to go to a particular jeweller’s shop in Regent Street, to complet3 purchase of the very pearls you ve just seen me give to my daughter. I came out with the pearls in the nick of time to witness the smash-and-grab on the shop which—in effect —introduced me to you. A fellow who looked as if he should be put to good uses. I’ll admit I was having a joke .with myeslf over the idea. But later acquaintance w-itli you seemed to justify the jest. I’m giving you a' chance to prove my jest a good one, I hope, lor both of us. You’ll replace young Draper, carrying- out his duties more or less. Actually ” Bellow laughed drily here—-“they wore more ornamental than useful where Draper was concerned ’ ’

“And that,” Money intervened, “isn’t the sort of picture in which I fancy posing. You spoke, of me just now,- Mr Bellew, as being put to good uses.”

“I’m coming to them, and that’s where you’ll differ from Draper. I’ll go into your duties in detail, later, whoa we’ve more. time. But I’ve already hinted at one I had in mind when I spoke of you taking an interest in my daughter. It’s largely for you to look after her that I want you around.” (To he continued).