A Monte Cristo of Commerce.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 128, 30 May 1914, Page 19

A Monte Cristo of Commerce.

pHUttnC NOVEL OF INTRIGDE

wW CLTRRNT.J „ j "Sight I'wH." «Tfc« ; Becrrtor,,:' '.1 TV, 7 , • W Jy Purchase" ■'■'. OSj_T3SR xv.. , 7__wd«d, f»/ " 7', . UuW ami 3* —rWu. It 0 1" Ul ° an.i S%%;^^'.'''••:..--:' *«*IS«rS«rV m«in* - l*«AS«t woman ,v I,* ..Jo ; "ifLting with hf r i ad heen tm«&*s not vet «i.x-«d.~l in re 3fi_.tap»«» •-'"'■ t: " '^i gUfafotten. < i; «i^i ! ; „:, «a a, isseßw) "»"■ nlu . .. < "3 : i t The reir-.* '•• "-.i. •- *-i-- an . oniaiwut. and !.■ «unn 2ffirte would not v, ( .am„ "n«U-|, £ Moreover, sbc in. rtaying at an * J. hotel and they had driven i' T r <r*a property. And .ill th -c,, at the, ffity tot she might be .poor I the party tiroke up. am! the jjnnetets ordered their car. |. «,. I gtuy a little '" May asked,.. riT . "We can si', in the loun K e. I, *-.ci Tm not ra til.' ict.-". tired, ,; eij sneered, with a.--ni.c j Tier walked to t'ne 1i.i.l with the I jjios'.sad Ethel drew Am h Tmeo glad- d '" ar ' '"' km,i * 0 hirr "" !! -it tremulously. But Ailreu j ' did not answer. Warn the Parmetir* hid po_e, ?>iax. W&wy to a sent in .. quiet corner, gud faced tardeliberal ely. •Afleeii, I must talk ••( the past. . UJere is a toniex e-etween ns vvhw'h ~ nnatbe hrotcn d(JWE.'' lie sjjd, with , COOtiOU. "_ have warned you—no pood can crane of reTiring things winch are tetter i forgotten. •* I ' "1 aliafl always remember ih»- nifetht; ; jOTcane to mc at my hotel. 11 was the ijttereest metniesiit of my Lite when 1 l-ad , . So refuse your request, Kven now 1 ; c_l give you the why ] acted j aa 1 did. But they are very weighty , ma. And when. 1 ehi-urd of your fidier. tentms illness I hate-d myse lf.; But efen sow, as I look bank, 1 see tbat ! I amid not lave eieted differently. I sras toimd in .honour to do what I did. ___m, 1 lish you would believe mc," lbe wound up, wistful Iy. _ilee_.3 Sirs, impulse was to answeT ongrilT, for Mats hu.d 'brouglit 'txwik to _er th« OBDient of iumiliaikm wliich site w__ted to ionict: but it was n«eearj to 4etcei?e Max, and so she wa_» flegain forced to dissimul-rl..'. "I prefer not to talk of ;he p.i.t. ami jtramost respect my wishes, oc we can't • tie friends." "Very well," he answered, with n sisrYi.i hot soon he became mure cheerful, and I __c deftly turned the subject i.f their tonTenseettion to him_ieLf. I *._fl the world is curie-iire alionfc yon. nnd I admit I shonld like -tn know the j «eret cf your succo-."' she said. » ith a ; hewttiimg gmile. "it. been chiefly a matter of luck. T I Wejoodfriend= behind nr\ and that's ehalf the battle.'' j "Toor modesty makes you ..iTk like ttat Won't you tell m.- how money is made in the city ?" Tn a hundred different way*; some ■ honest, and the others-well, 7've come • across a tremendous lot of bin-faced *><*en. By the by, 1 appose you | now yonr father's man. Costello. "has, sttrted in businefis on }. L - own account "id i 3 doing gui;.- well. I've come Mross him once or twi, c. and like him." : He would feel honoured it" he knew.''' Be answered, and there was a touch ,'rf «7»eeS3 in the remark that caused him | Wlookat her quickly. but she a-ppeared ; jnte nncouscious of hi« (scrutiny. "I wish you would give mc advice"! *c went on. quiet lv. -I've a little spare money, which I should like to I Hums,*" T*t mc handle j: : v, r you. Ton ! "Wfct be airaid 1"! hue ',■'" he naid • eagerly. ' ' ■ r wouid rather in-1 ™s it thy sell. ghat's'a pity. |',„ cf ,injr to start Btfcar' movement in cenain oil shares I've got inside mfurmation. l * ft awaiting a cable v, sell ail I TJTT °■ ' mi ij m ' ikf - • three hundred per cot „n ihe deal. *M>lyou change v,.ur mind:" *>°i ami I'il tell you why. If you *MP« to make a bail deal 'you ■jMrttdliw. V...1 would mi ,kc7.p! »«loss out of yonr own po. ket I'm' *?o proud -~ r a n -■... 7 V '™i tev_r . "" " . . that, i "m are "tie share- " -■--vthcimeha,, Siivisable."" "' • " -" ILI lamk c i- k : n.l nf vnn rrin • * ""With pleasure Ti, • i Eb tn .. ■ ' ' - ;,, "ii very mum e^°rati"ri;:, . think ' ;mUSt «i- , *!a^ d , tOM,, I yo,, * t '»y "ci aaieu, f ( .r *.i;,-» would not to „ h . t , hjm hpr hftnd %vh _ ne m her room .he did tint undress. 3«£Vtt S m^ miS^ath - A^°£'' Idok -'^ moanfa -" Tt 6h e eovere,. her face with her and bejar, t0 CTT rrnletW. After »"« it worth while tn plar this de- £■* Pm in order to Jti'V a denire »r revense? Pn-n- •,'-• -'list few Jjh her self.rc ? pe7 ~,,, re c c iU I .he was tempted to her plot to i-.iure Max. It was 3"*le io hide i-im herself hnw PJ«c had been her pleasure in aeain S*lto, »n.. when at Un ril. went J_Hher TTtir..! „.,. e-iin.rW and '-cr pwpo« e had weakened , : _Moi_b» catn*, nnd she blamed her'ft hltierlv -~.,-v... „ J,,.", ..,- **. ta When .-cc arrived at iie7.iV\2fcV-* Costello »h'« ajain he'tne dftt-r car:/ cut her plana.

"I want fw o hundred and fifty pounds ' in note.-.'' she said to him. and w'thout i question he went to pr.. '..-i •■ them. I Again Ailecn i.-hau'_'cJ Into the serge coftunw, ami at one o'.lrxk she was -eated in the lit tie r»~t:iuranl. awaitttig l.ntrau's typist. "I have ecu- f u r yon.'' flic latter esa.4.l ' at. on, c. 'J never ought to have {empted you to ' 'ictray Mr. Nogan. I wrnngi'd jnu. and I'm very sorry. I', it 1 don't intend y.,u '. '.'.sutler: in f.i i. Iv I'r.ii'.'lit the money i I promised.'' ' I -Hut I can't tike it. I h.iren't earned : it. Of course. I knew I mi- doing wrong. ' but I do so hate tiie i ,ir It wouldn't I be right for rue t.. take it:" Aileon smiled as siie nol iced the question in the last sentene ... "J'ii. re are t.v,. hnn.|r.-l and fi ft v pounds in thin cnvcloj..-. I would only -eigge-t one thin.- that y.iu leave .Mr. Logan's servii. as «,,..n as poeaesihle. I can't bbiine you fnr what you did. It was all my fault, and I'm ashamed. No! I'm not stavirg to lunch, fiood-hve."' "Thank you. It's all very r-trantre I a mc." .lane answered, hut she cnui.l fpel j the crisp nm... in tiie cnv.',.].,■ which | she was b.npnc: to -open. So -he blur- j U'ei out il "good-byp'' and iia.-tened away. ] Aiiccn returned to the oilice in a very- I .lepre.--sed state "f mind, for she belie.,7 that s-hc bad dor." mnral harm to the 'jir!. and she wa- determined to keep her in -eight. Costello came in. an.l she felt it h.-r duty to tell him what had happened, although the rc-ita! caused h.-r -ham**. "We have him." he cried, esultinsly. j "Yes. we can strip hint ut" a great deal ! of money. We have now --nt nearly al! j the shares we want, and when he comes j to buy t'ne shares width he will have to I de.iver. then he will hate to pay our It was a bold scheme, and one likely ! '•' Mtececd. for the detaiio had been car- ! tied out with great care an.l they were convinced that there wa.s no suspicion of the plot that had been prepared. Logan did not buy or sell in a small way. and they felt sure that lit- would sell a great number of Tampo Oils, and when ! the settling day came he w mid be unable j to gam po.-es-ion of all' he Had contracted j te, deliver, except by buying from them, j It was. ot' course, tiie'r intention to buy ■ a., many as possible when he , oinnieiieed ] ie. sell, an.l innn-.tiat, :v Max wired her ; -lie would instruct her brok rs to that j cTe I. In liie meantime Max l.ogar, had b.-en unable to attend to business. When [ 1.-awng the Savoy '::• di.mi.Soed hies; chauffeur and uaiked Uuk to hi- I chambers, his brain in a tumult, for !i« i could hardly r.-ali.-c that lie had just ] left Ailecn. and that she had been kiui ' to him. let there was something in j her manner that puzzled him. Una lie , wondered what li.x-i e-au.-ed her to change j so completely. When morning came he dismissed ali I doubt an.l egave himself up to ihe joy ■ of the moment. ln a few hours iie might see her asgam. for she had en- I courage i hrm when he asked if hemiegtit calL ILabit took him to the City, but , he only stopped to dictate a lew letters. ' and then hurried to the l'armeteis' flat. "I want you to dine with mc to-night, j I'm going to aslc Aiiccn." he said to ' Ethel. c "We've already asked Glady. Forres , ter. but you and Alien iiin join us," I the. latter answered. "I would rather you all came with mc, and I'll bring another man. That will make the party even." So it was arranged, but when Max j called at the Savoy Hotel lie was in- j formed that Ailecn was cut. "Lan you tell mc when- rhe is'" he ' asked, but they colli.i g:\e no inlorma • tion. i So he fold them tliat he would be! waiting in the lounge, nnd that they i were to inform iier ci his presence im- I mediately on her arrival. Then there , commenced :l le,ni_ and weary wait, for. it was nearly six o'clock before she appeared. However, his invitation was accepted at once, and she graciou-ly gave ; hint permission to return l"r eee'r. '■ j On the way back to his chambers it' J occurn-d to him that he had uoi yet secured the sixth guest v and .-•■ h. I I .topped at ~ rather exclusive .iui. ~ which lie had recently Ih'. h ji-ade a j j tuetuljer. A plance round tit. smoking I ' re~.ni and, his ey,-s rest,-.! on a tai, man j ! with .a lean, brown face liiat ii-.nt'-! at. a long residence in a tropical innate. j "tstanton. will yi v dine wilh mc io-| i night as a great favour. I want to I ! make uti a |.arty.' | j Sir James Stanton, K.C.M.G.. xvas j I one of t.he best known of ihe younger c I men who govern our Crown colonies. | and he had rec.tntly returned from West • -Vfrifa. where he had gained great crrsiit ! f. r the su.i-eij.sful way he had dealt with a ri.-ing of native-. ! •'l'll come with pleasure." he. an j SWered, re.v._.ly, for he liked Max. i j "Thanks. You are doing mc a reai I t'a.o'ir. Dinner at seven-thirty at my place. You know the address?'' i Sir .Tames liixided, for he was a man j of few words, and Mas went to St. j .lames'. The table was alreadj prepared for dinner. With a glance at his •watch. Max ran to his room and threw off his clothes. for there was no time to espare. In fact, it was nearly half-pa_st seven o'clock when he reached the Savoy I Hotel, but Aileen had not yet com" ' down from her room. j It was not like Aileen to be late, but at last .ihe appeared, and rather to his i astonishment marie no apology. | "At what time shall T order the car?" ' she asked. I "Don't trouble. 1 will bring yon I bad, " he aneswered. and led liie way to the door. I And when they were in tiie car he j tared to look at her for the first time. seemed -as if she was more like tiie girl 'he iiad known, the triri to whom he had been engaged, for her expression was ."•nil.' .md her manner so gracious that he was tempted to take her in his arms and pour forth passionate words of love. They entered, and she eirew back in tear, for .-t.uiding in the hall was .lane, | the typist. (To le conrmueTT daily.)

1_