The White Lie.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 167, 15 July 1914, Page 10

The White Lie.

r.y WILLIAM LE QUEXJX. 'A illwi of "England's Peril." "Revelal.t/1.1 0/ the Xecrol firmer* "Unshed Up," do., da.

/- Story of Love, Blackmail end Revenue.

rH.vrrKR wr. I'llK (iRKKN •I'Alil.K. "ri ,, i. ii'mninii a hiriiiijilu Inter Ka'pli Ai*im:. .. i ;i-.l:-,,,.,, I. an':i puling as Ut-n-.il .1- .1 «i-.il:.li_\ Anu'i-;.-.! wli.) had ).'..•■! hir many yean.-in IVan.-e, etrvod ill :.- rtimKiw ii' , >ii -*- -1-.>, ,tii- it: tW expenm>'• I'.ihi.-e llutel ut Troiiville. -a/in'■•i"'ii i!i" -tinny |il;ijfc. Willi its boarded 1T..11K Mad pUl'l'd .111 Ulr wide rtleleh ,lf 11-lICIU r- 111.1. In iln> euiiflihip (Jure were many bath- '■'- ri jiMiiiLrlcaiUi-.fOiurini'K. a <1 ■•' in lhi> i<l in- si-a. while tin- i-niwil of .: ..111.-Ma I.T- ill fll'lllll, r ■■IlltlllV pa-Ked i>1 1 and flcivvn. Tin , -,μ-uii \\a- iit iiH ivliiull,.. iin.r nil tin- plej-nre worlil m I'.irli, h.nl iliH-kiil t-iieie. ■mi rely ii :;i<- whole of say Kurope , in-re if m> watering-place tli.ia T'-.nn ill.-t-nr-M..r .luring ill.' r;hr »,-,-k. ii Mil. . I'l-i.iinh- i hi , |i)avi'J-out olil Riviera, «i;''i iiit , i-ii rti-al ■Miinti l . i> never m i-iiii-, ii.ir air I'll- i'\ip.ivajfaiiL imiil.-e. i-vi'i- -,i iniii-ri .M i-viil"! mi', v, .at tin- WuianJie ■ ' lliMiivill... ..r iipi.ii i-i.. I -,1,-d f"-i ■iKMiiiili- nhi.-li rums !i.■ r',». i- tlion* hij» whit,, iiii'.i-h- "ii I In- Kdiitb. at Tn.uvill". T.i.- r.i>ino was :ii : .;.-. -,v,-i ami bright- I -:. ami :'■„• in-H-knon ii Amerivaii bar. i'li*". tii liv , i.iei-iimiKHi institution. An-,'l luirun'iM'il ilaily in urd.-r t» <■ -ci>- :i,i|iiaHriaii-,> witli m rliant-r ll;ii;m_' hfi'll lip plavlllil i a I'll* t IIC :■!■■<■■! ■' r I'.irt ~f .:,,. i,\fi)n l-.-furo. lie llilJ .■.llf'l In-- Illlli- ,11 ill HH-il, and 'Kill .1'ir-:. ri-,ii .in 1 i|n>«r,l. iiii.iii i ii. -iimn iM-fiif of -i-ariilo r. \, !r.v. ■■Whin infiTiul lurk I haJ la>t nijiii;." I li • imiiti-rcj. In tue.'ii h'ri tei-iii. Tlii'n i( II iipmi Ino lio'.pl bill, wlivli ha.l i-n'me ii;i on 1 ..- ;ray uit!. In.- ilfjcnner. "Kniirt'l'ii hiiiidri-.i ami , oiffhteen fraiio." he inuf,;-, 1. -.iti.l only tin.-., iliree- lout, ; i ! h,v ii n-iiii." Tin*!' lj~: thrr,' loili« iiaJ \>ecn Hum;: i-.ircl«fly iipini tin- t.ilil,- u-i.rii he inul iiiifin-.-'-il ai MX oVIoi-k ih.it morning. lie :,i"!v ;:icni in hi-s palm and looked ;i! t;;t :n. "N,l a wot I from T.-d." lip went i>n. "i;'i :i ; "I rtundfti- what i-ati have upprmvi. Han lii- 30; a ibit- more ,mt "" til.- MiU'lielvoombe >voman and .■]p.in-., ~:i-: N,,.- in- ..(ilp.l. -hoY a wh!:i- nrjn. 11.-' I never prove a blai-k-TUIpM Ai>r!! mv ! not recalled liin nwn j a-.-tion vvlii'iv li,. robbed, dr>,Tt". i. iii,l r'iicun)i,afctec-d the. capture oi ■:..- ii.-i'omptii-f A.iolplu- CarHcr. +".ir .1 Imifr rLiii' lie remaiued i-liwly In. pKi-e.l tlu> small, wril-fnrnfehed rimm. hi- imi- tjirii,- <!<*op \n liis tron- !-•■- piK-kni , . 'ii:- tnp-i iixci upon riie car--1"y .:':_■_ '." iji'vi-r Militlp means !,> o'h;ai'i niiiiH'y. He «a> ,i jfenius rpgardii'jj i-.-hrmi*. and lie pill them before 'il- in r.n<-ii tin iiivitini; and at- ' -.i• ;1- '■ way that liivy touint refusal iinppM-J'bU'. I'.ir .-.lime of thi- wHdefefc "f taiuinjj mi 1 lip) ".""iiny whirh !ia,l etlabli" 1 liTrn 1, '\\x<-"xwn. v, n-avel'tip and dmvn Kurnpe. and pu.-c a - a uui:i of cinrii.iiT.ii.lf jntuinti. HuiluiiN cnuottrtfioilM i" ::.'■ Balkans, the expliiit.iiion nt «,:i i:i Roirauuiia. of tin in i],i!iti'j!i'-T,i. aji,l ,-i.ppir iv Servia ltail. all hen -fiuntul i-uni-r,'.- tif iiK-unii'. -■■nd .now when -they iia,l failed lie hail XiFI.-ii h-.tvk upon h\< ai <-ar,l,-. On the pn-vionti at. a 7. iiLiubNi 'bur. luxiirioae gauninii-hinise i^'LuaJ-i , ■riiilv a frvv <lozpn pares I'ruin I'm luitcl, in. had met hi* match. Hirt «a- tin. wary, and lie had lost, Tery considerably. Indeed, all thai refine,! to him welt" those iliree "oldt'U ]mlk And -.villi that -N-nder <apital he inrienck'il tlr.it iiiirhi to retri-ve his lost Jortuiu-. |t is usuallvM-asy for the elleul l,v retrieve hi.-- lurtune. ISO with a l.iugii Iμ- lit iL freali rijrareti.'. ]iut his three Jcinis in liis pocket, and muttered. "L ivish 1" Ileavi n Tod would come over !ir-re. We i-ome IjiirJll wire him.'• Then exaniiniiijr liimwlf in the •j\n<<, .nnij .-,-t; iiiiir hi.- tie. lit- walked out at 1 hire oVlix-k in the afternoon, hi* first uppfiiriLnu' that day from the lift into the hall, hi' |,a--,-d the low , lounge, where .1 iiiiaiber of Mimuier iiiuslia-dressed idlers were chatting and and -1 i,i,l.- <Mil.. 111 ..jii tin- lnmrdrt placed upon 1 In- "olden -ea-SiUid- <Mit-ide the- hotel. IVoilville 1 j 11 i■ 1 in*. (Itiii-r ', ai'e- ha\e.a drive ulon" Ihe ~e,a-front. i.vi Hi.- gay little bathing■••trou'*-lmii no .-. .1 r i-.jin. The l.uti-ls abut upuii the iiitual -uii.l-. iiisl as Areaeb-.in itbut» upon ii- p.liallf>w i.y-L.-r b,-ds. \ll-rll had nut ",uulie half :i doxell yard.- a Inn- the plu-je Ix'fore lie met a Knyli»liuuMi v hij.-H- aeqiiaintHMi-c in. 111111 mud.- in a niylil cafe <m the previous- eM'iiiiifi —a \ cavalry ollieer. wliii jip'i'l.'il him merrily, believinj; him In l.i''tin- well known Am.'rii-aii tiniunier. Iv• ■11 I hi- men mlmi are "lirili-li oll'n-er.* Miid l.'l-iil li-ini-n" ill the.-c da\ s are |'i'< 1,, In t v\ Hie k to Aiuerieiin dollai". i 1,,. liohli'li Lr\ which ui'lcks the ilmir ■ ■I' Hi,, in,,-' '■•μ-iiihvi- KiiL'li-h eni-ii'ly. 11, I- 11 M-i.i-liio I -i|Uiri' of th" • , . i ,i1 ;1 .j... the ii!il-fa->iiiniieil Kn^lish '~, 111 in': -j.-i,! I.Mian, "ill despise tin' Mien nhii a-pin . In Koeii-ly luT-aiHf t he\ inn 1,,,, .„,,!,•- -mil,--. l|i, ualki-il "itli the viiini" fellflw af.n- ~- I'm' ,;.-iii,.. An -.'-11 did not. ev.-n 1 ~,,>■ |,U an,] us he had already -illumed him up a- livinp nil hi- pay. v. nil ~ '~.,.! ~l debts behind, he did ni'il liiHilili' ,-\,-n to inipiire. Only wealthy I' iiii-riiiL' tin- etisiiin, they had » drink tuyi'tlii'i-. then -miiki-d and rluiited. All-.'il "a- hall' imliiied to tell a tale inul liiirrow a. "fiver." but so clever was 1.. ih.M |,c feared Inst Ihft youiis fellow iiiijilii sp.'ak iif ii : n Trnii\ille. ThereI'm-.- I.- .t.iml at Ihe bar lanuhiiii.' rrily. ii- v ~- hi. v.ml. and k.-epin-. a. wati-hflil .»" 1 11 ~m who entered. He 1,1 1.1 ~ in.ii,. uilicr men l,\ ,heery 1,11.1,.,111. h, mr wi.rn. lii-iniiii-iii ■ ..piiiniiiii. ..ml hi- !.ri-hli'i,-;s uf li - ir.iiniiiy a- 11 irook had -invlv 1 11 in 1 UMinl -i'liiiiil. Nel then- wen' 1 in-.-- ~- i"ii l»-l',,iv hi- vi-ioll. an.-i- tinf.oi. ~1 Hi,- inie. huin-i jiii) whom In- had inn i-rt.-.1. and whom I- had -„ ,-rin-lh ti-..:"d. - 11l - 1,,-t as .11 that 1,,u1Y ■!i -ii I-i' -I,Mid 111 I lie lii 1 uf I In- ureal ■-ilil'-.l ,-asiii,,. I.iMi_liii.i: i;tiil\. 1"- v.nihl rnlli-i upon In- married lile.'and woinh-r wbxic Juan « : , and h,.w o ln; fared.

Tlie young Englishman: Bnltlwiii- byiiiuiio, wns spendiiisT the season ur 'IVouville vvitlt liis mother, who rented v p vet l.v \il lv in the vicinity, and he, lieinjj on leave, vvus idling iimid tlie mod gaiety of I'ufis-bv-llie-Seii. | lie vvus miieli tnken 7iy the inunni'is j mill iiir.v Uiik oi tiie rii-li Americait. vvlioui ■ he found' niu.-li le-x vnljiui- thai, many lie hud met in London society, lie made no ostentutioiis show. tliem«li it vv:is vvhispereil tlirouglioitt Trouville that he U!is one of the wealthiest men | in Willi Street. Wlmt Mould youn H Btlltlwiil h.i ye Ihuujthi ii lie had known of i'.u.s!. t-in-e precious l.vi.-.' I'nlil live o'clock Ansell c'n.itted and -lll.iked vvii'.i him. all '..;-■ lime. liilir.iiii lm.-y to invent come fiv-h .-ehenie in olii-.iin fun.'.... Then, punctually at -live, he look le.ive of his friend, a.v.l euieriii" a litu-re drove ttlotij; to Deanville. that ftiisliionable sniuirl. of eaia-rt vilhtH, h'h'.i .ii- hiir vviiiiv. i-aK'uto and its ,|iiaintlv fniiill lull i-Mfe'lnel.v releot Hotel Noi-muiidie. Al ih.' latter lie d.'s-.-eiide.l ami. en'.eriiitf. |.a.-.--.-.l ilu-oiiKl. iiu- I'ijr 1 .unjre where the wnrlil and i lie more .lejpint, Irall'-wiirlil were cluiUerin*j and lakiii-j l-hcir nil iii't.i- tin* races. lie knew I'll- his; lviii I well, and many n-.vii and women ithliie.-vl v,. an I remarked :ik In. |ia.-se,l. for I. Ilojrizaii ii.nl airei.lv -s-alil>Ted a reputation. -KiiiiliiiH nol.iidv t.i speak to. !--■ look ,i mmi iii a corni-r. dr.in-k i.-.i iH.-au-e il was ihe con-eel ihiti*.' lo do. i-uckr 1 a i-itfar.iic. an I 'tn .-ame iior:-i ! .i!y lu:.-'-il. Tli.ine wi.,. t .iu- liim i. I'.eeted upon the sri-e.ll hut-dell w'ai.-l I llste vve.lltll i|4 hi.. imißi 1..-, li; ile li. aniiiiu' i a.ii. after ail. he vv..- hm .. i.la ■kiu.iilo- au.l an in- " :l'!-.-.-,-iit;.v !-..■ !.,.,!,"! in a: ihe .-a-iiio. vv here ; u- funi. i a Ire.i i hai on vv li.un he knew, an.l I'-.eti. alter :i further li ui-r in the .-..!-. lie relunr.d in his lioiel ill Tr.mi-ill.-. where in* iir.t-.-ti! carefully and Liier uu appear. I ai dinner. .Whvii-vcr fun.!-- w. re .■,*..,-iail.v l.nv Rulph \.:-ell alvvav-s u.i.ie a ,ul, t . nrrle- :i;i expeCcive ilinner. I; i.i- -erveil the illu-ioii that he wa- vvcaltiiv. lie was is-p.-eiallv I'oini ol Kii--iaii 1!..r1.-!i -.n;i t-ml l his ha villi- he. a 0r.1.-ri.l i; wa: piece of .-re.l.n heiliir placed ill the centre Tiie ilina.-.- h. a;.- i..a: ir*.-!u «> ,i . -1..-.-.1 I;, h.i.Jly in k.-.-; 'i:- wi-!, ihe ii!;!..-ii!i-..'i- iu-re not foi-t'.comiiitr. lie would lii-.l hia.- If out.-: Ie l'-e h.it. 1 wi.'.i .ill ■;:.- iii-vv iy-ac.jirrr.l lil-JCi^i'. Trillv iV.s lu.-k wa- el.au . ut. •All-cr dinnVr lv* .-a: outside lie hotel for an hour, watchitisr people | .v-- up .ml down tin* plane. The evening wa« clo-.e. an.l tii.' .-.:nl rellected h.u-k t'.ir ho; i-.n- of the r-mi abior'ocd during ihv day. ile wa- thinking. Only tiio-e three l.Tiiis. remained hctween him and etarvation. die mn-; get money tsomeliow—by what in-.-11:.- i; -inattrrrd nol. so Icing a. isuddenly. will, a resolve, he ro-e. and. par-irig along the plage, arrived al a large white huii-e overlooking tie sea, where, on liie -I'.-.n: ;■ llr.r.r. lie nilered a lu\u;-i..r.isly-funifr:i. ,1 suite nf rontUa where roulette wa- a full swing. Many '-mavtiy-.h-t _--r I men and women were playing v round 'lie grrr-n lablv. come vviniiing.fs.ome los-itiir iieavily. The room, liii.-I t-> ovrrtlowing. wat. almost surVocaling, w'aile. combined wit.h the chillier ni women aud the lever ir.icts of men. wi- [he distinctive sound of Tn- clink of gold a- th-? croupier* lakeil i: in or paid ii on:. •■ Tv several aeq-uainLa-t-c.-.- llalph nodtieil nieiTily a.s he .-irollt'd tli*rouyii ihe room. in.tii suddenly he came upon ivy . men. we.iliiiy Ire know thejii to be. wit i wiiom he had played card.- on the prey ions ni^iil. "Ah. iii.s-.s-;eui,-l-' he cried-, grer-titig-•hem merrily. "Are yiui pep.md ;. give in-* my rcvetige .li':" "t.ltiite. mVi.-ti-r." vmih :':e rejilv of the elder of the men. "Shall il be in the next room? There i- a table free. - " "At your pleasure," vv.is "the AnieriI can reply. The man who had proved ]so shrewd on the previous ninht was aTusciit. 'but tiie two other men -were. lie knew, somewhat, inexperienced at card*. They passe,] into the adjoining room, and -there -at down, a stranger .joining 'liiein. l>ther< were play ing in the same room, including at least a couple of "crooks" well known to Ansell. one man an eleganlly-dres-ed Italian and the other a Spaniard. T.ie summer resorts nf Kuiope prove the happy huntingI ground a'.,r the knights of iudi'ntry. | The cards were dealt, ami the game played. At- t!ir* first coup E tip'a Ansel] won •Iliree hundred franc.*, though lie played fairly. Again an.l again lie won. His lu.-k' ha.l returned. In half sin hour he had before liim a pile of note- an l gold lepre-enting about three hundred pound-. His -face, however, was syiiiiis-likc. Inveterate gaii-il.ler thai he was. he never allow, d hi- countenance to betray his emotion. Inwardly, however, he was elated at his .v.-cess. un.i when 'the suaiiger, a mi1.11.-aged l.aron, -|.i-..j.0-ed lo stake an ainoiint e-|iial lo I hi* winning* he ijtiickly wclcn .1 lie , pr..po-al. In an in-fani In- vv.is ~., H„. alert. Now l-vva-s I hi* iiioiii.-nl i.i perform one of \i'i< clever card-*liarping 1 ricks, the i nek hv I which lie had .-.. nfion won lug suniflolll til,- llllr-llsjle.lillg. ll.* placej t wo one-!uiii-!r. J franc mdc,, aside ill e.i-.■ lie should 10-e, then the .-aid- were de:ii; and the .game played. Only ul thai niiiuienl did tile "'crook" realise what an a-iiitc player the Isi ranger wa-. 11,. irie.l to .heat. and. though lie per-i.fi-.rnic I the Hick, nevertheless hi- 'op. j ponenl a 1 aallv heal him. I Mc bit hi- lip ill linger. ! Then, nn-'ling the mon a across io | Mn* b.irnn. !i.> r.-e from the table and i-hiide lv. c-.inp inioiis gno.l-iii:-!.!, tliniiirli I Ibe -'in wa- 'beginning -to .-hine iii i.etvveen the drawn curtain- of Uu- slulTv(To he continued <t<i:7i/.)