LOVE CONQUERS TREACHERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 143, 20 June 1927, Page 16

LOVE CONQUERS TREACHERY.

By HAROLD BHTDI.OSS. Author of "The Impostor," "The Allinson Honour," "Andrew's Folly," Etc. SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. I JIM HESTAN is the youngest director of j Hf>stars. Ltd.. a large steel firm. He has ' been badly wounded during the war, but recovers and takes his father's place. He i is, however, not satisfied with the position, and doubts I STROME, the manager. Jims greatest supporter is KATE HESTAX. his sister, who. at a niffht club in London, meets LARBV BLAKE, an army friend of her brother's, whom she persuades later to go into the Hestan foundry. MARGARET REED is a young bookkeeper. to whom both Jim and Strome are attracted. CHAPTER 111. .— ! Jim He?tan, in his office above the pattern shop, pushed back the papers on his desk and looked round. His hoad ached and for a few minutes he cou'id not concentrate. The window commanded a row of warehouses, a derelict shipyard, a slafj embankment, and the muddy river. Smoke rolled across the yellow current and on the other side he saw sooty walls and iron chimney stacks. Giaiit hammers thudded with a rhythmic beat, and he felt the throb j of rolling wheels. j Since Jim arrived in the morning nothing had gone smoothly. A large and expensive casting was spoiled by i blowholes, and samples from a forced j shaft had broken badly at the testing j honse. It looked as if Hest.ins were j getting second class material. The house, however, did not sell second-class stuff, and Jim had sweated over the pig iron analysis and records of the test experiments. When they stopped for lunch, he must talk about it to Blake. To know Larry was at the works was some refief. He was tired and slack, but the office stall would not leave him alone. Although Jim knew something about iron and machines, financial intricacies often puzzled him. He was frankly not a good bookkeeper, and he admitted ' he had yet to learn an important part j of his job. Moreover, he begun to think much depended on his doing so as soon as possible. After all, he stood for Hestane and if he married his cousin, a large block of the shares would one day be his. Florence was a good sort and their relations had tactfully indicated that they approved the match; but Jim knew Florence, and agreed that she was not the girl for him. All the game, he was proud of the house, and something depended on his rather awkward efforts. Hestan shares were for the most part, held by Marlborough people, and the directors' main qualification was they represented the family's interest. Jim thought the company had prospered because, until not long since, his grandfather had firmly ruled the board. He looked up and the bookkeeper came in. Margaret Reed's office clothes were rather like a uniform; she was fastidiously neat and carried herself finely, but nothing she wore sad, so to speak, a decorative value. As a rule, she was coolly business-like, and she reminded Jim of the aloof, efficient head sister at his hospital. Putting some documents on his desk, she waited, and ' Jim politely indicated a chair. His poMteness to the office staff carried more weight than he knew. 'Terhaps you would like to examine these statements of accounts?" she said. "I thought we ought not to wait for Mr. Strome's return and I do not know when Mr. Robert Hestan will be back. Before long \re must meet some large bills and much money is not coming in." "I would not like, but I suppose I must," said Jim. Our manager's visit to the Belgian works might justify his stopping over at Ostend or perhaps at Deauville; and I imagine my relation will not resume his duties'until the grouse get wild. In the meantime, I suppose I have got control, and I don't mind admitting the responsibility weighs." Margaret smiled. Mr. Jim—at the office it was his title—generally talked like that, but. so far as Margaret knew, nobody took advantage of nis carelessness. "Time goes and the bills must be met, she remarked. "The important thing is, money goes to said Jim and began to study the documents. -Strome extends our business but there is not much use in cultivating customers who, when they ought to pay* complain about the goods. Of course! where the complaint is justified' Hestans must see them out. However, until very recently, nobody grumbled—" He picked up a statement and frowned. "Compania Pratense! Strome's Brazilian pals? Well, their sugar machinery was expensive and we need the cash. Malcolm must write a covering letter Polite but firm; he knows the proper touch. I think I suggested it should be done before?" "Mr. Strome did not agree," Mar<roret replied. " c Jim met her quiet glance and smiled, but Margaret was not cheated. Mr. Jim's carelessness covered qualities all the office staff did not know. "Oh well, Malcolm must do it now. After all, I'm a director. Send off the other statements; ITI O.K. the lot. Now I must get to work. You might see I am not disturbed." Margaret went off. Mr. Jim's work was in the testing house and at the cupolas, but where he was forced to study finance she imagined he-would not be baffled. Hie look was tired and Margaret was pitiful, for she knew he pluckily carried an awkward load. When she was gone, Jim frowned. Strome had countermanded his order and he was not told! Some day the fellow would get a jar, but Jim must know his ground. In the meantime, he must get on with his job. By and by somebodv beat on the door and Blake entered. "Miss Reed is not accountable; she tried to stop mo. Two trade union gentlemen are on the mat and I think they mean to see you." ' Jim shrugged resignedly. "Tery well. Bring them up and when they arrive you had better stop." The gentlemen were shown in. One's hair was going white; his figure was massive and his clothes were rather shabby. Although his look was humorously apologetic, he was not the sort one rashly forced to fight. The other was young and fastidious about his dress. He gave Jim an aggressive glance. *® "Some time since our shop-stewards put certain complaints before Mr. Strome. As I rather expected, nothing has been done and we reckoned it was time the directors knew our views." Jim saw that Blake, like himself, knew nothing about the matter, and indicating chairs, he pulled out a ciearbox. "I expect to be interested, but perhaps you will smoke?" The young man hesitated; the other did not and Jim smiled. " "" "

"To join me does not commit you to be friendly, but after all there is no use in disputing unless we must. Give him a light, Lawrence; and then we'll go ahead."

The yoainp man took the lipht and. as If to show he was incorruptible, rather I truculently etated his case. The men's grievance was not about their wages; working conditions were awkward and some claimed they risked physical injury. When he stopped. Jim pondered. "To begin with, I have thought the gearing you talk about might be fenced and if a man were careless, he might perhaps be hurt at the furaflce. I don't know about the gantry —to alter the crane as you supircst, would be expensive. Then the factory inspector has not grumbled.' , "1 reckon it wouldn't pay him/' Jim looked up and his glance got keen. "The inspector is as honest as I believe you to be. He certainly was not bribed. He-t-ans do not do things like that." "You might not.' , the young fellow admitted in a rather grudging voice and Jim. noting the other's twinkle, speculated— '"I suppose you agree that the plant to which your friend objects is not , safe?" "1 have known worse and said nowt. I Mr. llestan. All the same, them days are I pone and the boys won't face the risks 'we took. Anyhow. I don't see why they •should. You'd not be keen about getting burned for pharehciders' benefits" '"That is so.' , said Jim, and turned to Blake. "The department is yours, Lawrence. T expect you have weighed Mr. Leslie's statement-." "His business is to play for his side. j but, on the whole, he does not exaggerate. In fact, if the Board would meet the bill, you miirlit usefully remove j some of the elder plant." I ''The Board will not meet a i hill," Jim rejoined and turned to his I vUitors. "Wp eniiiiot scrap all our old machines, and if we diil so a numVwr of your men would lr»*4? their job. We miirlit, however, spend something on improvement- and revise some rules. In fact, so lone as your demands are moderate, we'll trv to meet you. YWII. = uppose vou sketch a workable plan?*' The older man did so. and Jim admitted he knew liis job. Moreover, he saw Blake approved. "Thank you. Mr. flrav. We'll carry ont your programme. l'erhnps you wili tell the men ywi're ■:"' The younger of the two hesitated and his look was embarrassed. ''You have done the ripht thing. Mr. Hestan! After the shop-stewards' report, we did not expect "' "Oh, well." said Jim. "a row i-; expensive, and when I fight I like to know I'm on firm ground. Anyhow, I'm glad we agreed.'' lie went to the door with them, but Grey stopped in the passage. "You are like your grandfather; many's the battle him and me has had. Sir James was hard, but straight. At one time it was, 'Fix it as ye like.' at another 'Go to h .' A fine o'd chap; you knew where you was with him'. But I'll tell you something: you're going to lose nowt." ''I suppose good-will is yet an asset in business?" Jim remarked.

"If more of your sort know it, shareholders might get larger dividends and Pd have a softer job."

"Anyway, I am glad vre did not dispute. Since nobody can get all he wants to agree with your antagonist is sometimes a useful plan."'

'"That's right." remarked the other with a shrewd twinkle. 'The young 'uns don't know it yet. but I expect they'll learn. Well, good morning, Mr. Hestan."

He went off, and Blake laughed

"The old fellow's a philosopher, and I imagine he has taken some hard knocks. To think a reasonable man afraid is a fool's mi«take. Your agreement, however, will cost the company a useful sum. Do you expect your relations to approve?"'

"I do not." said Jim. '"When they know all I have enjraped to do, the trouble will begin. 1 am supposed to Ik> eoo-ntric, but they have, so far. indulged me because I was hurt in France. Now, however, I'm something like a blackleg, and they feel I play for t'.ie wrong side. They cannot see the times change and progress is now necessarily a race for the abyss. Tne queer thing is. my grandlather was willing to look in front, and when he ruled each fresh advance carried the house along. Xow he 13 on the shelf, tne others are resolved to stop my youthful extravagance?"

"My post is not important; but I expect you know I'm your man?"' "I do know," said Jim. "If your nerve is good, you might dine with us on Thursday evening. I rather think my step-mother will by then have heard about my exploit. Mrs Hestan is not, officially, a director, but in Sir Jim's absence, she uses something like the chairman's vote.

(To be continued daily.)