Burnt Wines

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 198, 23 August 1928, Page 23

Burnt Wines

By G. HERBERT TEAGUE. J[

CHAPTER XXIX. Trie n M morning after his interview with EpM'in Smith, Sir Horace Hopper culled on the secretary of the company and told him that he had made up his mind about buying out Westou, and ii-ked liim to call a meeting and request particularly the attendance of the manager. Jeremiah Weston, with all his scheming and successful attainment of the height of his ambition—a seat on the lizard of Hopper's Mill—was never quite .■Mihfortable in the company of his [Yliow-dircctors. He tried to cover his cmlNirrassmcnt by an artificial geniality which sat strangely upon his lugubrious features and emaciated frame, and inwardly resented by •lie others. In addition to his usual discomfort, Im felt the same mysterious indefinable and internal sinking that had come upon him so frequently of late, as he ..jit at the board meeting the same afternoon. r His ""breeziness" had forsaken him, and the atmosphere appeared charged with some antagonistic influence. "We are here this afternoon, gentlemen," began the chairman, "to discuss a very serious matter. There are many ominous signs of unrest among the stairs, both in the mill itself and in the office—particularly in the latter— and 1 have called you together to see if wo jointly can find a remedy for this deplorable state of affairs. "It has been suggested that Mr. Jeremiah Weston, our manager, may be able to shed some light on the prevalent unrest, and I am particularly pleased to see him here this afternoon. Perhaps, as the only member of the board who is constanty in touch with the staff, he will tell us his views."

Thus directly addressed, Jeremiah Weston licked his dry lips and rose to hi« feet. "I have a very good but somewhat drastic remedy, gentlemen," he began, with a sickly grin, "and that is to sack the lot!" "Nonsense!" interposed one of the company. "We want preventives, not cures!" "I think Mr. Weston's remedy would hardly be satisfactory," resumed the chairman, in suave tones. "'Sacking the lot' is all right in certain eases and up to a certain point, but it isn't a remedy that could be carried on indefinitely. No business can be satisfactorily accomplished if the staff is constantly in a state of flux. No; we must find some other means of combating the trouble. We must get at the cause." A* he looked across in Weston's direction the latter once more roae and grinned, but this time his narrow nostrils were pinched, and a peculiar palenp«w was evident underneath. "Well, I don't know, gentlemen," he «aid hesitatingly. "I'm sure I don't know the cause. I do all 1 can to make the staff comfortable. My work, as I have before mentioned, is my hobby, and 1 have many a little joke here and there with the staff. There's some other underlying cause—Bolshevism or sometlvng, and—■" "Pardon me, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, If I say that Mr. Weeton is making the mistake of attributing to some mysterious international organisation trouble which I feel sure is purely local and the remedy for which I am firmly convinced rest 9 m his own hands." Jeremiah Weston had remained standing during this interruption. "My own daughter," he resumed, "found the same unrest in the office. With the most amiable of dispositions, jrcntlemen, that delicately nurtured girl had to contend with an antagonism that was little short of scandalous, and—"

"Is it possible to ask Miss We#ton to attend this meeting, Mr. Chairman, and hear what she 'ha 3 to say?" suggested one of the board. "I'm sorrv, gentlemen." explained Jeremiah sadly, as he wiped away an imaginary tear," but my daughter and my hoiwekeeper left me—deserted me — the other day!" "I don't quite see what these domestic affairs have to do with tne question at i-sne," said the chairman, "but I would like to express the sympathy of the directors with our manager in his —er — "With your permission, Mr. Chairman," began the previous speaker, rising to his feet, "I would like to say that .1 differ from that view. I think our manager's domestic troubles have a distinct bearing on the subject under discussion, but we must get back to causes —to preventives, not to remedies. I have a theory —distasteful as it may be to Mr. Weston—that the same cause operates in both cases. It is the personal element. Our staff is gradually leaving ■«. because of its antipathy to the manager, and it is safe to presume that tr.r manager's daughter left him for the same reason 1 99 . Jeremiah Weston raised his hand in ;i ppeal to the chairman. The old fear was as-crting itself. "Then how would the la*t speaker explain mv poor daughter's unhappiness there? She had done no harm. The member referred to was on nis feel in a moment. "The explanation is simple, and for a simple remedy. So great is the ;t ir ipathv to—l might truthfully sav the hatred of—our manager that it us mv firm opinion that until the cause ot that hatred is removed tnere will be

Like a rat fighting for its life, Jetemiali Weston jumped up with hie litt.g shining like black glass beads. ' "Doe* the speaker suggest 1 resign mv position a-> manager?" • Mr. Chairman." resumed the relent- ] voice. "I wish to propose a resolution that Mr. Weston is requested to under his resignation from the position of manager, and also from his position a- director of Hopper's Mill, the—" i refuse!" cried Weston, livid with ;Yir urn! rage- • "I he consideration for such resignai;.,n." vent on the even voice, being a m mth's salarv in the case of the former ion. and'in the latter the purchase \ the company at market price oi his holding as director.'". ••Itfe a conspiracy! I refuse to iv?'.uncried Weston. •i am afraid I mn« request Mr, Weston to withdraw wnile the vote i« i a ken," said the chairman. In tact, I would strongly adviee him to do «o, he ad.Ud, as Jeremiah made no attempt to carry out the suggestion. _ Feeling the ground slipping from ;in.le>- his feet, and with the horrible ... ~a 1 sinking becoming more and , unt 1 he felt ;ih though w.i'ild r .t "nt. the iiii-erable creatine . ii ; i |i;v and ;«1111« ►-1 staggered •;!l I lie d'' or. \\ 'ic l l he had jtonc. the resolution was u r ■ , lite vote and carried unaniuiously.

"When is it intended that this motion should be carried into effect?" asked Sir Horace Hopper. ''At once," was the reply. ''The thing is carried unanimously, and it only remains for tne secretary to see about ■the financial part of the procedure and to inform Mr. Weston officially by letter of the decision of the board." Late the same evening Jeremiah Weston called on Sir Horace at his residence. He had not yet reard the result of the voting, but had no doubt of what the voting would 1«. "I suppose 1 must bow to the inevitable,"' he said, in answer to the magnate's remark that he would receive an intimation probably by the next morning's post. "You will lie able to have a holiday anyway," continued Sir Horace with a peculiar smile, "Yes. and I believe I can do wLth it," agreed Jerry. "Troubles have come thick upon me. First my daughter de« serts me and now the firm throws me over as a piece of machinery to be scrapped. The same ingratitude in both cases." "Excepting that you will find yourself well jn poclvt through both events," corrected the other "Possibly—yes. Let me before I sever my connection—only my official connection, T hope—with yourself and the old firm, execute my final commission. T have here a receipt from that—that creature to whom you foolishly sent a sum of money."

Sir Horace Hopper examined the piece of paper. It was an acknowledgment for £500, and was signed by Ninon Esterel in a bold hand. "Did she make any trouble ?" he asked, remembering Smith's statement .about the theft of £100. "Oh, bluffed a little, as this class of person always does," said Jerry airily. "But I convinced her that she was lucky to get away with it." "Did she ieave the town?" "I suppose so," was the reply. "1 haven't seen her since. I don't think however, that she will have the temerity to show up here again. There is one little thing I would like you to notice, and that is the receipt. 1 don't want any suspicion of dishonesty attaching to my good name. It was £500 that you entrusted to me; the receipt, you will notice, is for the same amount." A load seemed lifted from Sir Horace Hopper's shoulders «s the door closed behind .Jeremiah Weston. "I wonder who's lying about that money?" he murmured.