The Loveless Isle

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 20

The Loveless Isle

By NORMAN PENLEY.

CHAPTER XXIX. Nairn Asserts Himself. The slow train which bore Pamela Langtrey to London steamed into the suburbs twenty minutes late, and as it covered the last mile. Pamela again considered what she should do. She had left the hotel in frantic haste in the early light of dawn. She desired, at all costs, to get away. Where she would go she had not determined. All she wished was to escape from everything that reminded her of Nairn, and, automatically, she had made her way to the station, full of wild, impulsive thoughts. Now, as the train drew into London, the hours of quiet reflection, lack of sleep and food had told their tale. The fire had gone out. She was w«ary, and had visions, tempting visions, tf her home, of her cosy bedroom, and the protection which home always gives to the wanderer. Nairn might follow, of course, but she would be safe in her fortress.

Thus she decided to go home. At first she would go to her father's office, so that he might telephone to her mother and allay maternal fears, fears which Pamela knew only too well must be very real and painful, so that remorse choked her when she pictured her mother's distress.

With a weary gesture, Pamela closed her bag, having done all she could to disguise the results of the last twelve hours of alternative elation and storm. There was little zest in her step as she made her way from the platform, and towards the cab rank outside the station.

Opening the door of the leading cab, she gave the driver the address of her father's office. The man released his brakes, and the taxi began gently to glide down the steep approach, when suddenly the door opened and a man sprang into the cab. It was Russell Nairn. "All right, driver," he called cheerfully as he mounted the step, and the cabman, a phlegmatic fellow, suffering from the effects of a smoke concert the previous evening, was either too dull to care what was happening, or thought he had overlooked the second passenger. Nairn closed the door, the cab gathered speed, and Pamela found herself alone with the man whom she had pictured as being one hundred miles away. At first, her senses were paralysed. She could not believe it was Nairn. How

could he have overtaken her? Was it all a nightmare? Baffled, terror stricken, she lost the time for protest. She merely drew herself as far as she could into the corner of the cab, endeavouring to get away from him. But her efforts were futile.

Gently, with a tenderness which was at once soothing and reassuring, he took her hand.

"Pam," he said very gently, "whv this escapade? Whatever is the matter?"

Before she could answer, he was seized with a fit of coughing. Instinctively, she reached forward and loosened the heavy scarf which was about his throat, and unbuttoned the thick overcoat.

"Thank you, dear," he whispered hoarsely as he recovered. "It's just a spasm. It was rather cold in the air this morning. I came by 'plane to Croydon."

By aeroplane? This man, who had only recently been snatched from death's door, had ventured in an aeroplane in the early hours of an autumn morning, in order to overtake her.

"You shouldn't have done it. Why did you come?"

"Why did you make me?" "Russell, you must know. Whv did you deceive me? Why did ycu tell me

you were giving up your mill to please me when all the time you knew that you were only giving it up because Sir Frederick Fiske was dead, and you couldn't carry on without him? Last night you said you loved me. Is that your love, making a virtue of a necessity ?"

"Good heavens, Pamela! If I had done that I should be a low creature. Where did you get such a monstrous idea. But whoever told you such a scandalous thing, surely you ought, by now. to know that I could not commit such a vile offence. . . But where are you going now?" 6 e

He commanded and she obeyed. "I am going to Dad's office." "Then, since this is cab. would you mind my driving in it to Argenta House ?" 8

She made no reply, and he, taking permission for granted, leaned out of the window and gave the driver fresh instruction*!. "We will go to the office and I will prove to you. Pamela, that I had no notion whatever that Fiske was dead until eight o'clock this morning" "But it was in the newspapers last night." "So I've heard since. But do von think, Pam., that after what happened last evening, T looked at newspapers or cared two straws what was in them" Is it likely?" Again she was silent. She could think of no other question to ask him. His words were full of earnestness and sincerity. They rang true. And he had neked his life flying after her to intercept her in a wild escapade that had been undertaken in a fit of suspicion, without inquiry, without giving him the chance of explanaton. She began to feel a little ashamed. The cab drew in to the pavement opposite the entrance to Argenta House. He alighted, and held out his hand for Pamela to descend. Obediently she came, and he paid and dismissed the cab.

In a few seconds they were in his private office, and his manager, Walmer, surprised by this early appearance of hits chief, came in response to Nairn's summons. "Have you seen Peters, Mr. Nairn. Pardon my talking business, Miss Lanjrtrey." "Im sure Miss Langtrey doesn't mind," said Nairn, answering for her. "Yes, Peters reached me at breakfast time this morning, and I came here partly by. aeroplane." "I hope you've not taken any undue risk. The matter is serious, of course, but there seems to be little we can do." "Oh no, thank you. I'm all rijrht now. But I had another and more urgent affair to deal with. Now, tell me, Walmer, what time did you receive that cabfc.last night?" "To begin at the beginning. I noticed a short message tucked away on the back page of the evening paper as I was "oing Idme Ja*t~ night. I decided not .to trouble you until I had confirmation.

So I returned to the office, cabled to Montreal, and waited for an answer. Whether they got my message, I can't say, but the cable 1 sent down to you by Peters arrived just after nine o'clock, and I went down to his house and made arrangements for him to bring it to you, thinking that possibly you might not be well enough to come to town, and so you could give him instructions." "Thank you, Walmer. That will do for the present. 1 have one or two urgent calls to make, and then we'll talk about this matl?r again." As Walmer was leaving, Nairn took the telephone and put in a trunk call to the hotel he had left so hurriedly that morning. Then he turned to Pamela, but she would not look at him. Her eyes wore averted. "Well, Pam " There was silence. Then she roe© from her chair and flung her arms about his neck. He felt her sobbing. No words were spoken, but she knew by the pressure of his arms about her, by the touch of his hand upon her tear-stained cheek, that the forgiveness she sought had been given ere it was asked.-

Presently, the telephone rang, and she drew away from him. He rose, took her arm. and led her to a little anteroom leading out of his office.

When she emerged he told her he had spoken to her mother. Had told her merely that Pamela was safe, Mrs. Langtrey was relieved, and had said she would return to town that day. Then he had spoken to Peters, and had asked him to see his belongings packed up and to return.

He had hardly finished his story when Walmer entered and. apologising again to Pamela for discussing business, told Nairn that Bregg had called. "I've had the fellow here while you've been ill, and he's becoming a nuisance. He is demanding money Which he says is due to him, although he cut away from Buenos Aires before the date agreed upon. If you'll give roe a message, perhaps that will dispose of him."

To Pamela's horror, Nairn said: "Have him shown in, Walmer. I'll deal with that young man."

"Russell, is it necessary that I 3hould stay while Oscar Bregg is here?" and Pamela rose as if to go. But before an answer could be given, or Pamela could retire, the door opened and Bregg, immaculate as ever, strolled across the room. At the sight of Pamela he halted, embarrassed.

"Come along, Bregg. There's another chair here. You won't mind Miss Langtrey hearing what 'I've got to fay, because, a«s a matter of fact, Mms Lang trey and I are now engaged. That ill relieve you of the necessity of writing to her any more, and will also expl.iin why 1 cannot talk business to you this morning, though 1 can go as far as to say that if you are wanting to discuss your tees in respect of Buenos Aires, we'd better leave that over for the moment, because there seems to be an academic point about breach of contract id be considered.

Bregg was swept oft' his feet by Nairn's rapid burst, and he was glad that the telephone bell rang to give him a little respite.

Nairn ansv.ered. It was Lady Fiske's butler. His mistress has asked him to inquire whether Mr. Nairn was back in town. Nairn answered the question and bade the butler inquire of Lady Fiske whether he might call upon her, or whether she would prefer that he communicated with her solicitors. The mai» went away to inquire, and to Nairn's astonishment Lady Fiske herself came to the phone.

Nairn began with an expression of sorrow, which, knowing the relationship between this woman and her late husband, he found intensely difficult to phrase.

Lady Fiske, however, relieved him of his embarrassment by cutting him short, and in a most matter of fact way telling him to deal with her solicitors, who were also Sir Frederick's solicitors, and would be aide to settle all outstanding matters with a minimum of difficulty, she hoped.

"Thank you," said Nairn, "and if it isn't unseemly to mention the subject at this moment, I would like you to know that I haTe decided that the entire financial return of the Anacaoma venture will be handed over to your husband's executors. regardless of any agreement in which I benefit."

Lady Fiske was grateful. She assured him that, great though her grief was, she would be obliged if he would call

and see her. She felt the need of I friendship. And, incidentally, could Mr. J Nairn tell her the address of Mr. Oscar j | Bregg. who was recently iii Buenos . Aires? "Mr. Bregg? He happens to be in I this office at this moment. Do you wish ■ to see him? . . . Certainly, I'll send him ! along to you. Or. at all events, I'll ask him to call, and I'm sure he will. As for myself. I will call in the late afternoon, by which time I should have further news from Canada." Nairn replaced the receiver, and looked round for Bregg. "Where's that fellow gone?" he aßked I I Pamela. "I don't know. But he went very hurriedly when he heard you tell Lady Fiske that you would send him to see her. He seemed very embarrassed before that. Perhaps I should not have been here. You see. I know him slightly." "And I expect you are only one of a hundred where that young man in concerned. I don't think you need waste any sympathy on him. Talking of sympathy reminds me that yoti need not worry unduly about the men at Anacaoma. Fiske told me when I was over there that he had ample evidence that the effects of his treatment were not permanent, that they would wear off after a few months." "I'm glad to hear it," she said. "And now, Pam, darling," said Nairn rising. "I suggest that we go hand in hand to your father and brighten up his morning by breaking the news to him, and see whether he will have me for a son-in-law. Then we'll go to some quiet little place for lunch, by which time your mother will have arrived in town, and you. . . ."

"You have everything planned," she interjected happily.

For answer, he took her in his arms, there in that inner chamber of finance, in a room which he had never dreamed would be sweetened by the breath of romance, and kissed her.

"Plans? Yes, Pam, I've plans for to-day and plans for to-morrow. You know to-day's. Let us run along and talk of to-morrow's. They're much more interesting."

And if, later that day, any man had told it on the Stock Exchange, that he had caught a glimpse of the austere, the unbending, Russell Nairn, riding down Lombard Street in a cab, hatless and hair awry, with a girl in his arms, and oblivious to all about him, even those sophisticated lackeys of Mammon would have been incredulous. But it would have been true, dcliciously true. (The End.)