THE DEAD MAN'S SECRET.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11244, 9 April 1902, Page 9

THE DEAD MAN'S SECRET.

» Bt BoetßT Hilar At. ."No, I wouldn't go in. I'm positive it was he—Fordham, , ' persisted Winnie. She had flashed white, and clung a little more tightly to George's arm. "George, you never believe anything! He was standing , just here, looking back. He seemed to a vanish. He is somewhere behind those j stacks of furniture." "What odds? You'll make mc believe

* presently he is ghadowing vs. Of course, he doesn't caref to be seen, after—after [ what has happened. You can quite understand it. The unlucky man always coni siders he lias been heartlessly jilted. I know I should." "Yea, but—oil, you'll be careful! He k told someone that lie would get even whh you. You laugh—but I know what men ( are!" "And I know what women are. He's welcome to try it any day," George said , with a sense of secret triumph. "So voii , really like it?" J Ix. °h il l a charming— exquisite!" she breathed, forgetting at once. "So quaint and solid throughout, anyone can see, . lou know how I love anything that eeems , to breathe mutely of another age." "It certainly does that. H'm!" George's criticism was less aesthetic. An oldfashioned black bureau, with some irrotesque carving. He measured it Tomriilv with the piece of tape he had carried about lately, and stepped back. "About five

feet each way. It's a bit rickety, but it would just about fill that iblank space opposite where we thought of having the piano If you really fancy it so much -' "Oh, never mind that," said Winnie with a blush. "Let's forget it. You hay« spent quite enough money already—l mean you re sure to want a. little in your pocket afterwards." . It was a fairly cafe prophecy. They waited on. George thought no more aboui the bureau until, half an hour later he repassed the auction room on his 'way 'home. Somehow, furniture buying had of late become a sort of mechanical fascination with him. He paused almost unconsciously. It was raining now, and the bureau had been removed back somewhere into the mazy recesses. He glanced up at the bill. A sale of varied lots of office fittings and private furniture, to begin a< mx p.m. precisely next evening. And inspection was invited. Down - went George's umbrella. "Hullo!" he whispered, of a sudden, with a queer thrill. It was Fordham. just stepping out—the man who had tried? so desperately to win Winnie away from him. But that was a thing of the past, when George had been on fairly friendly terms with him. He looked shabby, and pale, and nervous; "I thought it was you," 'he said, wiping his lips. "Doing? Well, not nxuch; my own fault, of course, but I've been rather down in the world since—well, never mind that now. To tell you the truth, I was wondering if—if you would mind lending mc a ten-pound mote till Friday, for old times' sake. I could get it elsewhere, of course; I wouldn't 'have asked you, only I wanted it particularly before six to-morrow evening. I knew you'd be coming by again. "Ten?" repeated George, with an inward gasp. "W&U, it isn't that I wouldn't, but -—but I really haven't it to spare just now. You see—— "Ah, thanks!" Fordham stood staring hard at space. "Nor have I; and here, just when I get my golden chance of a little •windfall——" he recollected himself, and finished with a reckless laugh. "Don't I trouble, old fellow. Heartbreaking, but it can't be helped." "Im eorry. I see; I suppose you saw a chance to Buy Tip some of this stuff and turn a -profit. Anything good going?— think it's a genuine affair rV He had seen Fordham's glance roving .wistfully around the auction room. He was a little curious. Anyone would have been. "Well, I've been doing a little in that line lately, but you never know," said the other, abstractedly. "I don't mind telling you there is one article in there I. meant to 'have if it had cost mc fifty pounds. Yes; I could have cot the money Jby posMn two days, but, of course, that .would be- too late. I .got ihold of a little private information; I keep any eye on these sales. Yu weren't thanking of bid-

ding?" WeH__«j>_l might pop in; I hadn't thought seriously about it." As a matter, of f act, George ihad had a vague intention of securing the bureau, and surprising Winnie ; but now his thoughts ihad taken another turn. What was the private information that was worth to'much? "No, don't think I «hall trouble," fee said, looking back into the bekmibered recesses, through the obaos of -which two or three people were moving nonchalantly, Fordham was not listening. "If I could only lay hands on a tenner for a few hours! I'd willingly give thirty per cent.," he whispered, a hand to his eyes. "In fact, I must manage it—musk The old Jew had money—never spent a penny; everyone knew it. And after all my trotubud in finding out .> . . ." lie- checked himself again, muttered a good-night, and stepped back into the auction room. George stepped in, too, and stared into a faded gtl&mtirror. Holding hie breath, he saw Fordham move furtively to the rear, and vanish into an obscure corner. Something in it. He waited a minute, made , sure that no one was noticing the by-play, I and sidled in the same direction. Ah-hl With one hand Fdrdham held back the flap of ihaCvery bureau; with the other he was fumbling in the depths. Before he realised and could spin round, George had just time to see an oblong panel slide back. Nothing more. It sjtid back, the flap came down heavily; Fordham looked sttradned and excited,, if ever a man did. But George was just clever enough to be noticing nothing. "Oh, here you are I Is—is that your bargain?" he whispered, carelessly. "No—oh, no I I wae jast trying if it was solid; there's so much, fake about this old' furniture, you know. That's not worth a' couple of sovereigns to anyone. ,, "i should say jiot. And yet, some people prefer the antique—especially that colour," murmured George, trying hard not to stare at the thing. His mind was in « whirl. "Closing up, gents!" came a voice. "Six •p.m. to-morrow precisely!" George contrived to be the last man out, and to put a casual question to the attendant as the door closed. He had noticed Fordham do the same, thing. "That lot at the back, sir?" Oh, ay, that belonged to some Jew man—a moneyleader, they say—died some time agot. They're selling it to pay his rent and debts, as they can't find his relations. Thanks, sir I Oh, certainly, sir—singly or in lots!" Fordham had gone. The place wee really shut up—George made quite sure of that Then he went. home, like a man in a dreamt. If he had two consecutive hours' sleep that night he was not aware of it in the morning. He was telling himself that he must contrive to leave his office an hour earlier than usual He was thinking of Winnie's delighted eyes whsn she saw the bureau

I brought home—of her gasp when she knew t of the dead Jew's secret. ( • • • • , c 5 Six o'clock—at last! At five minutes past, 1 with a false pulse and sweat-drops on his » forehead, George hurried into the auctjon- • room. The auctioneer hod just mounted his stand end cleared his throat. There were, perhaps, a score of people in tjhe place—and all looking fcstlese. He stared i round apprehensively. JSo; Pordham had > not got his money—was not there, at any i °P to **** assistants, whiel pered something about an urgent engatre- [ ment, and parted with two shillings; It . was worth it! Fifty yards away he had a [ four-wheeler waiting. • The sale commenced, and proceeded dbwiy. Three times the auctioneer had shrugged bis shoulders and expressed utter amazement at the growing paucity of money, or at the fact that half-price waa , not attractive enough nowadays to draw it What things were coining to he didn't know. Neither did George to whom every minute was becoming an ordeal. -Every"time the hammer Sell his heart' gave a "jump; he looked imploringly at the assistants. And at last —at Last tbe way was cleared a bit, and'a rumble told that the back lot was being dragged from obscurity. George's glazed eye rested on the old black cabinet, .as it was pushed forward. No one seemed to think anything of it—bidders were turni ing away. That moment 1

"Ah, now, here's some really substantia! stuff," said the- auctkuseer. "knd, strange to say, there does not appear to be any reserve price. .Come, genttemen, do I make myself heard? Have a glance! That's furniture— very grease on it is enhanced value! It was made in a day when people weren't to be put off with veneer and matchboard. Those chairs! Ask a heavy man home to dinner, and he -won't be afraid to sat back and laugh—he'll most hkely want to buy 'em. Fd keep them back if the law allowed mc. My misfortune— your opportunity. Gods and iittle fishes, gentlenien ! That bureau, now—or cabuset, or whatever your good lady chooses to label "Fifteen shillings," said George, rather faintly. "Fifteen! Did I 2*ear aright? Perhaps I'm dreaming. Is that solid piece of furniture to go at "

"Seventeen-and-six!" "A sovereign!" panted a breathless voice at George's sJwuMer. He span round. It was Fordhaui, sprung in at the psychic moment-. A mutual stare, or glare; nothing more—that was enough. George was only deadly certain that he had seen a flash of subtle understanding pass between the assistant and the T"*>n who had wanted Winnie. "Two sovereigns!" he said, without a pause. "Three!" said Fordham, just as firmly. "Pour!" George turned, with-a thrill of triumph; the other man had drawn his breath in sharply, and , hesitated. A moment, and then ''Five pounds!" magnetised the crowd. The auctioneer smiled as if he fully understood fie dramatic undercurrent. "Well, come, gentlemen," he was heard to say, "I was wrong. There are | one or two persons present who know a good thing at sight—or, perhaps I should say, who have the courage of their convictions. Don't repent afterwards, because this is a straight deal. Turn it round, one of you—the gentlemen fancy it has a cardboard back! Sirs, is a.thing like that to go at a paltry fiver?" "I said six," George edged forward, his trembling hand ready to clutch and claim the bureau. To be beaten—by Fordham!" "S-r-Seven!" came a sharp hiiss across his shoulder . The auctioneer hummed a tune, got an inspiration, and leaned forward earnestly. 'Gentlemen, I shall never understand this. Seven sovereigns! Go into the market, and see if you can purchase a cabinet of that age and qualify for twenty—or fifty. Then come back, and find your life chance gone. I have had some experience, but this crowns aIL It goes, then, for " "Eight pounds!" said George, huskily. He dared not look round at his rival's set face now—Fordham must long ago- have fathomed his little meanness. Hβ was conscious, too, of the possibility of defeat, even now. Fordham meant to carry it off —he never must. A pause, and then —— '

"Ten pounds!" Ah, it was almost a baffled ory. Of course h» was at the end of his tether—ten pounds was the precise sum he had gone to borrow. The walls a little, but George, steadied himself for the coup. He*would clinch it at once, and end the mental agony. It was for Winnie! "Twelve!" he whispered, closing his eyes. "Twelve pounds." Horrors! A moment, while the hammer swung, and then Fordham's voice, now deadly calm, struck in again "Fifteen, sir." "Twenty 1" burst from George's dry bbroat. He scarcely heard it nimself; he only knew that the hand in his pocket was clutching just that amount in fivers almost the remnant of his hoard. The lights were dancing; the faces had blurred; the precious black bureau seemed sliding away by inches. To clutch it! He dared not. He made his supreme effort and then leaned back against a pillar in a sort of

faintness. "Family relic, eh?" remarked a bystander, as he passed out. "That or— a couple of deadhead's!" And George realised clearly no more until he found himself jolting along towards Winnie's home in the four-wheeler, on the outside of which reposed the bureau —and the dead Jew's secret.

"Twenty pounds!" It stood safely a 1 last in "the parlour, and* 'George had paused to wipe the moisture from his forehead. "Twenty pounds!" Winnie breathed it again in frightened "awe. "Oh, whs* have you done—whatever will dad say! But—but suppose there is nothing oi any real value in it!" "You wanted it! Don't get excited, dear—rm not," he •whispered. I can call you to witness that I had no ideano real idea--of any valuables or documents when I bought the thing in case it creeps into the newspapers. 'Sh! Torn tine light this way!" The flap was up. Winnie, holding the door, watched in a dreamy sort of fascination, till he sprang hastily back "Look—look P* The light showed] a narrow aperture at the back. "I must have touched a spring—it elid back of itself. And—what's this?" A <amall cloud of dust flew out. That's aU! No, h» wide eyes were staring at a sheet of paper. • L hat ~ £ hatr breathed." "You frighten mc!" No answer—George was dumb. - She crept to hie shoulder. A -will? The account of buried treasure? No;, just two hot* of writing, hastily scribbled with a blue pencil—perhaps at the moment when George peered into that obscure corner of the auction room. "Here's "to the bride-! With the heartiest congratulations and best wishes of— Fred Fordham!' , "It wasn't tibat," George still persists to th l? day. "What's tw4ty pounds for a solid bureau, when-when yoTknow your sweetheart wants it!" *