Spied Sins.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 144, 3 June 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

Spied Sins.

the experiences of a secret INVESTIGATOR. THE PEER AND THE RICH MAN S DAUGHTER. i From " Cassell’s Saturday Journal." I

It wax the common tragedy of a rich girl’s infatuation for an unscrupulous »:toney hunter. I to! J myself. My client - let me rail him Mr. Crevey—wa- a grizzly-haired person, of sturdy buiid. and with an honest redface in whirl twinkled a pair of very shrewd grev eyes. Mr. Crevey was by no means polished. Having acquired • big fortune in rough mining work in South Africa. »h<w ho had gono in hrs youth he had not, wbd * picking up goi l, acquired’ the latest things in the shape- of polite behaviour. But be was rich. and when he bought a big bouse in one of tlio best Ixindon anbrrrbs. furnished it magnificently, and started horses, carriages and a motorcar, folk forgave him a lot. People ■sere, p'rbaps. glad that Mrs. Crevey •as dead. ’There was a suspicion that she must have been "awful.” in the shape of vulgarity. They could stand Crevey for his wealth, but Mrs. Crevey might bare been too much for them. FOR LOVE OR MONEY?

Would I. Mr. Crevey asked me, discover ''somethin''” for him respecting a gentl-man to whom, he informed me. his daughter. Miss Maggie Crevey. lad “jrane and got herself engaged.” "Pre fou.id.” he remarked to me. that a chap in my position has to bo remarkably careful, and this fellow is cn» of th« real nobs. Maggie’s gone on him. but I must say I don’t think he’s grand. Of course. I’m a fossil—rever had much chance of seeing what 1 call the la-di-da side of life, and this chap belongs to the tip toppers. He’s a swell.” He wa» 1 started w hen I heard the name of the yoor.q gentleman to whom Mi»» Ma rgie had “gone and got herself engage!.” He was young I<ord Malsent! 1 knew a good deal about him alreadv. for his lordship had. indeed. mt been remarkably careful to avoid certain mtorietv. He was voting, only twentv-fonr. handsome. He had '■gone the pace.” had squandered his fortune in reckless frivolity. My report on bis lordshir* to Mr. Crevey was not. certainly, very favourable to Miss Maggio's wooer "Nothing in the bog'bar to show he’s got grit or honesty in him.” remarked Mr. Crevev with a deep sigh, “and a good deal tc, make one mspwt as there is plenty of jn«t the opposite.” He eignetl again. “Mag’s one of the best ends in »ho world. Poor Mae! Poor Macri But she’s obstinate. like her mother was b-fore her. and I gness. if I pnt my foot down, she’ll take the bit bebwrcn her teeth.”

A STORMY INTERVIEW. He sat {dunged in thought for a moment or two, and then suddenly asked me if I would tell Miss Maggie what 1 had communieated to him if he p'rwaded her to cal! on me?

I gave him my promise, and next morning Mtse t’rerey called on me. She »»< tall, dark-haired, end dark-eyed—- :• real beauty. She stood before me. her handsome head thrown back hadghtiL*. her large eyes flashing at me, and her lip* curling with indignation nnd scorn, while the little foot that peeped out from under the dainty <re»t irre fatted the floor angrily. “You are the person.” she said. ‘ who. I understand, has been making inquiries about the man I am about to marry. Yon think yon have learnt a hit. don’t von? Lies -all lies! What wnold vou think of the girl who listened to lies about the man who lores her 9 ” •‘I .should think her a vey detestable poraan.” I replied. 'But, in the first nlace. I don't mean to tell you lies, and in the second, is this man — — ?’’ I was about to ask. ‘‘Does this man truly loro you?” but I stopped. I had imagined Miss Crevey so different from what she really was. I had never pictured her like this.

“Is Harry ; I mean Lord Malsent. merely making lore to me for my money—dad’s money?” asked Miss Crevev. completing my sentence. ‘‘Ds*d’s money is mine, of course. Ob! ! wish dad were as poor as a rook. I bate the money—hate it.”

THE RICH MAN’S DOWNFALL. She sank into a chair and burst into Gars. which she wiped way to listen to »”e with fl ««hrnc etc* as I nitrated the deftet* of I<ord Malsent. He was t’-ou.'btles*. reckless, frivolous—that was all. I tad nothing more against him. bat were not those fault* (witrh? Perhaps something persuaded Miss Maggio I was real.'v not an enemy of his lordship, only one who was anxmils - rallv anxi-'t,* to see her happv. “I an sorrv.” she said, rising to go. “if I wa« rndc. I don’t believe von realty intended to do wrong. But yon don’t know Harry. Anvway. Fin -z-’/ng to marry him. Of that von may be ,rn» ” Wha* wo'ild Mr. Crevey do with his rebellions danghtw? Mr. <‘revev informed mo a w-vk later, with a groan, tha* Maggie’s marriage was to “come >ff" at th* end of the rear. “If nothin*' happen* ’ ho addl'd. If noth’- * b-icn-ms® Mli-rt coi’ld Mr. fVovr'v for SivMe-.- ■■ -- r.■ I f ruin were on the t • 1 'f. i.,.-.ev He declin'd ci ’dv t >.♦ *re'elation in

Amer lean shares had hit him hard. A little later he announced the sale of his house, his furniture, his carriages and horse*. and his intention of moving into a tinv residence. He did it all. The sale ’< rented e. sensation. Mr. Crrvoy went to the City daily now, and teturnt'l home encl: even with a graver face He called on me on afternoon. He looked remarkably solemn.

PEER- AND CLERK. • You’ve heard it all. of course?” he exclaimed, awl I repliwl that I certainly hail heard that things were going hard with him. ... ■l’ve sold everything.” he said. I nave moved into a little* house, and we’re living on three hundred a year. I travel backwards and forwards third class. We have one servant and a general.”

I expressed my ret. —* ’’And Miss Cre’<-y?” I asked. "How does she bear it?” "Bear it!” he exclaimed. "Mag s one of the be-t -one of the best. Bless von! She tarns to and docs everything. How the deuce she has got it :»H in her heat! and at her fingers ends I don’t knew— cooking and all that, lint she knows just how to do everytiiing- how to save every penny!” "And Lord Malsent?” I asked. "How do»*s he look at affairs?” “Harrv’s taken to work.” he replied. ‘■Wonderful! He’s taken his coat off. He’s got a sit. in e stockbroker’s office, and works like a slave. Says he must !>e able to keep Maggie himself. Funny, ain’t it?” ‘•Remarkably funny. I answerci] dryly. He rose from his chair, came to me. and laid bis hand on my arm. “What do yon wean?” he demanded. Onlv this’ Mr. Crevey.” I replied. ‘The idea of pretending you are ruined and all that is rather a worked out subterfuge. Yen don’t want Lord Malsent to marry Miss Maggie. M hat is morp easy than to try and choke him off bv pretending yon haven’t a

pennv?” He looked at me for a moment. “So von are like all the other beggars,” he exclaimed angrily. T can’t persuade ’em I’m not lolling in gold. No one will believe me when I s»y I’m broke. They only grin and look deucedly knowing.”, - “Of course ” I said. ■-< “I’m ruined.” he went on. “ruined, f tell you. and no one will believe it. Thev say it’s all along of Malsent —just a trv on to make him believe he won’t get a thousand pounds with Maggie. Whv. I can't walk down town without people almost tumbling over one another offering to heln me —to lend me a few thousands, and all that.”

A TURN OF FORTUNE. A davs later Miss Maggie and •xml himself called on me. She wn* a littlepalvr. a little more saddened and subdued. Lot prettier than ever Miss Maggie wanted me to get her some particulars of a millinery business in the West End. She was going in for shop-keeping! “You see. I must just set to and do something.” she said. “Dad p<H»r dad ” Her voice quivered and the tears stood in her eyes. I looked from one to the other in amazement. So the poverty of old Crevey was real after all? And bow I had misjudged this young fellow uho had onlv needed love and povertv to show the real stuff he was made of! When, at a dinner given bv the Crorev . T "ave them my report eonceroing the shop. Air. Crevey banged his fist on the table and turned toward the happv couple “Ixvik here ” Im slid. -Shopping ain’t the thing to talk about, it’s mar’inie. Yoi two. just get married as fsst as n parson ran do it. Think I’m off rny head do you? Not a hit. I — I've jiist rolled into monev again, that is all. Peonle wouldn’t believe I was bust, would they? Well. I was; but thev wouldn't have tlm truth rammed dow’n their throats They would come and offer to lend me money. Well. I t.mk some of ’em at their word the other «!av —obliged ’em by borrowing thirty thousand pounds, and and I’ve had a stroke of luck--a speculation. I reckon I'm worthy fifty thousand oonnds today.”

THE END OF THE TEST. He took Maggie’s little hand in his i.-rze. rough palm and placed it in the hand of Loi-1 Mahcnt. “It’s Ns n a hard time.” he said hoarsely, ‘ but it’s Wen worth a fortune. It’s shown me as the chap I thought ooh- wanted mv darling for nonet was hmv.'-t and true. And as for von. Maggie ——” She was in his arm*, and lifting h"r face to his. and the kisses he planted >’>i ihe upturned face said more than words

Even to this dev people don’t know l ow “near a thine" it was for Cr« v«v. Thcv an* <opvin'«d it was all a dodec to trv Lord M.ilsent. It certainly did try him. and it i« in«t because T know the true facts of the case that T -on =o irritat-d when peotJc t-l! nm to-dav that fiord Mnlsont ■ know what ho was abom’’ when he mar-iwl C-ev-y’ rich daughter.