A STARTLING PROPOSAL.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2786, 27 September 1910, Page 3

A STARTLING PROPOSAL.

Cantain Kendrich looked up in inn Id astonishment and alarm.

'What, in thunder, do you suppose I can do in that short time !" he ejaculated, angrily. "A week ! Preposterous ! Surely you mean it as a joke, Penton, though, unfortunately, I fail to see the point !" The money-lender gazed quizzically at his visitor for a moment. Then he leaned half across the table at which he sat and, tapping his pen lightly on the polished wood, said, abruptly : "I can't give you a day longer !" Basil Kendrich frowned. "And is that your last word in the matter ?" he asked.

"Absolutely !" Kendrich rose hastily from his cha'r.

' Then let me tell you this," he excla'med, facing the other. "You're a fool—yes, the worst kind of fool ! Some day you will bitterly regret your insane haste in calling in the few thousands I owe you. But what's your hurry ?" he went on, in changed tones. "Surely the great George Fenton cannot be hard up. My small loan "

"Which, with interest up to date, now amounts to a total of £4,225," interposed Fenton, with exasperating coolness, quoting from a papei he held in his hand—" £4,225 exactly." "'And you are worrying me for that trifle," Kendrich exclaimed, in disgust. "Why, it's a mere nothing to you."

"Perhaps not, Captain Kendrich," replied Fenton, slowly ; "but business is business, you know. And I fancy I am perfectly entitled to demand my own when I please," he added.

"Aren't you satisfied with the security, Fen ton ?" questioned Kendrich, bluntly. The other smiled—an irritating smile, full of subtle meaning. ''l should indeed deserve your previous epithet, Captain Kendrich, had I not long since found out that your uncle had made you his heir. Yes, I am quite satisfied ; but—l need the money." "And so I am to be pestered, worried, badgered into finding money for you—" began Kendrich. But Fenton interrupted him.

"Look here, Captain Kendrich," he said, mysteriously, lowering his voice. "I'll make you an offer which I make over to you on one condition " : 'And that is ?" "Well,"answered Fenton, "'I have a daughter, and " "Ah, I see," sneered Kendrich. "If I marry her, she's worth £4,225 iD hard cash to me. Is that it ?" Fenton remained quite unperturbed.

"BrutaUy put—yes !" he replied, and without hesitation. "And if you promise to get married within six months, you can draw on me for expenses to any figure up to £10,000." Kendrich stared. What was Fenton's idea in making such an unusual and utterly ridiculous proposal ? What lay behind it all ? Why seek such an alliance, and with a man like himself, who are entirely dependent upon the whims of an entirely eccentric uncle in good health ? Could it be because of his expectations ? Kendrich dismissed the idea from his mind as unworthy a second thought. But Fenton was again speaking. "I see you think me a knave," he went on ; "but I have a reason for ray suggestion. If I may say so without offence, Kendrich, I like you ! You're surprised, no doubt, at my efrontery, but men in our particular line of finance have to become well acquainted with a great deal concerning out" clients, and I have found you quite straight. Sucb a man I desire for a son-in-law." "And so you give me first offer?" Kendrich replied. "Really, Fenton, I ought to feel honoured, I know; ! ut "

He paused, too indignant to go on. The man must be mad, he thought. ■'Well, well, captain," Fenton made answer, "I can see you are not favouraMy impressed with the idea. B; t time to make up your n ind. Give me your answer within a week."

"Good Hsavens, man !" yelled Kendrich, roused to fury by the other's callousness "Give over this horrid s~a e-dealing. What's wrong with your precious daughter that you are so anxious to sell her?" 'I am anxious to find her a suitable husl.and." "Rot !" answered Kendrich, impatiently, and with more vigour than Coliten?ss. "I'm not the only man left in the world, nor, possibly, the best. You're too deep for me ! There's something underhand in all this—something I can't understand. I don't want your daughter,, Fenton —wouldn't have her—no, not with twenty thousand in gold. So I wish you good-day !" And the money-lender was left alone in the office.

"I wonder what you'll say when you know all !" murmured Fenton to himself. "What a surprise you will have, to be sure !" And he laughed. ******

' Wh 7, Basil, what a dreadfully ;'ong face you have got," and Sybil Vincent raised her pretty blue eyes and gazed tenderly into those of her over. " Surely there is something the matter ?"

Kendrick took her little white hand into his own.

"So you think I look unhappy, darling" Basil laughed, genially. "But I am so no longer, dear. How :an I be, when the prettiest girl in London loves me, and has promised to be my wife ?" Sybil lowered her eyes. "So there is something then, dear," she said. "Tell me what it is, and

let me help you to bear the trouble."

Basil was silent for a while. Then he told her, somewhat reluctantly, of his debt.

"And that ten't all," he continued. ''What proposal do you think the scheming rascal had the barefaced audacity to make to me ?" He turned to Sybil as he spoke. "Really Basil "

"Well," he continued, bitterly, "'he offered to entirely cancel my debt to him if—just think of it, Sybil—if I married his daughter in six months."

"Basil !" Sybil's face was the picture of horror. "How perfectly disgusting !" she exclaimed. "What a wretch the man must be ! Whoever is it ?"

"Oh, I don't suppose you have ever heard of him before, dear. It's some fellow called Penton, who has offices in Mildmay-place, in the City."

"And Basil," questioned Sybil, "do you—do you know Miss Penton ?" "'No, darling. Ne\?r met the lady. In fact, I know absolutely nothing of Fenton or his family affairs, though I was under the mistaken impression that he was a bachelor." "Let us forget the horrid fellow now, Basil," whispered Sybil, a moment later, "and go and find aunt. She'll be expecting us. Ah, here comes Jane, to say tea is ready." That same evening Sybil wondered, and wondered again, what she could do to help her lover. She had almost given up the thought in despair, when, like a flash, an idea seemed to strike her that gave great promise of success. It was with a happy heart she lay down to rest that night. To-morrow—to-morrow, she would prove to Basil how much she loved him ! ****** "Can I see Mr. Fenton !" It was a timid, shrinking girl who asked the question, and the clerk, seeing the bag in her hand, looked narrowly at hsr. Sybil heartily wished the adventure well over. She had come to beard the dreadful ogre in his den—the man who had dared to try and deprive her of her lover. Would he be rude to her when she explained her errand ? She would not be surprised at anything after-

'Will you give your name, please, miss ?" '

It was the clerk s.ica'ung, and Sybil, after having lirtn the information desired, was ushend into the little rco~a where the money-lender interviewed his clients. At last she was face to face with the man for whom she had suddenly conceived a relentless hatred.

Sybil never forgot that interview. She stood for a moment, amazed at the man she s=aw seated in the money-lender's chair. Her bag dropped from her nerveless lingers, and she sank into a chair, quite overcome. Fenton arose quickly from his seat and 1 ent tenderly over the girl, hip lips touching her ch<ek. "Girlie," he said quid ly, "this is a surprise. Why have you come ?" Sybil lifted her face—now as pale as the lilies she wore in her dress—and gazed at Fenton. ' Father !" she answered, and her voice trembled, "father, I came to see Mr. Fenton, and I find you here, just as if you were " £he paused, overwhelmed by the thought that flashed like a meteor through her brain. "Father !" she exclaimed, as the colour returned anew to her cheeks, "tell me. Surely it cannot be that you are Mr. Fenton, the moneylender ?" For a moment Fenton did not answer. Then he said : "Will you be very shocked, girlie, if I tell you that I use Fenton as my business name. But I wanted you never to know " Sybil hid her face in her hands and sobbed—sobbed like a child. Fenton's mouth twitched suspiciously. '" Don't—den't cry, Sybil," he pleaded, huskily. "I've plenty for us both now—enough to retire in comfort. I'll give up this—this business, since you dislike it so much." 'lt isn't that," answered Sybil, between her sobs. "It's—oh, it's a rrible to have to say it—but it's the thought of what yon suggested to Basil about me. However could you have said such things to him, dad ?"

"Bail?" echoed Fenton. "Of course, you mean Captain Kendrich, Ijn't you, Sybil? I can 3 e you think your poor father a downright brute. And no wonder ! But let me explain." "What could I think, father," interrosed Sybil, hastily, "when I knew you had no knowledge of Basil ?" Fenton smiled.

"Ah, but I did know," he corrected. "My little girl is so precious to me, I determined to test thoroughly her lover's fidelity, and in my own way. So I tried to bribe him to give you up. But he was turned out true metal, Sybil—true as steel." Sybil dried her tears.

•How could I ever have doubted jou, darling dad !" she cried, happily, clinging to her father's neck, and showering kisses upon him. "Basil "

A knock sounded upon the office door.

"Captain Kendrich, sir !" announced the clerk.

"Yes, Rogers ; you may show the captain in. I'll see him at once," answered Fenton.

Kendrich came in, looking from one to the other in utter astonishment. "Sybil—Sybil !" he cried, in perplexity, as he reached her side. "Whatever is the meaning of this, iear ? Why are you here ?" ' Basil, I've got a great surprise for you," she said, with laughing syes. "This"—she rested her head lichtlv on Fenton's shoulder as she

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spoke—"this is my—father !*' ****** "Basil, you don't mind, do you ? that is, it won't make any difference to you that father happens to be Mr. Fenton, will it ?" asked Sybil, demurely. 'Not the least bit, dear," answered Basil. "But one thing puzzles m:—that is, why I've never met your father—c.nly as Mr. Fenton—before!" ' If el, you see, Basil, dad prefers living at Reigate, and aunt, being a very lo~ely old lady, like to have me with her. But until to-day I hadn t the remotest idea that dad r.nd Mr. Fenton were one and the sa re person. ... I fancy dad is a hit a ; hamed of the business ; that's why I never knew !" • She turned to her lover, then srrang to her feet with a cry of dismay. ' Bas I—my diamonds ! I've left them at father's office. Oh, what shall I do ?" ' Diamonds !" echoed Basil, swiftly. "Ah,, now I see clearly why it was "I found you at Mildmay-place. You wanted to help " Sybil put her hand quickly over her lover's mouth, and her face crimsoned.

"Basil," she whispered, "don't say any more, dear. . . I had to do it. . . I had to do it. . . I love you so !"—"Spare Moments."