THE EDGE OF THE SWORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13399, 30 January 1907, Page 10

THE EDGE OF THE SWORD.

[PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.]

BY FRED M. WHITE. Author of " The Nether Millstone," " The Corner House." " The Scales of Justice," " Craven Fortune," etc., etc.

[COPYRIGHT.] CHAPTER XL A WAITING GAMK. Akmstrong's surprise might have been greater had he known why he had been deputed to follow the form of the fascinating Miss Cromarty. He was just a. little astonished to see this favourite of the lighter stage emerge from the respectable and solid bouse, in Cardigan Place; but, after all, there was very little in it. Probably the lady in question had called to inquire after Lord Manningtree, perhaps to ask his advice over the settlement- of her money matters. Thousands of people did that every year. Thousands of letters came by post. And very few of those letters remained unanswered.

Still, Armstrong had been told to follow this woman, and he was ready to do so. He had stepped into a cab, and was giving his driver directions, when a footman came from the house opposite and approached the cab breathlessly.

"1 beg your pardon, sir," he. said. "This letter came for you just, now, and as it is marked ' urgent' Miss Moberley said you were to have it directly you came."

Armstrong look the missive in silence. Probably Ada Moberley bad noticed him from one of the windows. With a curl nod he urged the cabman forward. He would be able to read the letter presently at his leisure. lie had recognised Klsie's handwriting on the envelope, therefore he could see no need for hurry. He lit a cigarette and then proceeded to open the envelope. His face grew a little paler, his lip* tightened -as he read the pregnant words: —

"My Dear Dick."—There has been a man here looking for you twice this afternoon. He said he had been to the office, and that you wore not there; lie is criming again after dinner. I understood him to say that he came from some solicitor linn, and that 110 desired to see you in relation to sofiie document, on which you had borrowed some money from a firm called iSdi:«?iner and Co. He .said you would know what he meant. Something is wiong with thedocument in question. J am afraid that there is something serious tit-' matter here, as the man had a friend who was waiting for him in the street. Then- tire other circumstances that have made mo feel very frightened. I am writing both to the office and to Cardigan Place. If you get this, don't cone home, but telegraph mc, where I can meet you later or,- Whatever you do, please don't return to our rooms.— Elsik."

There was a queer nattering of Armstrong's heart find a dry feeling at the back of his throat as he read the letter for the second time. He had deemed himself to be quite safe over this business for another six weeks at. least. Schreiner and Co.. were a. firm of discounting financiers of whom he had borrowed the money to relieve himself from tin? pressing gambling debts. And the securities were forged. No doubt these people had found it out : they were going to press him for payment, though the day of redemption had not yet come. Perhaps they had already issued a warrant for his arrest. The mere idea sent a cold shiver down Armstrong's spine. Schreiner and Co. were reputed to be rich, but they had a bad reputation. So long as they made money and kept out of the .grip of the law. they cared nothing for their probity. Hut in his need Armstrong had thought little of this. It had occurred to him at the time that Schreiner and Co. had lent- him that money in a casual kind of way. When he came to put the pieces of the transaction together it seemed to him as if one of the touts of the linn had actually taken him there. Armstrong wondered if he had been drawn deliberately into Schreiner' s net on purpose to become a tool of his.

Well, be would keep out of the way for lie present, unci try to ascertain what was the matter befoie lie met the agent of the enemy. lie put the letter k«k in his pocket, and looked moodily out at the cab in front of him. The other cab stopped presently, and the girl got out. Armstrong's driver began to walk his hoise slowly, so that the occupant of the second tab "could see and hear all thai was going on. The street was a gloomy" one tilled with solid, respectable houses, most of which had large, brass numbers on the doois. Before one of these doors Kitty Cromarty stopped and Hold up a. coin to the. driver." He appeared to be duly impressed by it. fur he asked it he could wait for the 'lady. "If you like to wait till ten," she laughed, '" by all means."

"I'll come back for you then, never fear, lady," the cabman said. No. 19. is it V" The cab drove away, and Armstrong dismissed his own man. He had already ascertained that his quarry was staving at No. 19, ami a glance at'the wall opposite showed that this was Stonehouse-street. W.C. Also Armstrong knew that he was free till ten o'clock. He had not yet dined, and there was plenty of time to spate. A passing policeman ' directed him to the nearest telegraph office, whence he despatched a, message to Elsie asking her to meet him at the Globe Cafe in half-an-hour. A London directory lying on the counter of the post office gave Armstrong an idea. At this late hour tin; branch post office was not particulatly busy, so that Annstrong was enabled to get in a little conversation with fee lady clerk on the other side of the grille. After a few opening compliments In- began to draw towards the object wfeidi lie had in his mind. Heie was an excellent chance of learning something about the people in the neighbourhood. " Have you been here very long?" he asked.

"Well, no," the girl replied. "Only a few months. You see we get moved about pretty frequently, s-o that one does not get much chance of knowing what is going on in the locality."

"1 suppose that can't be helped." .Armstrong refilled. "Still. J daresay that. busy as you are. you get to know .something about the neighbours. Now, for instance. do you happen to know anything about Stonehouse-street, which is only round the corner? You see, lam looking for a friend of mine, who. I believe, lives somewhere near by. As far as- 1 recoiled 1 think the number is 19."

The lady clerk responded that- she wis quite unable to afford Armstrong tin- desired information. lit fact, site intimated pretty plainly that she usually minded her own business to tin: exclusion of other peopie's affairs. Th'ire was nothing for it now 'out for Armstrong to fall back on the directory lying on tin- table. A sudden lush of business put an end to further conversation, so that Armstrong had no further opportunity of seeking information, except by the aid of (he directory, which, fortunately, happened to lie an up-to-date one, a. tiling that one does not always obtain in a. branch post- office. He was not altogether prepared for tile startling discovery which the; directory was about to disclose.

"It would be just as well," lit- told himself, "to find out who Kitty Cromarty is visiting at 19. Stonehotise-sireet. It may help us later on."

Rapidly Armstrong fluttered over the leaves of the bulky volume. He came at length to the place lie wanted. There was 19, ton eh on -street, and. opposite it, the name of Hermann Schreiner, head' of the notorious firm of that- name.

Armstrong went out putting at. hits cigarette thoughtfully. It was hard to dismiss this: very startling discovery as a mere coincidence. Kitty Cromarty had come direct from the residence of Lord Manning! ; ec, and had -.'one to see Hermann Schreiner. I Also she was likelv to slay with the latter I tor some time. Obviously, there must be j some mischief in band here. Sehreinei and I Co. were noted as wreckers of other ccmmercial undertakings; they liked to bring about the ruin of sound concerns, to buy them at a small price, and set them going again. It was a very old firm of shady reputation, but few linns were as successful jas Schreiner and Co. Was it possible that I Hermann Schreiner had an eve upon Lord ! limy-tree's colossal undertakings?

The more Armstrong thought over the matter the more convinced he was. Schreiner had obtained exclusive information., as ho frequently did. After all, there was nothing very wonderful in the. fact that Lord Maimingtree's deplorable state of mind had become more or less public property : indeed, the wonder was that the secret had been kept so long. -Mr. Schreiner was always on the ferret for that kind of information, and had his spies out everywhere. And here >vas the glorious opportunity of a lifetime: It would be easy work to* bring.Lord Maimingtree's colossal structure down with a resounding crash, to buy the millions of shares at paper price, and then to build up the business that was there all the time. That was the kind of philanthropist that Schreiner was. Beyond doubt Kitty Cromarty was one of the puppets in the game. _ Armstrong knew the girl to be an exceedingly clever actress, capable of rilling many parts. Fie. made up his mind to find out what was the desired! point. And no doubt Lionel Harvey could tell him a. great deal more than he' already knew, or he would not have, asked him to have the woman so carefully watched.

The, matter was still occupying Armstrong's mind to the exclusion of everything rise when Elsie arrived at the restaurant. She looked pale and anxious, and there were big dark rings tinder her eyes. " Oh, J suppose I had better try ami eat something,' - she said, wearily. "Only please don't get anything expensive for me, Dick. 1 ant'glad you got my letter. Tell me, is it as bad as ( imagine i! to be'.'''

"1 am afraid so," Armstrong replied. " Von sec. 1 owe those fellows a lot of money. It is not due for another six weeks, and 1 reckoned I had plenty of time to turn round. Now 1 expert they have discoveted that the security I gave them is— is— "

The speaker paused ; he did not dare utter the proper word. Elsie regarded him with a sorrowful expression iii her eyes. " A forgery,'' she said. "You told me that some time ago. It is no use to reproach you, no use to try and recall the fact. Von say that you are leading a better life now

Elsie paused, fearful lest she should say 100 much and perhaps wound the feelings of her brother. Bad and reckless as Armstrong had' been the girl could not forget the tact that they were joined by lies of blood, and that it was her duty to help and shield him as far as possible. Armstrong gazed at her moodily, for it was quite plain foi him to see what was uppermost in her mind. •'Co on." he said. "Don't be afraid to .say it. 1 know perfectly well that 1 have been an utter blackguard, and that .1 have brought misfortunes on you which you should never have suffered'. What a strange thing it i:' thai men of my type always find women ready to make sacrifices for them. The woinenkind of a good man seem to tike his nobility and generosity as a. matter of course, and he gets no credit from anybody *hi the other hand 1 never knew a'blackguard yet who had not some girl passionately attached to-him. It is much the same "with the street ruffian who knocks his wife about in the disgraceful manner of his kind-." "I don't think you need ally yourself with anything quite so bad as that." Elsie replied." "You know perfectly well 1 am prepared to forgive the past if I could only see anv signs of reformation in the future. But in' your ease 1 am sadly afraid that a reformation of that kind could never be made." "Give me a. chance." Armstrong said, between his teeth. "The mere fact that I am here to-night should prove to you that fam in earnest so far. If you do not believe me — " i want to," Klsii* cried-. " 'there is nothing 1 should like better. I have placed for it night and day. If you could only convince me that 'i am not mistaken- -' " I swear it. Elsie," Armstrong cried. passionately. "For the last few months I have been as straight as any fellow could possib'v be—ever since I found out that tHad cared for me. J had to get money to put myself straight : 1 plunged on the hist opportunity, and at that time 1 could see mv wav to get the money. If Lord Manningtree had'kept all right I should have succeeded to a dead certainty." " Why don't you get him to help you';" '• Because he'is not in a position to help anybody. The poor man's mind has already gone; he is getting worse every day. '.And the dreadful part of it is that he lias muddled matters io a most deplorable way. Goodness knows where all the money has -one. Lionel Harvey and myself had a king talk over it to-day." Elsie looked up swiftly at the mention of her' lover's mime. "So you have met a.'ain." she exclaimed. " Did you opiane!': '""No. On the whole the interview was quite a friendly one." ■• And vet Lionel declared th.it you once did him a great injury. Dick. He swore to me that th'< affair at Hudson's Bank was all vour doing-. Perhaps you may lie surprised to find that I have met Lionel again, but the storv is too long to tell now. Besides, I daresay you would laugh at me it I told you evervtl'iiim'. Dick, is this shameful thin" that Lionel told me quite tiue.' Armstrong wrigided in his chair uncomfortably. He could not meet his sister's eve* "I had better tell you everything." lie muttered. "It wouldn't be leading the life I spoke of if I didn't. I was entirely to blame; I could haw cleared Lionel if 1 liked. But 1 let him accept the blame that was all mine, and he had to leave the bank. And then you took my part, and Harvey disappeared for a time. 1 daresav you will never forgive me, Elsie. When 1 look back on the past and see what a cur and thief I have been I wonder at mv good luck at keeping out of L'aol. And here am 1, with a good girl ! giving her heart to me just as if I had la name as clean as hers! Rut I always i meant to put. matters right between Lionel ! and yourself. Elsie. Perhaps some day--" "|" am glad, and I am sorry," Elsie -aid. with tear- in her eyes. "I am glad ! for toe sake of Lionel and sorry lor you. ; 1 think that you should—" 'Don't." Armstrong groaned. "Don't ml, it ill. It looks as if I were going to ! net inv- punishment, after all. I'm coming j back home with you presently, but I have I a little verv important business to do ties!, (loudness knows what time I shall finish ; Will von wail for me here or go Iv! ! home'.'"

(To he continued daily.)