THE IDEAL WOMAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14304, 25 February 1910, Page 3

THE IDEAL WOMAN.

. " .By -ROBERT, BARR,V ' ..-The Face and tho Mask." "Tho »^ ! 2v ; ' "From Whoso Bourne." -, IfeS-Arm." "The Countess 'WB£- iba : "" A Woman Intervenes/*. Sleigh's Millions," "C | ' ,bl dillac." etc,

"bt SPECIAL arrangement.

[COPTBIOHT4 rfIAPTER XIV.-(Continued). You can see the marquess when(*erJ oU „ ■:- J' ! ;*t allow you to talk to him as :.;:<.po63;lie - J ife*l' dor "Q u ' le ' • mV on, tou are wasting a li*gn^oportmuty;slf;rdb^n W- f hoots for the last . live years,l * 5"? have thrown away my chances as * ouldD Snne -I'd have had a slash at ; «fl have done. |f .£££ a done." ! *I« of it, »'.v boy- All it need, . £. *h» I've got, .-d opportua.tr, Ssbmcly- complimentary, Mr. SP !S" I'm not saying you haven't any h.it vou're letting them run to seed bf,l fk of use You might, have; made | fortune before this time" _ '.into I ask how. i't you see how? . Here s a young fool $ more money than intellect.' ~ SSyoursclf say that what he wants Ulbuv, and won't haggle over the price, <if' - \u o v,': all a- man of brains needs is ! find out something the. marquess wants, 1L a clutch on 'that .thing, and make his Ucss pay through the nose for it ~: -That is very simple. , You ' wish ,me,then to learn the heart's desire of the inarms aV this present moment" ; »- »I don't wish anything of the sort. . 1 ho* At he wants,' but if you get me. into the castle, and arrange a meeting between me and the marquess, I'll give you ten per cent, , which is the amount of an agent's commission in London, of all the loot I lift."; "Really, •my.young, friend, you are too generous, and* appear to be as much of a spendthrift as the marquess himself. It seemed to me"at first sight. that tho difficult point was to discover what tho marquess would pay for, but as you know that the whole game is in ' j your ' hands. r ' You don't need my intervention at all, and by following my advice ) may x save ten per cent.. Go boldly in by tho front door of ' the castle, hand your card to one of the servants (and perhaps -it might bo wise to place a halfcrown piece upon the. card, just as if you were betting at Monte Carlo), then ask for the-card to.be delivered, , and I' am quite certain the : marquess will receive you."

"My dear Mr. Bethen, it wasn't to talk such nonsense that I. gave; you half a crown.",' ; ,

-. "You interrupted me, Mr. Spiker.. If you'd waited ; : a - moment I should have.;. told you that because my advice is so obvious, and, although* quit© effective, apparently !valueless, I shall return ;to you. the halfcrown, in order j that you may not be the i least out of ; pocket', by,' following my coun-lßeL^^^4-:*l!t*"l:n'."'"v-t'''v:•!•'■!/■'•■"V'.' - ! .'«'•'. ; '-. ' ':■'■'

"You don't live at the castle, and there- , fore may: be excused for. not understanding things are managed there. The house of the marquess contains- a-'very, crafty young :,woman, who lis i'determined'!. that I fhall not see his lordship: Half a'!crown- or half a sovereign wouldn't gain mo admittance. , Indeed, I'd give a ;■■' live-pound note if I were allowed to ; see him." : -'A ;'X :: y'--f

"Then I must say you are undercutting in the most miserly manner when you expect .me to do a five-pound job for half a crown fee." t [

" The two and ; ' sixpence was merely a retainer. I've just told you I'd give you much more than that if I'pull it off .with'. his nibs, for I'm 1 ;; going" to , insist that" before doing what' he wants I must have five. hundred pounds down on the nail, therefore your commission wouldn't be half - ; a crown, but fifty pounds." ■' ' : " I see. Don't you think it would be better to let me know your secret, for as I understand hie lordship's ways better than you doj I shall be more successful at tho looting, as you call it. Indeed, I can guar|antee}that if :; what you want to sell is considered by the marquess worth five hundred pounds/* you shall . have the money before nightfall, and you .may trust me . to hand . it over to you.''- \ ' 01 Mr. Spiker smiled the - : smile of one who ; ; is not to be duped, and quietly winked with his left eye. "My.dear fellow', I come from London, and I'm up to snuff, if I do say it myself. The moment I tell the secret to anyone, I m.v goose is cooked. ';' My friend, William J. Spiket was not ; born yesterday, . and all ; he asks of you is to arrange for " him ■. a meeting -withthe. marquess. As I said just i now, there's J"a' mighty clever voung .woman *-3?),'/jjj reasons of her own which can't be mentioned is determined that I ■ shall ! not ; ; *» nis lordship." ~ •.."-.'■...- tt "Re%? And her name?" _ Her name is Margaret Elmer." '.■',' , 'Oh," aid Rupert, drawing'himself up. 'Ci 1 ." he;,whom you designated as crafty? H . Wl?t me £ tell' vouUhat you are entirely ; mistaken. Miss Elmer is as honest a girl !•■;»'.'!«.). ■ I ; shall not listen to anything her." ...-,■.-..•,.■■■ Ttamarquess Was now sitting very erect, : ; a ttjftt frown on :highbrow. Ho shifted hie Potion towards the " end of the seat, re- ;: }?Wjf "is knee from the familiarity of Mr. , Jgw. hand. A step sounded on the " S •'- and ' round the corner' came the ?;£■???. article, as anyone not citv-bred r ' ; m recognise the moment his ■■stalwart m hove in sight. He 1 was clad ■ vW.r.?arris tweed',,somewhat affected ' ■ £;S- ather/ ' -His face: was ruddy, and ran?!? with.deep lines. ;Under his arm he ™d a double-barrelled, hammerless gun. : a * *M a head-keeper indeed. , ; ; : -'SuSS e . r S : rose to hif< "and, Mr. Spiker ~¥« impatiently over his shoulder, plain■cJ?Wed.<at' the .interruption. The real vu:^^-no:notice of the stranger,, but ; o ? f d , hand wont to his cap in denial salute. ':■' . " , ' . r ,g|J lord marquess," he said, " your from rV- ,: ■ A '-'John, "turned unexpected B mm ,'about two hours ago.. Ho «**,? s '°" r lordship, and has sent ?W m : search of you!" ':US §o, i d ,Palmer -' x shall cet back to «! - at ;! ,nce -"' Here is half « crown *.tojtf"-8 , ) .Mr.. Spiker, wished to tI»vL"P° n 1 ' ro «"~aad with that he pave : SpJU..!. coin - "Kindly show Mr. HKfft ß he ' wish to see about the ; ;; m-^u'^ aflenK,on » Mr. Spiker." :..■": ii, u t nt raan addressed was now stand- ' a Wk bV°+w a - momont was ,0 ° much t,lk,>n «!itei A i-^; : ■ circumstances to give .utterly Ejw Finding his tongue, at ■;.;-;.*a!r to his : retreating host: ti s hr tt mo . mc PV ono moment, my lord! I "a word with vou." *» Sr- ' l^- y ' Palmer," said his lord"CX l S a d *nuHunir hand. . ' "iCe ln ,',. In >' lwJ ." «houfo ( l Spiker, V <uT- In « fa tdl vo " about Miss "Thmu V S llot Wll:it ' -V o '" think her." «Bmmamlp,l P <>ver tho wall > Palmer," :; - The vf (I ' t " e l ln arquesw. V; ft?' 'P fweif »l hand of , the head- •'• B£W, °" the 5,K,,,,,W " William : *'WorJ IU K a ,:lulch ,iko that of a ' Uorse Tower : automobile. CHAPTER XV. |ilS'^ from sitting so long * ,oncl ,\sot out on his last lap $** wa! ; °" nd , himaelf wondering who He £' a " d hnfc his business might bo httii C -° ubL the w « f lom of the H'keepTS. SlVen t0 Elinor, for; the '"*»•'*& t£L !l ". of ' doc serious, , ~;• uu *»*i everything in its most

literal sense, and it was quite possible that if the unfortunate. Spiker made any resistance :he would indeed* bo - : flung over the stonewall with . exceedingly little ceremony. He would be but an infant in the hands of tho stalwart head keeper. But Rupert pondered over the statement that had • called forth. the drastic order. Margaret was not what she pretended to be! What did Spiker moan by. that, and how came he to have any knowledge whatever of Miss Elmer? Meditation on this problem brought to his mind:'the surmise that Spiker must be the man who walked to the post, office that morning with Margaret Elmer, concerning whom she refused to make any disclosure when his mother had■'. demanded an explanation. ' Apparently Spikor had been staying for some time in the neighbourhood, and-both his own statements, and the conversation of the inn-keeper indicated that someone- -in the Merivale household was interested ';. in frustrating tho amiable trespasser's desire for a conference. Could that person be Margaret Elmer, and if so, why had she adopted such a course? Tho .young marquess had always been most accessible to those who wished to see him, and he could think of no reason why this stranger at his gates should be turned away, without even his message being brought to him. -<; ..' At first lie thought of speaking to Margaret about the matter, ..- but finally decided not to embarrass the girl by raising a question which she was evidently unwilling to discuss. Rupert arrived at. his conclusion and his house at the same. time. Dismissing Spikor from his ; mind, and turning, his thoughts towards the arrival of Lord John, puzzled that the candidate should have left liis constituency as -the, crisis of :the!election was approaching, he determined to seek out his brother, at once. He was deflected from this course by meeting 'a servant, who told him that Mies Elmer instructed -her to tell.his lordship 1 tho moment he came in that the secretary wished to see him as soon. as possible in the busi-ness-room. ..■ . .'■ < v .

; "'•' As ' tho marquess approached' the door of: this ;'"chamber , •:: of commerce' -' he received audible evidence that his,brother had re-', turned, for the rapid click of the,typewriter greeted 'him. ;■ Margaret ceased :work" and turned •round as the door opened, springing up when she recognised her visitor,.; "Oh !'-'•. she cried,"have, you sieen the marchioness or Lord John?" .'-.

"No, I have only just- returned from a tramp over the hills and:far. away, and was about to • seek' out my ■ brother, but being told you wished to, see me I came here direct. Mv first duty, must be to apologise for appearing in tho garb of a, tramp before a lady so charmingly dressed as you are." ;

(To bo continued daily.)