THE MAN WHO CAME BACK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15613, 20 May 1914, Page 4

THE MAN WHO CAME BACK.

BY MARK ALLEBTON, Author of "Such »nd Such Things," i " The Lady of thu B*ya, !' "Lot Justice Be Done," etc.

COPYRIGHT. CHAPTER in. Dicker was over in Lord Templeton's house in. Grosvenor Gardens, but Lord Templeton and his guest still lingered at the table over their port and cigars. Lord Templeton looked like a man who was on friendly terms with machinery and hard steel. ' Rather' short, and powerfully built, his neat, pointed beard and moustache were iron grey Behind bushy eyebrows there shone eyes tliat were stern and resolute. Ho carried His sixty years lightly, despite the fact that since he had been thrown as'a boy upon his own resources every year had been full of hard, strenuous work. He had fought the battle against disadvantages aad discouragement alone, and he liad won. His guest was Winton Pearkes, his managing director, a man slightly younger than Lord Templeton, and with the cleancut, shaven features of a lawyer. The hand that held his cigar had two fingers missing, the result of an accident in the engineering shop. Pearkes was, like bis chief, a self-made man. He had joined the firm in ite infancy, and to his keen commercial instinct was due in no small degree its prosperity. He was the patentee of Pearkes'a pump, and it was Pearkes's pump that had laid the foundations of the world-wide fame of Halford's Limited.

These two men were Winton and Thomas to each other when they were alone, yet they addressed each other with a certain cold formality. Lord Templeton was a proud man who never forgot that the building up of a huge enterprise was his work. Pearkes was quietly conscious of the fact that in all vprobability the structure would have been insignificant had it not been for Pearkes's pump. "I think I told you that the plans for the shop at Kew had been approved," remarked Pearkes, after a long pause. "No. That is good. Now wc can get on at once with the work." "I thought of letting young Laecelles take charge," went on Pearkes. "Wait till Evan comes home," replied Lord Templeton. "I want his opinion about that."

"All right." Pearkes nodded. There was nothing in his words to show his annoyance. He had no liking for the way in which Lord Templeton was giving increased authority to his son. "When will Evan be back?" ho asked. _" I expected him here ,to dinner tonight. He wired me from Paris last night that he_ would leave this morning." "Paris? I didn't know that he was in Paris."

Yes. He went there to meet Philip." "Rather a roundabout way of getting back from Essen, isn't it?" " Very. I daresay he has his reasons." "I had a letter from Philip," said Pearkes. "He ha« completed that business at Nice. Philip is going to do very well."

" I nope so, for his own sake. He will need to get over his liking for winter holidays at Monte Carlo, though." "But his summer holiday was cut short." ' • .

" When .1 was Philip's age," 6aid Lord Templeton. curtly", " I never had any holidays, and didn't want 'em. Philip would be better to have more of Evan's keenness."

Pearkes smoked in silence. "What's the latest about the steel substitute?" he asked, at length. "Evan is enthusiastic about it." "And you?" I'll wait till I see it tested before I form my opinion." "If it stands the test will vou introduce it?" " '

" I'll begin by setting up experimental plant. Evan will take charge of that." Lord Templeton leant forward as he spoke, and puffed his cigar hurriedly. "I've made some plans. about Evan which you may as well hear now. Evan will, of course, take my place when I die or retire."

"Of course." Pearkes hesitated. Then he added, "You are not meditating retiring yet, surely?" " No, no. But I want him to be ready to take the reins. So I'm going to give him much of ray work to So.* 5 " I see." replied Pearkes, evenly. "Very sensible."

"I think so Competition is getting keener and keener every day. Evan has youth and enthusiasm, and we may aS well take advantage of it while we can. By the way, Grantons are coming along! They've collared that Admiralty job." "Some back-door influence, no doubt," growled Pearkes. " I'm not so sure. . John , Granton 's as clever as they make 'em, We ought to have him with us instead of letting him start for himself."

" Mb never gave us the chance." "No. That's 60. What did our patent agent.oc;' about his pump?" Pearkes flushed with anger. "No good goine on. with the matter," he, replied. " No grounds for an. action for infringement?"

"None whatever." "Is the'pump all they claim for it?" asked Lord Templeton. " It's good enough." "Better than yours!" "In some ways it is, I must admit." "Then that's why they got the Admiralty order. It's no good blinking at facts,' said Lord Templeton, severely. "If we haven't got the best pump wo must see that we do, or we'll lose that part of our business. Now, can't you"— Lord. Templeton leant forward again— " can't you invent another, or make some improvements on your own? Go one better than Granton." •

" You can't invent things and make improvements, Thomas, merely by taking the thought," replied Pearkes, irritably. "Oh.' I know that. Still"—Lord Templeton spoke a trifle complifningly— "you invented that pump fifteen years ago. You've never invented another thing that's done any good. I know you've made a big enough fortune out of the pump to satisfy any man. Still, one would have thought—" " That I should have invented a fortunemaker every year?'' exclaimed Pearkes, sarcastically. " Not at all, not at all. You've dono your shave— than your share," admitted Lord Templeton. "But we mustn't let Grantons creep up in the way they're doing. There's only room for one of us. and Halford, Limited, is going to be that one." "You've always wanted the earth, Thomas."' " And I've always got as much of it as I wanted—up to now. When anybody gets the better of me I want to know why. Competition means real war—war to 'the death. That's why, Wiuton, I want to crush this new firm. I want to drive thin younij fellow. John Granton, cut of business. He's dangerous. Ever} day he's allowed to go about pushing his Eump; he's a menace to that part of our usiness. We must stop him."

"How?" " By going one better. Look here, I ve been making inquiries, and I find that two names are registered as the patentees of Granton's Pump. One is John Grant-on and the other is Jacob Strawn." Pearkes knocked the ash from his cigar with deliberation. '*Indeed?" he murmured, with an, air of interest. "Surely vou don't forget that Jacob Strawn is the man who tried to stop us making our pump—said that lie and not you invented it, and so on?" * " Of course. I remember him perfectly, replied Pearkes. "He lost his action. He hadn't a leg to stand on. Jacob Strawn!" Pearkes made a gesture of contempt. " A cunning crank, who used to be in our drawing-office, and who did his level best to steal my idea ! I've no love for Jacob Strawn, I can tell you! He d;d me no good at all by raising that action. Even if ho did lose, there's always people who believe the worst," ' . , , " Strange that he should be associated with Grantori in the rival business," said Lord Tomplcton. „ " Oh, I admit that he's a clever fellow, cried Pearkes. " Give him the groundwork —the basis of an idea—and he'll mako some shape at finishing it. That's what

he did with my pump. < Now, Granton's pump is just a, modification of our own— a remarkably clever modification, no doubt, ft is' quite possible than Strawn is responsible for it. On the other hand-"

"Yes!" "On the other hand, it is also possible —more likely than not, to my way of thinking—that he dished Granton's, as he, tried to dish me.' 1 " What do you mean ?" " I mean that when Granton started his castings foundry, Strawn got a job with him. I can well believe that lie got a hold of Granton's ideas and worked "them up in time to claim a share. Granton had no money a year or two ago to fight an action. Strstwn seems to Be atle to raise the money J'rom blackmailing actions —they are nothing else. And so very probably Granton was forced to compromise and go shares —at least, that';; my idea." Lo'rd Templeton nodded. "There's something in it,'' he said. 'The man has undoubtedly brains. Evan was telling me about an article the fellow v.-rote in one of the engineering journal.". In its wav it was quite remarkable.' "Has Evan mufc him?" " No. By the way, Evan is very late." "Perhaps he's dining at the club," ingested Pearkes. " No, he wouldn't do that, replied Lord Templeton, and iife expression softened as he spoke. "We always dine tether when we are both in town. I never dine alone here—l couldn't stand it. The houee is full of ghosts—ghosts of the days when Edith was alive. I've often "a mind to live in a small flat somewhere, but I hate to break up the old homo. Evan loves it. One c'kiy it will be his home."' " Any word of" his getting married''" asked Pearkes, and his lips parted with a bard smile,'-

No ho doesn't give himself time to fall in love," laughed Lord Templeton. " I'd be sorry to lose him, I admit, even to the best woman in London—and he's worth the best. Evan"— Temple ton's voice sank to a whisper—"E\an is all I have left to mo now.' "What about Halford, Limited?" " Ah! somehow Halford's seems to mean less and less to me every year, and Evan more and more. It was a great time when Halford's was in the making, and I had to fight- hard and long for every sup forward. Now I'm getting -i bit old for the fight, and :iie Granton firm worries me. "

"But you were talking of trying to crush it?"

"Yes, so I was. That is because the fight has become a kind of habit. Wo must keep on fighting, or we'll go under. And I've got Evan to think of. I want him to have the business at its very bast. That's what it monies to now. 1 used to work and plot and plan for Halfcxd's, and for the sheer loin of working. Now I keep on for Evan." He rose to his feet. " Let's go into my study, it's cosier there."

Pcarkes followed him in silence. There was a wry twist in hit thin lips. Most certainly he wis going to have trouble with Evan. It. was always the way. The son always got the fat, and the men who built the business only the leavings. An elderlv man-servant met them in the hall.

"We're join to the library, Parker," said Lord Templeton. "If my son comes tell him we're there. And * have something for him to eat. Why, what on earth's the matter?" Tears were running down the cheeks of the servant', and he trembled violently. "Oh, my lord, if only it could be somebody else who would tell you," he cried, piteouslv. ' "Tell"me,! Tell me what? Has anything happened at the works? Out with it, man." "Oh, wore my lord, far worse! I've just read it in the papers. It's here. Read."

"Is it—Ev.in?" Lord Templetori breathed rather than spoke the words. He snatched the newspaper from the man's trembling; fingers. ' The bold head-> lines seemed to dance before his eyes :—

CHANNEL TRAGEDY. DOVER BOAT SUNK. GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. NAMES OF SURVIVORS. The paper fell from Lord Tem piston's; grasp. ••■ "Tell me.'.' he muttered. "My sonis Ik—is his name there?" The servant shook his head in mute despair. " Mr. Philip is saved." he said, brokenly, at length. Lord Templeton did not speak. There was a long silence. Lord Templeton stood motionless, with his head slink on his chest. Then he straightened his back and turned to Pearkes, who stood it the shadow.

"Do you mind going, Wintera'" ho said, and his voice was firm, if almost inaudible. "Go and make inquiries. Sing me up any time through the night. I shall be up." * t . Then he turned on his heel and walked slowly into his room.

CHAPTER IV. "Good morning, Tony. I say, I've only got five minutes. I must catch the 8.5 % to Southampton. I had a letter from Friedlander laJt night. He wants to see me at once."

The speaker was John Granton. He was standing over his desk in the littleshed that served as his office, hurriedly putting some papers into a bag. He was a man of about thirty five, strongly built, with the dart hair and golden moustache that, with his accent, revealed hie origin. Granton was a. Glasgow man. " Well, there's nothing important doing in the shop to day," replied Tony Jlaiti land, the manager, who hailed from the same town

"No. Only the new chap is coming. Keep your eye on him. I want you to tell me what you think of him. He's the most remarkable freak I've ever heard of."

" Queer-look in' chap?" "No. it isn't his looks; it's his mind. The fellow lusn't got a pet. Simply might be six months old, if it wasn't he s such a good engineer." , "How d'ye know he's no' shamming. "No; he not shamming. I kie the look of him. Besides, one of the best doctors in London has had him in charge. He's simply lost his memory. But hi hasn't forgotten his engineering. It* awfullv curious! But I must be oft. I'll be back either to-night or to-morrow morning So long." Snatching up hu bag John Granton rushed from his office. . . , . Antonv Ma.tland changed his jacket .or an office coat and sat dowr.'at his desk, whistling softLy the while. The first post tumbled into 'the letter-bos, and ho rose to gather up the kite rs. He opened Ihem methodically and with a pleased expression on his face. The correspondence) of John Granton and Company was becoming quite pleasant reading. He nad scarcely finished reading the letters wMa the door opened, and a girl of about nineteen entered briskly. _ i(i "Good morning, Mr. Maitlana. " Mornin', .Miss Strawn." "Mr. Granton not in yet?" "He's in, .Mid gone. He's a fair wonder for work. It's great to see him at it. There's an inquiry from Bumoa Ayres in thin mornin'. We're gettm ou-'' . , i A "Isn't it splendid?" The girl spoke enthusiastically-, her fine eyes Hashing. "Ave. "that. It's worth while working for a firm like this. I ted ye, we'll make Harford's sit up yet ' "Halford's—l should think so. cried

the- girl. ... V, "It'll no' be so easy as ye tan*, though.- continued Maitland. " Thc /V« got such a power o' money at the Da«> of them." , ~ , ~. "It's cruel that money should be awe to do so much," said the girl. » " hadn't, been that they have unlimited means thev'c. never have won that case from the fail He knows that the verdiet would have been reversed on iw appeal." ■„< "Mebbe. mebbe. It's no my »Jf where the law's concerned. 111 bet J o ™ Granton's no' sorry yep father lost that case. If he hadn't we wouldn t have had that pump-it's coin' to do tine " I'm so glad-for the dads sake. a Mr. Granton hadn't taken it up— "Somebody else would." , - "The dad* tried so many, thougn, dc fore he met Mr. Granton." "Aye-well, we'll get on with these letters now." (To be continued on Saturday next-)