CHURSTONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17471, 15 May 1920, Page 3 (Supplement)

CHURSTONS.

BY PAUL TRENT. /; mM Author of "The Vow," "Ad*m," tic., >to.

' c COPYRIGHT. V ' SYNOPSIS. j * ; i At the timo the sttry opens. James Churston, a pioneer in the manufacture of aeroplanes, and, ownnr of extensive works, is conferring with his manager Mark Lendridge, as to the beat measures to take in regard {•> f. .certain contract, which he fears may bi given to a new and dangerous' rival, Julian Crosby, a former employee. Churston compliments Lendrideo on an improvement he has made in a new engine and hints »t promotion. At the end of the interview, Crosby himj.'lf is announced and tries to make terms with Churston in regard to the contract, threatening to ruin the older man if he refuses. |

CHAPTER 1.-(Oontinued.) , i "Why have you come to me to-day, > unless it's because you are reaching the ' end of your capital ? I can afford to fight for a long time to come." " I'vo come to you because your daughter returns to-day. I've been in love with her from the first time I saw her. That was why I wanted a partnership. I knew you would never let her marry one of your employees. And that is why I started in opposition. I think I've proved myself a man. We are more or less on equal terms. I'm not asking you to come to an agreement because I'm afraid . of you. As a matter of fact, my backer has unlimited faith in me, and he'U finance me so long as I want money." s " Your impudence is colossal," Churston said angrily. "Mr. Churston, you are not a young man, and you have no son. My suggestion is, that you give me a chance of winning your daughter's love. If she accepts me, then I propose we amalgamate our business I prophesy there will be no engine in the market to touch tho Crosby-Churston." " Crosby-Churston indeed 1" Churston cried in a fury. "You would even put your own nam? beforo mine. Clear out-r j I've nothing more, to say to you." ' His anger vanished very quickly. " Stay a moment. I imagine your spies have told you what our new engine is doing. Talk of the 'Crosby!' it'll be a back number when the new 'Churston' comes on the market." " There will also be a new 'Crosby' with ten per cent, increased power for the same weight engine. You won't be able to equal that," sneered Crosby.

It was with difficulty that Churston suppressed an angry retort. Crosby's smiling face irritated him bevond endurance. v To think that he should aspire to marrying Betty. "I'll give you a day or two to think it over. Why should we always quarrel? I really love your daughter, and I'm not a bad sort. If we were once partners we should get along splendidly togetner," Crosby remarked. " You had better go," Churston said with an ominous calm, and Crosby went away. It was a few minutes before Churetori could concentrate his attention on work, but at last he succeeded, and an hour later had signed the last letter. This done, he went through the works, and unlocked a door which led to a small workshop. A loud roar greeted him as he closed the door, and hastened ( to the bench upon which the new " Churston" was working at full speed, yet smoothly, and with a minimum of vibration. Ho regarded the machine as a father might look on his child. "Lendridge and the head mechanic were standing near by exchanging remarks by means of paper and pencil as they read the "pullin.," power of 'the engine. Churston joined them, and they wrote to one another expressive of their satisfaction. '

And then Churstor told Lendridge what Crosby had said of his new engine. "Probably bluff,'' Mark answered quietly. " I don't think so. By the bv, I want you to come to dinner, I'll let you know which night. . We must have our little chat. I must hurry along or I shall be too late to receive my girl." Lendridge nodded,' and returned to the engine. For the moment he was uneasy, but soon confidence returned. Crosby could not equal this new engine of theirs unless their wa s a leakage in the works M and he had nhtaivd access to their plans. That was highly improbable, fur every precaution had been taken, and the men who had knowledge to sell were eminently trustworthy.

.CHAPTER 11. » The ( ourt — the home of the Churstons— was situated about a couple of miles from Kerhamplon. It was an unpretentious house of some age, surrounded by a good deal of land, with a wide expanse of lawn fronting the house. James Churston drank a cup of tea while he watched the drive, along which he expsoted his daughter shortly to appear, driving her little "two-seater." For the first years of' Betty's life ho had not seen very much of her In the first place, her birth had caused hie wife's death, and secondly, he felt aggrieved that she had not been a boy. It was after her first term at th'e Ladies' College, Cheltenham, that ho had been to her by a remark that showed unusual intelligence in a girl of her age. She had proved worth the cultivation, and when at eighteen she had expressed a desire to go to a university, ho had not opposed her wish. He found himself hoping that this extended education would not unfit her for home life. He needed a head of his house, and surely a little extra knowledge of literature and history would not unfit her for that rule. Curiously enough, she had vouchsafed no information as to her studies. In fact he knew nothing of them. For some years he had been pay ing into her banking account a handsome quarterly cheque, for tho spending of which he had asked no account. Now she wa« twenty-three years of age, and he considered it was about time she settled down. A frown came to hi« face when he rcmemb«rd Crosby's offer of mar riage. It wan not that he would object to her marrying a decent man. A few i grandchildren about the house would be verv pleasant A glance at his watch, and be rose, pacing slow'y up and down the terrace. Betty was late, and unpunctuality was not one of hei faults. A faint hum, and he looked into the sky. ',

j "What *b-w is that? One of Crosby's, I suppose," he muttered. The speck grew bigger, and he watched it casually. At last lie could make out the biplane, mid Ins interest grew. " It sounds and looks like one of ours." j The machine was rapidly descending, in a beautifully executed spiral. " What inferno cheek! He's coming down here—and en my lawn," ho cried aloud. A really skilful landing was effected about a hundred* yards away, and the Vane came towards him. pulling up in front of the terrace. A figure jumped lightly down. The aviator removed gloves, and came rapidly forward. "Hello! dad," came from a o'car voice, and tne helmet was tak. n off revealing a laughing face, surrounded bv closely coiled hair, that held a glint of gold in the sun. "Cod ble*ss my -mil. , . . Betty!" he cried in surprise. "Yes, it's Hetty alright. I've come straight from Hendon. Is the tea fresh?" She sank back into a chair, and smiled brightly at her father. "I didn't know yo-u could f!v," ho gasped. " (.'hurslon'fl daughter. . . . and nnt be able to fly. I've got my ticket, dad. And 1 can do more than 'fly. Look at my hands." ' She held them towards him, small, and shapely, but with signs of work that told their tale. "What does it mean'.'" be demanded abruptly. "I'll tell yrm. . . . when I've had a cup of tea and a bath. How's everybody':" " You tel! me now." "Not on your life, dad. . . . After dinner, when you are smoking a big fat cigar. Has my kit arrived?" " I don't know." 'To be continued on Saturday next.)