TRISTRAM OF BLENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4396, 29 June 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

TRISTRAM OF BLENT.

AN EPISODIC IN THE STORY OF AN ANCIENT HOUSE. (By Anthony Hope.) [ALL EIGHTS STRiOTL* RESERVED] (Copyright, L-01, m tho U.S.A. by Anthony Hope.) CHAPTER, XlX.—(Continued.) Sho went oil in. distress to her mother, but was told to “let him alone. ' The wisdom of woman and of .years spoke. Presently Tver went, out to play golf. Rut his heart was still bitter within him; ho could not resist tho sight _ot a possible sympathiser; ho mentioned to tho Major, who was his antagonist in the game, that it was not often that a young fellow relnscd such a chance as ho had just offered in vain to Rob Rroadlcy. His prospective relationship to Rob’’laid reached tho stage of being assumed between Duplay and him, although it had hob yet been explicitly mentioned.

“I wish somebody would try me!" laughed the Major. “I’m kicking my heels all day down hero.'' Ivor made no reply and played the round in silence. He lost, perhaps because ho was thinking of something else. Ho liked Duplay, and thought iura clover, and looking back on the history of tho Tristram affair, ho felt somehow that ho would lilac to do the Major a good turn. Were they not in a sense companions in misfortune? Two days later Duplay sat in tho offices of Sloyd, Sloyd and Gurney, as Iver’s representative; his mission was to represent to tho youthful firm the exceeding folly cf their conduct in regard to Rlinkhampton. His ready brain had assimilated all tho facts, and they lost nothing by his ready tongue. Ho even made an impression on the enemy.

“It clocrsn’t do to look at one transaction only. i*ir Sloyd,” he rmoinded the spruce but rather nervous young man. “It’ll pay to treat ns reasonably. Mr Ivor’s a good friend to have and a bad enemy.”

“I am quite alive to all that- but wo have obtained a legitimate advantage and ” Sloyd was evidently a little puzzled, and he glanced at the clock.

“Wo recognise that; wo offer you two thousand pounds. We take over your option and give yon two thousand.'’ This was the figure that Her and he had decided would tempt the young firm; their fear of the groat Mr Ivor would make them content with that.

Sloyd was half inclined to bo content; the firm would make a thousand; tho balance would be good interest on tho capitalist’s ton thousand pounds; and there would still bo enough of victory to soothe the feelings or everybody concerned.

“I’m expecting the gentleman who is associated with us. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll step out and see if he’s arrived.”

Duplay saw through the suggestipn, but ho had no objection to permitting a consultation. He lit a cigar and waited while Sloyd was away. Xhe Major was in greater contentment with liimsclf than he had been since ho recognised his defeat. Next to succeeding, it is perhaps the pleasantest thing to make people regret that you have not succeeded. If he proved his capacity Iver would regret what had happened more; possibly oven Janie would come to regret is. Aiul ho was glad to be using his brains again. If they took the two thousand, if Iver got the Masters estate and entire control of Blinkhampton for twenty-two thousand, Duplay would have had a hand in a good bargain. He thought the Sloyds would yield. "Be strong about it,” Iver had said. “Theso young fellows have plenty of enterprise, plenty of shrewdness, but they haven’t got the grit to take big chances. They’ll catch at a certainty.” Sloyd’s manner had gone far to bear out this opinion.

Sloyd returned, but, instead of coming in directly, be held the door, and allowed another to pass in front of him. Duplay jumped up with a muttered exclamation. What the deuce was Harry Tristram doing there Harry advanced, holding out his hand. “We neither of us thought we should meet in this way. Major Duplay? The world’s full of surprises. I’ve learnt that anyhow, and I daresay you’ve known it a long while.” “You’re in this business?” cried the Major, too astonished for any preamble. Harry nodded. “Let’s get through it,” he said. “Because it’s very simple. Sloyd and I have made up our minds exactly what we ought to have.” It, was the same manner that the Major remembered seeing by the Pool—perhaps a trifle less aggressive, but making up for that by an even increased seU-oonfidence. Duplay had thought of his former successful rival as a broken man. He was not that. He had never thought pf him as a speculator in building land. Seemingly that was what he had become.

Harry sat down by the table, Sloyd standing by him and spreading out before him a plan of Bhnkhampton and tho elevation of a row of buildings. “You ask us,” Harry went on resentfully, almost accusingly, “to throw up this thing just when we’re ready to go ahead. Everything’s in train; we begin work tomorrow.” “Come, come, where are you going to get the money?” interrupted Duplay. He felt that he must assert himself. “Never mind, we can get it; or we can wait till we do. We shut you out just as badly whether we leave the old buildings or put up new. However, wo shall get it. I’m satisfied as to that.” “You’ve heard my offer?” “Yes,” smiled Harry. “The reward for getting ahead of Mr Tver is, it seems, two thousand pounds. It must be done pretty often if it’s as cheap as that! I hope he’s well?” “Quite well, Mr Tristram, thank you. But when you talk of getting ahead of him ”

“Well, I put it plainly; that’s all. I’m new to this, and I daresay Sloyd here would put it better. But my money’s in it, so I like to have my say.” Both the dislike and the reluctant respect of old days were present in the Major’s mind. He felt that the quality on whose absence Iver had based his cat. eolations had been supplied. Harry might bo ignorant. Sloyd could supply the knowledge. Harry had that grit which hitherto the firm had lacked. Harry seemed to guess something of what was passing through his adversary’s mind.

“I don’t want to bo anything but friendly. Neither Sloyd tior I want that—especially towards Mr Iver—or towards you. Major. We’ve been neighbours.” He smiled and went on, smiling still; “Oddly enough, I’ve said what I’m going to say to you once before—on a different occasion. Yen seem to have been trying to frighten us. I am not to bo frightened, that’s all.” Sloyd whispered in his ear; Duplay guessed that he counselled more urbanity; Harry turned from his with a rather contemptuous little laugh. “Oh, I’ve got my living to earn now,” Duplay heard him whisper—and reflected that

ho had never wasted much time on politeness, ovo:i before that necessity canio upon him. It was strange that Sloyd did not try to take any part in the discussion. He woro an air of deference, partly clue, no doubt to Harry’s ability, yet having un_ rnistakably a social flavour about it. Harry’s lordlinesses clung to him still, and had their effect cn his business partner. Duplay lodged an angry inward protest to the effect that they had none whatever on him. “Perhaps I’d better just say what vye want,” Harry pursued. “We’ve paid Masters twenty thousand. We may be five hundred more out of pocket. Never mind that.” He pushed away the plans and elevations. "You’re empowered to treat, I suppose?” he asked. Sloyd had whispered to him again. “Xo,” said Duplay. “Rut as a final offer, I think I can pledge Mr Ivor to go as far as five thousand (over and above the twenty thousand of course) —to cover absolutely everything, you know.” “Multiply your twentydive by two and wo’rc your men,” said Harry. “Multiply it by two! Fifty thousand? Oh, nonsense!” “Twenty out of pocket—thirty profit. I call it very reasonable.” Major Duplay rose with a decisive air. “I am afraid I’m wasting your time,” ho said, “and my own too. I must say good afternoon.” “Pray, Major Duplay, don’t be so abrupt, sir. We’ve It was Sloyd who spoke, with an eager as though ho would detain the visitor. Harry turned on him with his ugliest, haughtiest scowl. “I thought you’d loft this to me. Sloyd ?” he said. Sloyd subsided, apologetic bnt evidently terrified. Alas, that the grit had been supplied! Rut for that a triumph must have awaited the Major. Harry turned to Duplay. “I asked you before if you’d authority to treat. I ask you now if you’ve authority to refuse to treat?” "T’vo authority to refuse to discuss absurdities.” “Doubtless. And to settle what are absurdities? Look here. I don’t ask you to accept that proposal without referring to Mr Iver. I merely say that is tho proposal, and that wo give Mr Iver throe days to consider it. After that our offer is withdrawn.”

Sloyd was biting his nails—aye, those nails that he got trimmed in ivegent street twice a week; critical transactions must bring grist to those skilled in manicure. Duplay glanced from his troubled face to Harry’s solid, composed, even amused mask.

“And you might add,” Harry went on, “chat it would be a very good thing if Mr Iver saw his way to run up and havo a talk with me. I think I could make him see the thing from our point of view.” Something seemed to occur to him. “You must tell him that in ordinary circumstances I should propgse to call on him and to come wherever he was, but, well, he’d understand that I don't want to go to Blentmouth just now.”

Tho implied apology relieved what Duplay had begun to feel an intolerable arrogance, but it was a concession of form only, and did, not touch tho substance. The substance was and remained an ultimatum. The Major felt aggrieved ; he had been very anxious to carry his first commission through triumphantly and with eclat. For the second time Harry Tristram was in his path.

Harry rose. “That’s all we can do to-day, ’’ ho said. “We shall wait to hear from Mr Iver.”

“I really don’t feel justified in putting such a proposition before him.” "Oh, that’s for you to consider,” shrugged Harry. “I think I' would though, if I were you. At the worst, it will justify you in refusing to do business with us. Do you happen to be walking down towards Pall Mall?” Sloyd’s offices were in Mount street. “Good-day, Sloyd,-I’ll drop in to-mor-row.” With an idea that some concession might be still forthcoming, not from any expectation of enjoying his walk, the Major consented to accompany Harry. “It was a great sii'prise to see you appear,” ho said, as Ssey started. “So odd a coincidence.”

“Not at all,” smiled Harry. “You guess why I went into it? No? Well, of course, I know nothing about such things really. But Sloyd happened to mention that Iver wanted to buy, so I thought the thing must be worth buying, and I looked into it.” He laughed a little. “That’s one of the penalties of a reputation like Ivor’s, isn’t it?” “But I didn’t know you’d taken to business at all.”

“Oh, one must do something. I can’t sit down on four hundred a year, you know. Besides, this is hardly business. By-the-bye, though, I ought to be as much surprised to see you. We’ve both lost our situation, is that it, Major?” Insensibly the Major began to find him rather pleasanter, not a man he would ever like really, but all the same more tolerable than he had been at Blent ; so Harry’s somewhat audacious reference was received with a grim smile.

I knocked you out, you know,” Harry pursued. “Left to himself, I don’t believe old Bob Broadley would ever have moved. But I put him up to it.” “What? Duplay had not expected this.

“Well, you tried to put m© out, you see. Besides, Janie Iver liked him, and she didn’t care about you—or me either, for that matter. So just before I—well, disappeared—l told Bob that he’d win if he went ahead. And I gather h e has won, hasn’t be?” A brief nod from Duplay answered him; he was still revolving tho news about Bob Broadley. “I’m afraid I haven’t made you like me any better,” said Harry with a laugh. “And I don’t go out of my way to get myself disliked. Do you see why I mentioned that little fact about Bob Broadley just now?” “I confess I don’t, unless you wished to annoy me. Or—pardon—perhaps you thought it fair that I should know?” “Neither tho one nor the other. I didn’t do it from the personal point of view at all. You see, Bob had a strong position—and didn’t know it.” Duplay glanced at him. “Well,” he said, “what you did didn’t help you, though it hurt me perhaps.” “I told him he had a strong position. Then ho took-•it. Hullo, here we are in I’aU Mall. Now you see, don’t you, Major ?” “No, I don’t.” Duplay was short in manner again. “You don’t see any parallel between Bob’s position and our friend’s up there in Mount street?” Harry laughed again as he held out his hand. “Well, yen tell the story to Iver and see if he does,” he suggested. “Oh, that’s what you mean?” growled Duplay. “Yes,” assented Harry, almost (gleefully. “That’s what I mean; ’ only this time it won’t hurt you, and I think it will help me. You’ve done all you could, you know.” The touch cf patronage came again. Duplay had hard work to keep his temper under. Yet now it was rather an. nOVance that he felt than the black dislike he used to harbour. Harry’s misfortune bad lessened that. If onlv Harry bad been more chastened by his misfortune the annoyance might have gone too. Unfortunately, the young man seemed almost exultant. “Well, good-bye. Write to Sloyd—-

unless Iver decides to come up. And don’t forget that little story about Rob Rroadley! Because you’ll find it useful, if you think of frightening Sloyd. Ho can’t move without me —and I don t move without my price.” “You moved from Blent,” Duplay reminded him, stung to a sudden malice.

“Yes,” said Harrv thoughtfully. “Yes, so I did. Well, I suppose I had my price. Good-bye.” He turned away and walked quickly down the street. “What was his price?” asked the Major, puzzled. He was not aware that Harry had got anything out of his surrender; and even Harry himself seemed rather to conclude that, since he had moved, he must have got his price than to say that he had got it or to be able to tell what it was.

But all that was not the question now. Duplay sought the telegraph office and informed Iver of the uncompromising attitude of the enemy. He added that Harry suggested an interview. It was perhaps the most significant tribute that Harry had yet received when, after a few minutes of surprise and a few raord of consideration, Iver telegraphed back that he wouid come up to tow,n, and wished an appointment to bo made for him -with Mr Tristram. It was something to fore© Napoieon to come to the Peninsula.

In fact, the only thing that could upset Iver’s plans was plank defiance. Reviewing his memories of Harry Tristram, ho knew that defiance was just what he had to fear. It was in thd blood of the Tristrams, and prudence made no better a resistance than propriety.

(To be Continued on Tuesday.)