The Battle of the Giants

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11785, 22 March 1924, Page 11

The Battle of the Giants

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Powerful Story of LoVe and jldVenture

-Bf!

J.B. Harris-Burland.

Author of: “The Splendid Sacriflot," " The Half-closed Door." "The Felgata Taint." ' Ac., Ac.

[COPYRIGHT.} CHAPILAI Xl.—(Continued.) Margesson took the card from the silver tray and said, “Will you pleaso tell Mr Fiayden. that I am very much engaged at the present moment, but that i will make an appointment for him to see Mr Humber, who will be in town to-morrow.’-’ The servant left the room, and Margesson’s thoughts moved quickly. During all the negotiations he had never vet been brought face to face with Fray den. and he had purposely avoided an encounter with the man, in case Fkayden should recognise him. That was only a remote ohanoe—as remote as recognition by Conrad Humber.; But Margesson thought that it was best avoided. He had, however, quite made up his mind that he would have to meet Frayden some day, and when, a few moments later, the footman returned and said that Mr Humber had written to Mr Frayden and had asked him to call, Margesson replied: “Oh, very well, I can spare him just a few minutes.” Ho went to the cupboard, opened it, touched something that gave a click, and then left the door of the cupboard half-open. Frayden, big, prosperous, and hearty, entered the room and held out a large hand. He wae one of those men who have the advantage of being horn with honest faces. His eyes were mild and blue, his face fat and good-natured, his smile perhaps just a little foolish. He was clothed in white ducks, and looked enormous, as he wiped the perspiration from his forehead with a large, red handkerchief. “Sony to intrude, Mr Price,” he said, in a loud voice, “but old man Humber told me to look you up in case you wanted to ask me anything. Going a bit alow, aren’t you—over this job ?” MaTgesson pressed the tips of his fingers together, and looked at Frayden, as the big man took a seat on the other side of the desk. “It’s a big job,” Mr Frayden,” he said, quietly,, “and not a thing to he hurried, very hot day, isn’t it?” “Wal, it ain’t too hot to work, Mr Price. Say, it wasn’t until yesterday that I knew you'had a finger in the pie. I thought Underwood was doing all the real work.” “So ha is, Mr Fraydeny-eo he is. I am only Mr Humber's private secretary.” Mr Frayden winked. “I guess you’re it,” he said, “though Underwood doesn’t know it. Underwood’s fair mad to get the matter through, hut Humber’s holding baok. And I reckon you’re banging on to Conrad’s coattails. What’s the trouble, Mr Pricer Ain’t we pnt all onr cards on the table?” ~ . , , , Margesson stroked his heard ana stared thoughtfully at the large scale . map of the property. He was suddenly seized with a desire to reveal his identity to Frayden. It was the sort of desire that comes to most men when they have a sense of dramatic effect, and are in a position to stage a “big scene.” One fancies that even unsuspected criminals have this desire at times, that a man might feel moved to rise in the middle of a banquet where he was an honoured guest, and cry out, “Gentlemen, I am the man who murdered So-and-So” —just from the sheer desire to create a sensation. It was so much finer than to wait until a plain clothes detective came upon him from behind and said, cne hand on his shoulder, “I have a warrant for your arrest.” The'temptation passed, hut Margesson Noticed a very faint shadow in those honest blue eyes, as though the delay in the reply had caused Mr Frayden some anxiety. “If there’s anything you want to know,” Frayden continued, “you’ve just got to ask and we’ll satisfy yon. Mr Humber and Underwood are quite satisfied, and Mr Humber’s lawyers are quite satisfied, and the mining expert is quite satisfied. I want you to be quite frank with me, Mr Price. Something worries yon. What is it?” Richard Margesson laughed. “I don’t know what it is, Mr Frayden,” he answered. “Perhaps, it’s only the heat. This deal seems to be a fine proposition, and yet—well, it may be a kind of instinct.

Frayden took a big cigar from his case and lit it. “I reckon old man Humber thinks a lot of yon,” he said, after a pause. “He told me you were hanging up the deal, and he told me to see you and answer any questions yon liked to ask. And I’m here for that. I’m not afraid! of any questions yon like to ask. I feel like talking in this little matchbox of a room. Cool and green it is—-like being under the sea. You know this thing’s a square deal, don’t yon?” Margesson admitted that it looked like the squarest deal he’d ever seen. “And you’vs had experience, eh?’’ queried Frayden. “Yes, I think I may say that 1 have.” Frayden laughed. “Yet you’ve failed to make good,” he said, “or you wouldn’t be in a job like this. I reckon a cautions guy like you ought to have made a fortune by now.” Margesson smiled, and again he stared at the map. “Anyway,” Frayden continued, “yon seem to have got a pretty firm hold on Conrad Humber, and he’s a man that knows this kind of business from A to Z. I don’t understand why he taken any notice of what you say no offence meant, mind you. You’re holding this thing up, and you can’t give any reason for it. You talk about instinct, as if you were some guy writing a book about dogs. That won’t cut no ice with me, Mr John Price. You’ve some private reason of your own for holding up this thing.” Margesson smiled sadly, and shook his head. “I think you exaggerate my importance,” he said. Jim Frayden rose from his chair. “Other people are ready to deal with f,” he said, “and if the matter is not rough in a fartnight--yaur option expires then—we’ll take it elsewhere.” “Perhaps, Mr Frayden. you have taken it elsewhere, and it has been tuyled down.” rfne big man flushed. “It’s evident fJO know nothing about your job, young man,” he said. “Don’t you .Vnow that if it had been turned down by any firm of repute—and only a big firm could handle this—it’d he he known all over the city?” “I daresay you’re right, Mr Frayden. But I am entitled to my own opinion. ” “To your instincts, eh?”

“Yes if you wish to put it like that. Well, the matter will either he settled or off in a fortnight.” “And if it’s off,” Frayden said angrily, “Conrad Humber won’t thank you for the ohance he’s missed. 1 should say, Mr Price, that you would lose your job.” The secretary shrugged his shoulders. For a few moments there was silence, and then Fryden said: “I guess someone’s goin’ to pay you to crab this proposition.” “Why do you say that?” ‘ ‘Because there ain’t any other reason I can think of for your holding up the affair. Wal, I’ll be straight with you, Mr John Price. You shall have twenty thousand shares out of my little lot. That ain’t bribery. I shall tell Mr Conrad Humber about it. You’re not officially connected with the N.W. Finance Corporation. You’re just a friond and adviser to Mr Conrad Humber. Margesson shook his head. “I think you mean well,” he replied. “If you think I’m being bribed to work against you, you’re within your rights to make that offer. But I must decline it.” He walked to the door, and held it open. The big man swaggered up to him, and laid a huge hand upon his arm. “I’d like to know what it is you have against me, kid,” he said kindly. “It don’t do me' any good to know that I have an enemy that’s got no cause to hate me.” “I don’t hate you, Mr Frayden. I am not so unreasonable. I am not clever, as you suppose, but I have an instinct, in these matters, just as there are oertain men, and women, too, who can tell a faked piece of furniture without any special knowledge of the subject. I may alter my opinion, but I rather fancy I shall not. Possibly Mr Humber will go against my advice. And if be does, I think he will regret it. I don’t know or care. I shall say what I think.” Jim Frayden left the house, and stepped into his big car. “Blackmail,” he said to himself, “he’s got old man Humber good and strong—over that Rixon affair, I reckon.” CHAPTER XH. The next day Conrad Humber came up from Cooden, and Margesson banded him. some typewritten sheets of paper. “You might like to see these,” he Baid. “That’s the conversation I had yesterday with Mr Frayden.” “You took it down in shorthand, eh.” “No, sir. I’ve just fixed up a dictaphone—jolly little instrument. I thought perhaps, that_ you wouldn’t mind me using it on this oocasion. My position is rather a difficult one over this business. I should not like it to be a question of Mr Frayden’a word against mine.” Conrad Humber flung himself mto a chair and said, “I’d like to hear the machine talk.’-’ “You don’t trust me, sir?” “Yes, Price, but you’re a bit queer over this business. I can’t understand your opposition.” “I see, sir, and that is why you asked Mr Frayden to offer me a bribe of twenty thousand shares—just to test me. Well, you’ll he glad to know that I refused the bribe.”

Conrad Humber was in no way angered by this accusation. “Turn the thing on,” he said, “and I’ll compare your script with it.” Margesson went to a cupboard, half opened the door, and touched a Switch. “Sorry to intrude,” said the voioe of Mr Frayden, “but old man Humber told me to look you up in case you wanted to ask me anything. Going a bit alow, ain’t you—over this job? 0 The conversation went on—almost to the very end, when the two men were standing by the door, and their voices were hardly audible. Margesson thrust his hand into the cupboard again, and then closed the door, on it.

“I’m glad you made that record,” said Humber. “It shows me how absolutely unreasonable you are over this matter. In the other affair you put your finger on the weak spot. In this you can’t even find a weak spot. All this talk of instinct is rubbish.” Richard. Margesson smiled. Ho knew that he had only to tell Conrad Humber of a oertain incident in Frayden’s past, and Conrad Humber would drop the whole matter as he would drop a red hot brick of gold. But it was not Margesson’s intention that Humber should drop the matter. He wanted Humber to take it up. and hold on to it until it destroyed him. So far there had been nothing more favourable to his scheme, than this interview and the record of it. It placed him in an impregnable position, as a secretary who bad fought to the last in the interests of his master. And his very opposition, so unreasonable and yet so strong, would only intensify Conrad Humber’s desire to buy the property. “I think we will complete the end of next week,” Conrad Humber continued, “two days before the option expires. I am not going against your judgment, Price, hut against your imagination. I suppose you’ll give notice, because I asked Frayden to test you.” Richard Margesson smiled contemptuously. “No, sir,” he replied. “I must stay here and help you to pull through.” Conrad Humber leant hack in his chair and laughed. There’s something uncanny about you, Price,” he said. “One cannot move you by argument or pleading. Some people would call you obstinate.- But that’s not the word I have for you. To me you’re just uncanny over this affair. It’s almost as if you could see into the future.”

Margesson smiled grimly and shook his head. “Anyway you’re a good fellow,” Humber continued, “and that’s why I told you that I put Frayden up to the idea of attempting to bribe you. I was not afraid to give myself away to you. It was a low trick, hut I wanted to get at the truth.” “It was merely a matter of business, sir,” was thee quiet reply. “My opposition to the scheme must have seemed very odd to you. If I had been in your place should have put my secretary to nrecisely the same test.” “Look here. Price, I can’t have you working on hero for three pounds a week. You’re worth a thousand a year to me, and I’m going to pay you that in the future.” “I’m sorry to refuse tho offer, sir. But I am quite content with what you are paying me. I liavo a little income of my own. ’ ’ “But, my dear fellow ” “Please don’t talk of the matter any

more, sir. I will not even discuss it. Are you going to tell Frayden of your decision at once?” ‘‘No 1 shall wait until to-day week. If nothing turns uip by then to justify your opposition, I snail close with the deal. I owe that week at any rate to your gift of prophecy. Now won’t you come back to Cooden with me, and get a hit of fresh air? It’s very pleasant down there.” “I expect it is, sir, but I’ve only got a week to find out what is wrong with this proposition, and' I shall need all the time.”