WITH LINKS OF STEEL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10106, 18 March 1911, Page 2

WITH LINKS OF STEEL.

(By JOHN K. PROTHERO.) Author of "An Eye for an Eye," "Apples of Gold," etc. (All Rights Reserved.] CHAPTER XIX. THE HONOUR OF THE FIRM. Hugh 1 Foster went quite white, and his hands opened and shut. A surge at passion swept over him. blotting.out all power of reason; he brea.thed heavily,, the desire for physical expression of his rage tore at his self-control.. He reached out and sent a grinning image of an lidian idol spinning to the floor. The crash took the edge off his nerves. He straightened himself and kicked the broken fragments with a brutal energy. , . Who had taken the paper from his desk? His keys were always in his possession, and the lock of his 4esk, made after his own design, was unique. I here was not another of the same pattern. The key must have been duplicated, but how, and by whom? Tommy was above or beneath suspicion; Joan, he argued, having small knowledge of feminine caprice, had no object m harming him, and the clerks m the outer office had not free access to his room. The loss was a heavy one; at any moment the sword he had so cleverly averted might fall upon his head. He subjected Joan and Tommy to a searching cross-examination as to who had come in and out of his room during hjs absence, and succeeded -in convincing himself that the theft had not taken place in office hours. The thief must have broken in during the night.- He cursed himself for not destroying the paper, and vowed to be avenged oh Mandrew or his agents. Discreet inquiries revealed the fact that the Yankee had made tracks and could not be found.

For the first time the cold hand of fear laid its dread fingers on his heart., There was to him something sinister and significant in the loss of the paper. Was it possible his luck had changed? He grit his teeth and vowed he'd be the master of his fate, no matter what the cost. Once Dolores was his wife he'd snap his fingers at the world. Two days after the loss of the document he learnt from the detective that Monty and Black Sam had landed, and had been traced to London'and to lodgings near the Waterloo Bridge Road. . For a moment he had a wild impulse to go to Connaught . Square, with a special license- -in" his pocket, and marry Dolores out of hand.

How could he endure suspense for ariother 'twelve days? He conceived a hatred for the city ; he loathed the long grey streets, the dull grey sky, and longed for the blue vault, the illimitable space of Africa.

The spell of the dark continent was in his blood. Only there, where he had found his chance would he find se-cuz-ity. And Dolores should go with him.

The shares of The Lucky Chance still kept up in their price. He had already cleared a largo sum for himself and for Grimshaw and Company, whsii he was summoned to the office of the senior partner. Old John had taken a few days' holiday, and returned to Leadenhall Street grimmer than ever, and as lean. He sat in his chair at the big oak table, the portrait of the founder of the firm grinning sardonically above his head.

"You're looking better for your change, I'm glad to see," said Foster, pleasantly. He took a seat opposite Grimshaw, just where the light fell full on old John's face. '•Lucky Chances are still rising?" said Grimshaw drily.

"Yes, they'll go higher yet." "Is that the reason you are selling?" said old John with a quick thrust.

Foster laughed pleasantly. '•' I want to realise some cashj" he said. "I'm going to be married. " And the shares belonging to Grimshaw?"

I was placed in charge of the negotiations, answered Hugh, " and I judged it best to sell a. portion of the firm's holding." "Why?"' "We have obligations to meet. " Not more than are provided for. I've had Mr Baher in here this mora--1112." The senior partner paused. Bahar was one of the directors of The Lucky Chance, induced to join the Board by the prestige and repute of Grimshaw, and a knowledge that a member of the firm was his colleague. " What's the matter with him? He's made money, anyhow. He sold a thousand of his shares last week." "Made money and lost confidence." Old John was emphatic. "He has been tackled by ojie of the largest shareholders in the mine. He wants to know why, if the property is sound, everyone is selling." The senior partner's eyes swept the ether's face. No* by the quiver'of an eyelid did Hugh show what he felt. "• One never knows how a company or a gold mine will pan out. _ The best way to make profit certain is to realise quickly." , . "Speculation rather than legitimate trading is not the motto of this firm." Old John, his head well up, spoke the words as if he knew the founder of the firm were listening. "That was not the tenour of,,your remarks some months ago, Mr Grimshaw. Your own words were, get the gold mine at any cost. Not much of legitimate trading there, eh?"

" What is justifiable at a crisis is not desirable as a rule."

" In other words, having tided over the difficulties by my help, you new find fault with my methods. Have your own way, keep the shares, but," he shrugged his shoulders, "don't blame me if legitimate trading fails." Old John's eyes Hashed. " What are you keeping back " he said, and craned across the table. " You've information that you are withholding. Out with it," he thundered. "By heavens, I'll know."

He was on his feet, his tall spare figure instinct with. righteous indignation. " What, you are a member of this firm, my partner, my colleague, and you keep from me information vital to its interests and its honour?" ' For one awful moment Foster thought the old man had seen Mandrew :uid knew all about the stolen contract. The next he pulled himself together and faced it out. •' I have placed all the information I have before you," and before he know what he war. doing, added the unfamiliar " sir." "Th'eu explain this." Old John took up a telegram and flung it over. It v.-as from the engineer at The Lucky Chance, and announced that the mine was flooded. "Well?" Foster met his chief unqu ailing. "You dkl not know of this?" " Of course not." " The fact did not influence you in soiling the shares?" " I say I did not know the mine was flooded. Shall I swear it?" His voice rose, it was a relief to feel and to give vent to legitimate anger. The senior partner paused, deliberated, and finally uttered judgment. "I believe you," he said slowly, " and I am glad." "And the shares, do you still want Grimshaw's to hold them?" "Certainly." "No matter at what sacrifice?" " I cannot have the shareholders' money imperilled. If we sell out, the shares will go down with a bang." " But the shares can he dribbled without making a stir. See here, Grimshaw, face facts. If The Lucky Chance does not pan out as good a proposition as we expected, there'll be rocks ahead for Grimshaw's yet. Do you remember that Carlyn has signed the firm's aot

ceptancea ior over twenty thousand pounds—and that his bills shortly fall due?" He hit out unsparingly, and took the veteran fighter unawares. "You -knew this and did not tell mo!"

" How should I suppose you were noT> aware? As you have reminded me already I am the junior member of the firm." He gave a little sneer. " Has it never struck you that Carlyn was hardly the type of man to pin his faith to legitimate trading?" "But this—this—" words failed old John. It was a thing impossible to credit that Richard Carlyn, his friend of twenty-five yearß, should have used the Ann's credit, forged the firm's namt/. »

" The first bill for five thousand falls due this week. I've had notice from the bank, the others mature within the month. Shall you dispute them?" " Impossible f" "Then how do you propose to meet them? By legitimate trading?" He sneered softly, a smilo plucking, at his lips. "You know as well as I do,. Mr Grimshaw, that we can't meet the bjlls —unless we sell our shares. What are you going to do?" He leaned back in his chair, contempt written on his handsome face and in the carriage of his head. He had the old man on the hip. and he knew it. That Carlyn had forced the bills he had not dreamt. It had been a bow drawn at a venture, but the arrow had found its mark. One by one the secrets and the sins of thp actors in the drama of his life found their way into his hands, there to be held as whips for their backs.

Let. them defy him; let them come between him and his desires, and tho lash should fall; beating them down into the dust.

" Are you to sell the shares, Mv Grimshaw? Or dishonour your bills?" Once more the ojd'man turned to tho grim face of' his Tandfather. Dishonour the bills! Let a stain blot thp name of the firm that money oould wipe out. Impossible! Never again could he meet the pitiless scrutiny of thoso pictured eyes. Sell the shares! He writhed in spirit. Jeopardise the property of tho shareholders who, believing in Grimshaw's, had invested in The Lucky Chance? Take all the profit—leavo them the loss ?

The grin; face on the wall grew sterner, the eyes seemed to bbze. Again John Grimshaw had to pay For the mistake of .twenty years ago: once turned from the path of legitimate trading.. . were difficult.indeed*to escape from the nets of speculation.

But he must meet the bill?, save the honour of the, firm at any cost. Ominous .words, that had already sown a harvest of suffering. "We must sell," he said slowly, and Foster felt a grudging admiration for his pluok. . " And now," ho turned round suddenly, " what do you propose to do about the mine?" * "

" I proposed to go out to Africa early next soring." " That is too late." "Lam with you." In his eagerness Hugh rose, a light dawning in his eyes. The path was open, the way made plain. He could snap his fingers a f . Savilo; he had mastered Fate. " I am with you." he cried. " I will go within a fortnipht." " Good !" The senior partner's face relaxed. He might dislike and distrust his junior : he had to admire him. _" Once there I'll bottom the whole thing. It's a case of mismanagement somewhere. Take it from me,"Grimshaw. The Lucky Chance will pay at the end." "I believe you will make it." " I mean to, for my sake and the sake of the firm." "You'll have to alter your domestic arrangements?" Grimshaw looked at him curiously. He marvelled that the . young man could bring himself to put the interests of the nrm before Dolores! "Why?" " Of necessity your marriage must ba postponed till your return." " I don't see why." Old -John drew a quick breath. "Yon would marry the ladv first?" " Certainly." " You could not expose a young wife to the anxiety of her husband's absence in a region like Mashame?" - " I shall not. Dolores will come with mc," he paused, then laid his hand upon the other's shoulder. "In the interests of the firm)" he said softly, " and the interests of her father too " The senior partner did not contest the point, and Foster with tho honours of war marched out. Let-Monty return —let the'concession blaze itself against tho sky. Even so, he'd beat them, even >:o he'd win his was. He had already made a considerable sum of money, and Dolores, notwithstanding Monty, would be his "'ife. Thero were ranged agiiinst ner Old John, her father and himself. She dared not refuse. What could stop himP If the worst came to the worst? Only a frail woman's love—he snapped his fingers at the thought. Thore were but two weeks to pass, and then he would set sail for Africa with Dolores. On the evening of that day Monty Savile returned to consciousness, sat up and demanded food and drink! CHAPTER XX. THE LOVE OF PP.ISCILT.A. It was a matter of chagrin to' Foster that the date of his marriage had been publicly announced. The pride he had felt in the congratulations of the office g,ive place to irritation tempered by fear, and it was with feelings of intense annoyance he learnt that Carlyn had arranged for a reception at Connaught Square the night before the wedding. He dared not make demur. Diok the debonair checked the first signs of disapproval in sweeping fashion. " I do not choose my daughter's engagement to be a hole and corner affair. Society must know and approve of her choice. I shall make it plain that she married with my consent and approbation." In a spirit of splendour he issued invitations to the entire staff of Grimshaw's, their wives and daughters, bid-