"CRAZY QUILT"

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12777, 22 October 1919, Page 4

"CRAZY QUILT"

By FERGUS HUME

t€'t> Author of 41 Tii Mystery of a, Ha-risoru Gaß M " !The Spider” ./'The Grey Doctor’’ “Red Moijey,” etc,, etc,, eta

CHAPTER VIII. (Continued.) Again her guardian stopped her. “ In the library you shall know all. There is Nothing to worn* about, my dear child-, nothing at all,” and soothing her vdth a pat on the shoulder, he took her oift of the room. Hunston followed after, folding his napkin methodically. Miss Swain and Cannock were left alone. Although the secretary strove to be her own bright self, she was plainly perturbed by what had taken place! As for Cannock, he was consumed by curiosity, ’ and made no secret. of it. ‘ 1 What is wrong?” he asked abruptly, “Nothing,” replied Swain, smiling uneasily. “ What”' could possibly be wrong? Come into the draw-ing-room, and let me entertain you until Pauline and the others return. You shall choose your own form of entertainment.” "* Cannock did, and explained what he wished, immediately they were in the drawing-room with, the door closed. “Tell me w&at is wrong,” be said stubbornly. "Nothing.” said Miss Swain again, and sat down. "Then why did Sir Felix prevent Miss Anderton from speaking?” • " Because ho wished the matter to he private, I suppose,” said Miss Swain rather coldly. " You are very curious, ISJLr Cannock.” “ I told you that I was a handful,” he answered calmly. "I am curious, as I like Pauline, and want her to marry my friend Maxwell. It is on my friend’s behalf that I am curious. You don’t suppose that Sir Felix has found out about the meeting at the Black Bull?”. " Ko. Pauline would have been more alarmed if she thought that- It is only some business connected with her relative iiMLondon. And as Mr Hunston is to he present, probably the business is legal.”' ‘"'7 didn’t know Paulin© had, any relatives.” “Ton don’t knoAv everything, Mr Cannock, and there is no reason why you should know everything. Pauline is quite safe in the hands of Sir Felix.” “Oh. I quite believe that,” assented Cannock readily. “He has been her guardian for so long and she seeiua fond of him-" "She is fond of him. and so am I.” said Miss Swain emphatically. “Sir Felix is not perfect, as I mentioned before, but he is a good man.” " A good man should be happy, Mins Swain. Pine isn’t.” “ No.” She put her amber heads in her mouth as usual, which showed that •she was puzzled. "He is not. I don’t know r why. But we all.lia.ve bur secret sorrows, Mr Cannock.” _ " And Pauline’s relative in undesirable?” "Flow do you know the relative is undesirable?” “I guess as much because Sir Felix prevented Pauline from speaking of the relative. Oh, I know lam saying more than I ought to say—but Maxwell?” Miss. Swain laughed, but rather in a. vexed way. " You are a zealous friend. Mr Cannock.” she said sharply. “ I would rather have you for-one tl'inp for an enemy. "With your pertinacity you would search out everything to the bitter end.” ".I Imre to search out my own trouble to the bitter end.” said Cannock ruefully; “but what the end is likely to be I cannot see at present.” "Then if I were you.” advised the lady, "I should give all my attention fo the search which concerns myself—the murder of that girl, 1 suppose you mean ? I,cave Pauline and Sir Felix to settle their own business.” “ But Maxwell “Oh, bother Maxwell 1” interrupted the .secretary vigorously. “He isn’t a baby, J. suppose; he can look after himself. can’t he?” Cannock laughed. “I see you don’t wish to explain too much,” he said with a, shrug. “Only tell me, has Pauline a relative in London?” "Yes; a woman. I know nothing about her save that she is an undesirable relative: Paulino goes to see her sometimes, I believe.” “That is all I wish to know, as if this relative is undesirable it will he Maxwell’s duty to protect Pauline from her. By the way, had nut Pine another ward once?” “Yes. Why do yon ask? That has nothing to do. ud-tb. Maxwell.” “Oh, at is simple curiosity. Pauline said something about her name being ■lane, or Amelia.” "Jane.” Miss Swain started and looked oddly at him- Whether she would have spoken or held her peace it is hard to say, for at that moment there came the sound of high voices in the hall. Miss Swain rose to open the door and run out. Pauline was crying bitterly and speaking volubly to Sir Felix. What she said Cannock could not quite make out, as the words poured incoherently out of her mouth. Then she saw him, as he came to the drawingroom, and at once flew swiftly up the stairs. Miss Swain followed, and Pine beckoned the young man into the library. " U is nothing,” he said in his dreary way. " A girl’s tears because she cannot get her own wilful, way. Hid you hear what she said?” “No- I did not catch any meaning; only a, word here and there. (She ran up the stairs as soon as I came within earshot-”. "Well, well.” said-''Pine, sitting at Ilia desk and leaning his head wearily on his hands. " Let us leave this matter alone- Miss Swain will bring her to reason. Meanwhile I should like to have a talk with you about ray scheme. You 'will not mind Mr Hunston waiting-” ■ "Oh no,” said Cannock, wondering what was coming, now that the' three of them were alone in the library, “I may mention ” said Hunston suddenly, "that with regard to this scheme, of rrhich I approve, I suggested your name as one likely to approve also.” “Yes,” said Cannock, now certain that a. request would be made for money, , "The scheme is this,” said Pine hurriedly, and with a flush on his pale face; “philanthropic, I may say, as are all my doings. And I woud have you know, Mr Cannock, that I shall benefit in no AA-ay from.the success of my idea. If you supply the money, you Avith the workers Avill ha,ve all the profits.” “ I don’t kuoAv that I want any profits,” said Cannock cautiously, and .aware that Hunston was watching him keenly, “ Biit this scheme?” “Paddocks,” explained the philanthropist, leaning back and placing his •fingers and thumbs together, “ has a pauper population. I speak of the old village, of course, as the uoav places on either side are inhabited by those whoso work is in London. But the villagers exist'hut poorly on. what they make by tilling the. land. I propose to erect a woollen factory here, ,so that they may he better employed. After making inquiries, I find that I can get a ,good market both in the East and in the West, so if. you will" help;with, say, Aavo .thousand pounds to build the factory and set. the concern going, yon will build up a profitable business and—on the co-onerative system—will help the poor and needy,” " FT'ni!” said Cannock, to whom the scheme did not recommend itself overmuch. ~ ' y p ,

'You have plenty of money lying idle," put in Houston eagerly, “for your five thousand a year has been accumulating for ever so long., drying to your habit of tramping the world as a pauper. You may as well employ the_ money in this scheme to do good, as in more selfish ways,” H’m,” said Cannock again, and not ■believing Houston was so disinterested a& he pretended to be, “Let me hear' more about the matter.” Thinking that he was nibbling at the bait, the two men explained' the scheme in all way's for the next two hours. Pine, who appeared to be an excellent mathematical person, figured out the cost of the same, and the profits likely to accrue. He produced a map of tlis village and showed whore be wished the factory to be erected and displayed plans for Hie building of the same. Cannock listened quietly to the deluge of words, inspected the plans and checked the figures, but when the conference was ended, be, refused to commit himself for the time being. He thought that in the interests of Pauline and Maxwell, it would he quite as well to lucre some hold over the philanthropist, “I can say nothing at present,” he Said, rising. “Give men week to think matters, over. I’ll go for a walk and consider them now.” “Shall I come- with you?” asked Hunston, noting the look of disappointment on Pine’s face. “ I can explain further.” “ There is nothing more to explain,” said Cannock with a shrug. “You ha.ve told me everything. I prefer to go by myself.” The real fact was that he wished to seek the “Black Bull,’’ and ppp. Maxwell and Paulino, who by this time, would probably be there. ’ But on hi? way out of the house Miss Swain came to whisper that ‘BanHue. had already been out and was now upstairs locked in her bedrOom. “I don’t know what is the matter with her,” said the secretary; “she is in floods of tears and won’t open the d-or. ' see what Maxwell says.,” said , Cannock, stepping briskly out of the door. “ I wonder why she anticipated the interview., and why she returned so earlv?” The answer came when he met Max- I well. The landlady of the Black Bull infoiraed him that Bis friend had gone ip the station to catch an earlier trainSo Cannock went to the station promptly aiid found Maxwell standing gloomily on the platform, waiting for o, London train, already signalled“y'hat’s up with vou and Pauline?” inquired Cannock bluntly. “She Ims refused to marry me,” returned Maxwell, quite- as hlnntlv. “'(ho. deuce! And why?” " She is going to marry Hunston. ” (To be continued,)