“THE HONOUR OF HIS HOUSE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16530, 14 September 1921, Page 4

“THE HONOUR OF HIS HOUSE.”

OUR SERIAL. * * 4* *

* * •> By

FRED. M. WHITE.

4* *s* * * ►}< 4* *l* CHAPTER XXVl.—Continued. And Philip was no fool. Saltburn knew that his boh had inherited a good deal of his shrewdness, and that he was not likely to sacrifice his own fortune in a futile attempt to preserve the honour and glory of the Crnnwallis family. And again, what had du la Cioisu meant wheit he hinted so mysteriously at Prince Ito? AYliat was there in th© wind of which Saltburn knew nothing? The mere fact that lie did know nothing filled him with cold furj-. It was perfectly useless, ho knew, for him to attempt to learn anything from Prince Ito. He had tried that on before in his bluffing way, and he had had a lesson which did not fail to penetrate evon his thick skin. Perhaps Van Hasvell might be able to throve some light upon it. Yes, that was the idea. With this uppermost in his mind Saltburn went to his hotel, where lie bathed and shaved and immediately set out in search of th© man who had been his business partner in the days before Van Hasvell h&d turned respectable and had gone into the political arena. Van Hasvell happened to be at home, and. moreover, quite ready to meet Mr Saltburn. He came into tho library with a cigarette in his mouth and a jest on his lips, and altogether with the air of a man who is quite sure of his ground. “ I want to have a bit of a talk with you,” Saltburn said truculently. u Got half an hour to spare ? ” “ Aly dear Saltburn I’ve got all tho afternoon to spare, if j'ou desire it,” Van Hasvell drawled. “ lint please don’t talk business to me. Wh en I made my pile in Wall Street ” “ Thanks to me,” Saltburn growled. “ Precisely. lam glad you reminded me of the fact. But I think, my citar fellow, that the benefit was mutual. However, all that is beside th© point. When I left Wall Street I ciit business altogether. I invested all I hnd in gilt-edged securities and. f»n the interest, I am living a simple life. I always have a taste for politics, and when my party cam© into office, and they made me Chief Secretary of our Embassy in London, T was most profoundly grateful. But don’t talk business.” “Oh, t.flnt be hanged for a tale,” Saltburn cried, in that big coarse voice of his. t{ You’ve got to listen, yes, and you’ve got to help, too, if I say tho word.” Van Hasvell smiled almost sweetly “ Well, you’re my guest, I suppose,” lie said. “Go on. I don’t think, my dear friend, that you are likely to get much out of me. But you can try.” I am going to,” Saltburn said doggedly. “ Now, between one man and another, what are your people going to do over this Tortina busL ness ? ” il Didn’t I remind you one© before that I am not the American Ambassador? Alv dear fellow, I am as ignorant as you are. It’s not the business of the Secretary to know anything. H© has to do precisely as he is told, without asking any questions. And as to Tortina, time alone will show. You aeom t-o forget that there is now such a thing as a League of Nations.” “ I/eague of Nations, ho hanged,” Saltburn cried. “ How long is that likely to last? And how long lias the League of Nations abolished human nature? Now, look here Van Hasvell, I’m in a bit of a hole.” * Ah, that’s better.” Van Hasvell murmured softly. 41 You’ve got yourself into a mess over that business and you can’t sec your way out. It’s the °f thing that always happens when a man allows his private feelings to interfere in business.” Saltburn was taken aback. He knew perfectly well what Hasvell was driving nt, hut he was both disturbed and astonished to find that his scheme for th© ruin of Sherringborne was perfectly well-known to this old business colleague of his. “ Well, never mind about that.” he growled. 44 What I want to know, what I must know, is, whether there is going to he an open rupture between America and Japan. No League of Nations will ever prevent it, when it comes to a matter of international inAnd if you and Japan quarrel, I don’t see Europe coming into the ring with big armies to stop the fun. Why, if they did, Japan and America would immediately join hands and tell th© Western Powers to go hang. The patriotic drum would be beaten, and w© should have th© big European War all over again. But never mind about that. Is there going to be live trouble ? ” * * H I could tell you I wouldn’t.” Von Hasvell said coolly. “ It would be a direct breach of faith. But one thing I can advise you to do, and that is to drop the Tortina business altogether and get out with as little loss as possible, lou’vc burnt your fingers over that transaction, and if you’re a wise man, you’ll climb out before the explosion comes, and—well, I think I’ve told you quite enough. And don’t you com© here again trying to bully me, because I won’t have it. And that’s all there is to it.” Saltburn set his lips doggedly. He was not going to be beaten, he was not going to turn back now. He would win through yet, and show these people what it meant to come in the way of William Saltburn. Without a word he turned his back upon Van Hasvell and went off moodily down the street.