“THE HONOUR OF HIS HOUSE.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16542, 28 September 1921, Page 11

“THE HONOUR OF HIS HOUSE.”

OUR SERIAL,

Sy

FRED. M. WHITE.

CHAPTER XXXII.--Continued, 4 ‘ 1 m glad I met them/’ she said. 4 ‘ It's just. as well to take the top first. Now, confess it, my dear child, weren’t you terribly frightened when I turned up to-day ? You are a very candid girl, and very transparent. It is a great fault of yours that you allow your face to speak your mind too free- “ I hope,’* Lady Edna began, 06 I hope!, Ninon, that ” • And yet. 1 didn’t shock you so terribly just now, did IP Now do you know what the Duchess did when she went away? She has a big political demonstration at the Castle eariy next month, and she has asked me to go and stay with her for a fortnight and help to amuse the people. What do you think of that?” “ And are you going 5 ’ 9 Lady Edna esked. “Going! Of course I am. I’ve got to meet these people sooner or later, and I might just as well start in the right place. And I am not going to be handicapped because I happened to marry a poor thing like Shorland. And, between ourselves, my dear, it’s p precious good thing for the Cranwallfl?es that I did marry Shorland. Oh, I don’t want any gratitude, because I was thinking as much of myself as of you. And I suppose by this time you know why I went to Tortina ?” A bright flush tinged Lady Edna’3 cheeks. “ I don't like to think of it,* she murmured. i 4 Then don’t think of it. You aro never likely to hear me mention it again. I was quite successful, though I ran riuks and did things which you would have shrunk from. If I were to put all my adventures into a book a publisher would not look at it. He would say that the thing was too improbable. But, al! the same, the dear old Baron and myself had a grand time together, and I shouldn’t mind having it all over again. Still, it has turned out very well, all except one thing, and that gives me a good, deal of cause for regret.”

“ And what is that?” Lady Edna asked.

“ Well, T am worried about Philip Saltburn. 1 have only met him a few times, and I have formed a very high opinion of him. He wasn’t much in my old set, of course. That set consisted of Grand Dukes aud gilded fools and immensely wealthy capitalists, most of them of Hebrew extraction. Y'ou would be surprised to know what a deal I know' about finance. I believe I should have been a big succes3 in the city. And I have got a great deal of information lately from the Baron. I know exactly what Philip Saltburn has done, and it will be my business to see that he gets the best results from his Christian action. There is not the slightest reason why he should waflte all his own fortune in trying to bolster up his father’s credit, but it can be done another way. And, besides, hoir can the poor fellow get married when he has nothing to live upon? That would be very hard on you."

61 T don“t quite follow you,* Lady Edna said coldly.

*•* Oh, yee, you do. my dear. Tt is all very well to apeak in that frigid way, jmd hold your pretty head at that fascinating angle, but that can’t prevent the colour rising in vonr cheeks at the mention of Saltburn’s name. Why, you are head over heels in lore with the man. 59 “ Ninon, how dare you?” Lady Edna cried with flashing cheeks. “ Anyone w ho has eyes oar see that when you ,are together. Oh, T know what I am talking about. I have had any own little romance, though T have put it aside for the sake of a man like Shorland. And if you only knew it you are a decidedly lucky girl. A tarry him. you little idiot, marry him. He is worth a waggon-load of the gilded noodles that one meets in society. Of course, I don’t want to interfere, but whatever your fate is, you can’t do more than marry a, gentleman, and Phili Saltburn is that if I ever saw one.” Lady Edna, abandoned the unequal contest. It was perfectly impossible to stave off a direct attack delivered in this uncompromising fashion. She could only protest feebly. “ Mr Saltburn is a poor man,” she said shamefacedly. “ Oh, no ho isn’t. At any rate, he won't ho by the time T have done with him. Now I’m not going to sit quietly by and see him play ducks and drakes with .your happiness and his simply because he has a Quixotic idea that he ought to help that rascally father of his. T am going to take a hand at this game.” “You would not dare,” Lady Edna gasped. “ Oh, wouldn’t I? You don’t know rue yet, my child. I’ve got a little Scheme of my own for the saving of the situation as far as William Saltburn is concerned, and that without getting Philip to put his hand in his pocket for a penny. I suppose I know nine out of every ten great financiers in Europe. And I shall know how to handle this problem when the time comes.” “Is Mr Saltburn with it?” Lady Edna asked. “ I am not doing this for the sake of William Saltburn, mv dear. 1 am doing it for yours. And the time will come when you will be grateful. Indeed, T shouldn’t wonder if the time came when you were bound to admit that I did a very kindly thing when T permitted Shorland to ally uie with this illustrious family.” Lady Edna, smiled in spite of herself. Indeed, she was almost ready to admit that now. And she was really beginning to take a liking to this pretty fascinating creature who had come into her life with dramatic suddenness. “ I won’t discuss the matter any further,” Lady Shorland said. e ‘ By the way. Shorland tells mo that wo are going over to 4 The- Clhantrey * to lunch with Philip Saltburn on Monday. Now', T wanted to ask him to get liis father there. Never mind why, you can leave that to me. Only see •that it is done, that’s all. And then you will see what you will see. T am your fairy godmother, my dear M CHAPTER XXXIIL IS BON'OCTI BOHN’S. Though the miracle had happened, Philip Saltburn was feeling no easier in his mind. True, he had saved the honour of the house of Cornwallis, to say nothing of it financial integrity, but at what a cost? I this father was ruined, and Philip bad deliberatelv brought that ruin about. And yet it had been the only way, the only way to keep Phil’s reputation sweet in Lady Edna’s eyes, and preserve her friendship. Had William

Saltburn had his stay, thou Phil’s romance was so much Dead Sea fruit. The collapse of Santa Anna in. Tortilla, and tli© forces of nature intervening on th© Islands had blown Saltborn s scheme for humiliating Slierringborne and his daughter to th© rtnC * & t. Concessions now would make Sherringborne a rich man again, rich m every sense of the word. And Philip could share that prosperity. Th© political crisis was over, and Sherringborne was saved. Japan would gain all sho had been coveting from the first—a treaty port at San Toro and nothing more would ho heard about St Lucia. And all this was due * huip alone. He had won Lady Edna’s respect—more than that. he hoped—but at what a. cost? To pt*ov© it** * was he had been compelled to fight bis own father with weapon placed in his hands by Sherringbone, de la CYoisa and th© Jananes© Prince Ito. with the result that his father stood on the- verge of min. And this must not bo, must not, Philip had to sell “ The Chantrey and start again in some distant part of the world. So far as Philip could see, nobody grasped the fact but himself. However, in this he was reckoning without Lady Shorland. The solution was plain enough to her, with that nimbi© intellect of hors, to say nothing that sho had enjoyed for some weeks the full benefit of de la Croisa's company and confidence. By the time she got hack to Borne Abbey she knew as mmh of the situation ag the Baron. his double heavy upon him, fillip was as wax in Tiis hands, and all the more, perhaps, that he could see that she was only too eager to help him.

‘ Then what are you going to do?” she asked.

r>i -,?'^ ler<3 . ? s Ol dy one thing to do.” Plnhp said. f< My father must not suffer. After all, he is mv father; 1 must make good as far as I can.” Lady Shorland smiled. ‘ The Chantrey '?” she ask®d - rfle ambition to found a famj ‘ Ba T nothing of love’s young dream. My dear Philip, there- is a better way than yours.” J'! jad y. EdD a is lost to me now,” Philip said gloomily. Not she. Send your father to me and don’t worry. Trust El Murid’s daughter to find a. way out. You have no idea what a good business woman I am. And I hare had some of the greatest financiers at my feet for years. Your father's name shell be .saved, and I shall wear a special frock I have imported from Paris at your wedding.” Philip let it go at that. He wrote to his father th© same evening, and th© elder man cam© down from London with none too good a grace. “Anything more gone wrong?” he asked.

“ Not so far as I know,” Philip e*M. « All my arrangements are still proceeding. But for some reason or another Lady Shorland wanted to see you; in fact, sh© would take do refusal.’ ’

Saltburn broke into a strenuous laugh.

“ Well, that’s odd.” he aid. “ What can that brilliant little adventuress want with me? She’s never been what. I cal! friendly ; in fact, she’s been at no pains to disguise her feelings. Now, T wonder what bee she's got in her bonnet now.”

“ You’re very complimentary,” Philip said. “But I don’t think it will be so dull, after all. Y'ou see, Lady Shorland thinks she can—well— get you out of your difficulties.” William Saltburn remarked frankly enough that Lady Shorland was weloome to try.

“She’s well in with a lot of big people, I know. 9 ’ he said. 'She’s pretty, she’s fascinating, and she’s trot braius And with all her Bohemianism she’s managed to keep her own record clean enough. At 0113- rate, she would make a fine ally for a financier working a bis: deal. But you don’t know anything at all about these things. If I wanted to bring about a big financial amalgamation, I’d rather have Lady Shorland to work it for me than any man on earth. And she’s acquainted with all th© capitalists, both here and in America. Upon my word, I’ve a dashed good mind to offer her a share in a partnership. I’m dead broke, but William Saltburn* s not done for yet.’’

Philip was content to let it go at that, and presently Shorland took William Shorland in hand. She seemed to enjoy his society, and talked in a way which excited the financier’s admiration. It was after luncheon that she insisted upon taking him round the garden and pointing out its manifold beauties to him. •• Yes, it’B a pretty place enough,” Saltburn said contemptuously. “All very well to come down to at weekends when one gobs tired of London. But I can’t understand why Philip wants to settle down here. A young man like that! He ought to have more ambition.” “ Well, he’s not likely to have the chance now.” Lady Shorland said. “ Where does he get his ideas from, Mr Saltburn?” “ What ideas?” Saltburn asked. “ Svhy, his extraordinary ideas about honour and duty. He doesn’t inherit them from you, surelv?” “'Oh, I’ve got no fads,” Saltburn said, without the slightest show of resentment. “ I think 1 know what vou mean, though. You think Philip is going to be fool enough to hand over all the money he has to put into ray business. Well, that’s what lie has offered.” “I’m perfectly sure ho would,” Lady Shorland said in her sweetest manner. “ But what’s the good of it? lt won’t really help you. Nothing less than a couple of millions would put you straight A’ “ That’s true,” ’William Saltburn admitted. “ But then, like all the rest of the financial gamblers, you have a. sanguine temperament, and you are selfish into th© bargain. You might, at any rate, express a certain amount of regret at ruining your son’s prospects in this way.” “If Phil had taken ray advice ” “ He would have ruined everything. He wanted to settle- down her© as a country gentleman with money to found a family. He would be Lord Sherringhorne’s son-in-law. and that itself would give him a standing. And sooner or later, after the first glamour of marriage had passed off, he would begin to take an interest in politics. He couldn’t help doing this, and I am perfectly certain he would go very far indeed. And h© has proved himself to be a great deal cleverer than you are.” “ That’s true,” William Saltburn admitted. not without pride. “ Instead of this you are going to send him off, sooner or later, to got his living by the picturesque occupation of cow-punching if you are selfish enough to accept Ins offer. They do call it cow-punching, don’t they?” ‘ I don’t know,” Saltburn said. “ But, see here. Lady Shorland, what are you driving at? I don’t want to injure the boy if I can help it. He’s all Ive got and I’m dashed proud of bn©, though I don’t care about telling people so. He’s different to me “ Yes, I’ve noticed that,” Lady Shorland smiled.