SHORT STORY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17170, 13 October 1923, Page 5 (Supplement)

SHORT STORY.

SHOULD I HAVE DONE IT? A BRUSH WITH THE LAV/, (Written for the “Star" by E. R. WIIEELER.) “ A gentleman desires the services of a secretary. The applicant for the position must be between twenty-five and forty years of age. a graduate of Oxford or Cambridge, anti a cheerful and companionable man. The duties will entail sonic travelling abroad, the expenses for which will be amply provided. '• A knowledge of boxing as a pastime will count in }ii.s favour, though not absolutely essential. “'Hie salary is four hundred a year. “ Applications to be scut by post, addressed to A. AI.T., care of Central Agency Co., Seymour Street, London, AY.C.” “Air A.M.T.’s letter bag will be n pretty fat one during the days immediately following that little advertisement.” said I to myself on reading it. ' The answers will be limited only bv the number of graduates alive who see the notice and can fill the bill. Anyhow, I will be one of them."’ So I answered with particulars as to College. etc., also some modest words concerning my qualifications for self-de-fence, with references to Jack Sutcliffe, teacher of the noble art at Oxford. I scarcely allowed myself to think I should get a reply, but I got one by return post, and a very favourable one at that, with a day mentioned for During the past twelve months I had been living on what I could get from all kinds of literary odds and ends, even descending to poetry, my last effort—which I had every reason to fear would be my swan song— having been four verses about a wonderful pill, five shillings for the lot—the. verses, not the pills. Looking upwards. therefore, from the low level of such remuneration — though accompanied by Calliope, sweet muse as she is—to the lofty peak of £4OO a year, the prospect was almost too dazzling, but I took my courage in both hands, creased my trousers, assumed my best Oxford manner, and went to the address given. A. M. Templeton, Esq., Richmond Mansions, Hyde Park Road. London, W.C.—a hugw building of spacious flats. Directed by the commissionaire I found my way up to Air Templeton’s six-chambered suite of rooms, confuting the whole of that particular j flat- One door boldly marked " Private ’’ I, of course., avoided, and turned my attention to one with “ \ isitors inscribed thereon. The bell promptly brought a boy arrayed in a sort of plain livery to the front, who in answer to my inquiry as to his master being at liberty smiled broadly and good naturedly, as if he knew me and said, “ Air Templeton will sec you in a few minutes, sir,” adding quite on his own, “ He’: expecting you, Mr Lushmgton, sir, and %/ill you please take a seat and have : a glass cf wine and a cigar, sir?" This was a good beginning, thought I. as declining the offer of refreshm_n*I deposited myself in a very richly upholstered easy chair, and awaited the appearance of my probable employer, i speculating as to the kind of man he could be who was ready to provide wine and expensive smokes to a stranger, with a possible shower of g Jd to follow. The youth on leaving me had neglected to quite close the door by which I had entered, so it happened that I could not help hearing the opening of the other door leading on to the outside corridor marked “ Private, also voices. "Then good-bye, Carlton, and it is understood that I send you a packet of Threadneedle Street flimsies, low denominations, five and tens, to go on with ? ” “Yes! that’s right, and finish off later on with some big “ Eastminsters ’ and ‘ Berkleys and then heigho! we will fold our tents and quietly steal away from the madding crowd to some sweet isle of rest where extradition does not run its hated course, and life goes by like a dream. “Ila! Ha! quite so. old boy, but don’t get too sentimental. Same address, Rue. St Honore, Paris. Goodbye ! Good luck ! ” Footsteps descended, a door clicked to, and there was silence for a minute I got up and closed the door of the room I was in and re-seated myself, disturbed in a way J. could not quite account for. What did it mean, this talk about a region where extradition did not run-—bother it ! Arid yet the voices sounded cheery and careless as if the world were a pleasant place to be in, nothing sinister in their well-bred tones. I shook myself free

front the uncomfortable musings. and made myself think of the possible £4OO a year with travelling expenses thrown in and no more mendacious rhymes on soap or pills. The strains of Rubinstein’s song

“ Du hist wie cine Blume.” sung by a fine tenor voice, came softly from

some adjacent room, and a. couple of minutes later a door opened and one of the pleasantest looking men T bad ever seen came gustily into the room. ‘ Glad to see you, Mr Lushington 1 Liked your letter and think we ought

to get ;along nil Fight. 'Suppose we try., eh? —see if I suit you ! 1 and he laughed contagiously and shook hands. I muttered some rather inane response to his friendly greeting and lie went “You are Oxford and Merton’s, and I am Cambridge and Emmanuel’s, so we on glit to agree to differ as wet or dry bobs, though I never made my mark very deep either way. By the way, I am deuced glad you can do a bit with the gloves. It’s my one relaxation nowadays.” I disclaimed any pretension to excellence in that line, but thought I could fairly heed my end up with the ordinnr]rle P laughed again anc! said he rather mistrusted my modesty. “ By the wav, don’t be offended and get your bump up if l suggest a small cheque in advance- We are bound to get on together, and a little ready money is always useful you know.” “ I do know,” said I laughing, “ and my bools have given me away ns I thought thev would—those telltale articles of attire,” and l looked down at the offending objects. • All right.” said he. “I’ll just introduce vou to my wife and fill in a cheque, and vou can start say the day after to-morrow, thus giving you time to make, your arrangements. 1 was conducted into another room, half office half sitting-room, and introduced to Airs Templeton, a young and handsome woman as pleasant as her husband. When we entered she was bending over a small highly polished metal plate which she was inspecting closev through a magnifying gass, and which she hastily covered with a sheet of paper as we appeared. A prominent feature of the apartment was a lingo safe built into the wall a strong-room in fact —largo enough to hold three or four people and destined to play an important part in a dramatic situation later on—but that’s telling. I spent a pleasant hour or so with them, and left with a feeling that I was indeed fortunate in becoming acquainted with two such charming people, the impression being enhanced when I glimpsed “Pay bearer twentyfive pounds ” on the oblong slip of paper put into my hands by Air Tern* pleton on leaving. All the same, at the back of ray mind I kept recalling the parting words between my employer .and his departing visitor concerning ‘‘flimsies ” and some sweet spot whore “ extradition didn’t run”—confound it! why did those presumably careless words keep coining up and grinning at me? Six months went by in quite an interesting fashion with three visits to Paris sandwiched in and each visit to the same man. Air Douglas Carlton, Rue Sb Honore. and delivering into his hands on each occasion a small dispatch box securely locked, for which he gave me a receiptI usually returned with some quite valuable “ objets d’art ” in my charge for Air Templeton from his friend, which articles found their way in due course into one or other of the famous auction rooms in I/ondon and realised t ionnl amounts, so Air* A.ALT. must bo handling a considerable amount of In London T was on very- intimate and everything appeared open and above board. Friendlv boxing bouts came off almost daily/with advantage slightly with me, and we both enjoved the sport. Airs Templeton was French by birth, and had evidently been through a course of artistic training in Paris. Specimens of her work adorned the walls of their fiat, and she had mnnv livel” tales to tell of her studio life in the r ay city, the ups and downs of some ot the students in their efforts to cell their pot boilers, and through it ai the genuine camaraderie existing among them. I was walking one day with Airs Templeton in Bond Street and she left my side for a moment, attracted by something in a jeweller’s window, and as I stood awaiting her, a. young woman rather shabbily dressed ranged herself alongside Airs Templeton and al,lo't instantaneously I heard the sharp click of some instrument and the silver gilt bag hanging from Airs Tern piston’s wrist was detached and appropriated by the shabby party who was in a hurry to depart. “ Excuse mv detaining von.” said T. catching her by the arm, “but I think this lady may have something to say to you before you go.” Airs Templeton had turned quickly at the slight tug of the departing bag. also at the sound of my voire. and gazed womleringlv for a moment at the would l>e peculator and the severed hag. Then with a smile lighting up her face she placed a hand on the offender’s shoulder and gave her a friendly little shake. “Ala pauvre Suzanne, and have vou come to this—you little had one? Fie! Suzzane. wicked one that you are.” “ Mother in Heaven!” ejaculated the young woman, “it is Celeste, and I have done this thing to her. Forgive. me . Celestina mia. It is because I wish to live la vie honnete that I so do, you understand.” “La vie honnete! You droll one.” laughed Airs Templeton. “ What do you call this sort of thing? But here, take this.” she added, emptying the contents of the bag into her hand. “It will help you a little, perhaps, and if vou have one or two of your prottv 1 it.tle pictures by you. leave them at Afr Swanston’s shop,” and she gave th.> address of a stationer- —“ for me. Airs Tenv-leton. together with the price, and I will send for them. Now don’t forget. Suzanne, and bo a good litle one and live the honest life, vou droll one.” Giving her another little friendlv shake, she passed on, with me. leaving a slvibbv voung woman half crying and half laughing. (TO BE CONCLUDED.)