A DEALER IN ANTIQUES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17349, 14 May 1924, Page 10

A DEALER IN ANTIQUES

NEW SERIAL.

By

BASIL TOZER,

Author of "The Irony of Marriage.," " Bound the World with a Millionaire,'' etc. CHAPTER THE FOURTH—- . (Continued). The telephone rang suddenly. Disengaging herself from his embrace, Pam got up and wont cut to answer it. When, some minutes later, she returned, Ronald saw that something had upset her. There was a pucker between her brows, and she had turned rather pale. ‘‘Whom do you think that was?” she said m an odd voice, as she shut the door. “I’ve no idea. Toll me.”

“Mr Reuben Montgomerie. He asked if he might speak to * Miss Carstairs,* and when -I said Miss Carstairs was speaking he said he had bad news to tell me—father is with him and is ill and wants me to go to him at once.” “111, And wfliere is lie?” “With Mr Montgomerie.” “Yes, hut where?”

• Oh, at the Ritz, I suppose—father told me that he is staying there. I am to go there now ; Mr Montgomerie is sending his ear for me. Oh. T do hope it is nothing serious. I hope it’s not a stroke or anything of that icind.” “Why should it be? Your father was knocked about a .bit during the war, and has told me himself that a sort of faintness cornea over him sometimes in consequence;” “He lias tofd me that too, hut from what Mr Montgomerie said I fear this is something worse. I must go and put on my things,” and turning, she went quickly out of the room again. Ronald would' have liked to go with her, to the hotel, but, looking at his watch, he remembered that Professor Lattimer had said that he would want him at six o’clock, and already it was half-past five.* “I hope it’s all right your going off alone like this, Pam,” he said, when ■she came back dressed to go out. “Oh, of course, it’s all.right, Ronnie. It’s natural that father should send for me. I’ll ring you up at Processor Lattimer’s o.nd tell you how he is. What an odd way Mr Montgomerie rolls his r’s.”

“Does he? I hadn’t noticed it.” About ten minutes later the door bell rang. A chauffeur ih smart livery was standing outside, who touched his cap •as they came out. Whien Ronald had seen the car drive away, he hailed a passing taxi 'and told the man to drive him to Maida, Vale, where Professor Lattimer lived.

As the taxi sped swiftly along, he experienced a curious sensation. He told himself it was absurd that he should feel anxious about Pam ; yet somehow he could not rid himself of the idea that all was not right. Then he tried to persuade himself that his foolish uneasiness must be the outcome of jealousy—for though he tried to blind himself to the fact that he knew that deep down in his heart he was upset at Montgomerie’s being about to come into Pam’s life. True, he told himself, Pam’s love for him was sincere and whole-hearted, and he had not the slightest doubt that she, meant to marry him and no one else. Yet he could not help reflecting that a man like Montgomerie might be liable to exert undue influence over a girl of Pam’s high emotional teineprament, even against her will and her better judgment. Professor Lattimer. who lived only for his work, found Ronald rather distrait that evening. He had wanted h:m to hunt up historical records bearing upon a curious antique weapon, seventeenth century he said, that he had picked up at a sale the day before at a house in Hampshire; but tor the first- time since he had known Ronald he found him dull and stupid. “There is s?.:d to lie a strange history attached to the old weapon,” he said during dinner; Ronald generally dined with him on evenings when he happened to be working late at te professor’s house. “I wonder you are s.ot interested. I thought it would have engrossed your whole attention.” Ronald niude some excuse, and began to-try to concentrate on what the professor was saying, when the maid came in to say that Sir Ivor Carstairs would like to speak to Mr Harboro on the telephone. Thinking the maid had made a mistake, and that it was Pamon the line wanting to tell him about Sir Ivor’s condition, Ronald asked to i be excused and went out of the room. “That you,-Ronald ?” be heard Sir ; Ivor asking. “Good. I tliught I should catch you at Laltimer’s. Can you tell me where Pam is this evening? Has she gone anywhere tonight. do you know?” Harboro caught his breath. "Why, isn’t she with you and Mr Montgomerie at the Ritz?” he ex claimed. “Where are you speakin-* from. Sir Ivor?” “From home. Of course she’s not i with me or I shouldn’t be asking, j should I "But aren’t you i!! ? Montgomerie I telephoned at about six o’clock to say i you had been taken il! and wanted i Pam to come-to you at once. He sem I his car to fetch her.” j '‘What’s that you say? Why, j j haven’t seen Montgomerie since thh j morning. And L am perfectly well, j There must be some mistake.” | “Well, Pam went off in Montj gomerie's car—l was with her when it ! tame for her. That was two hour. | ago, or more.” “Good heavens, Ronald! What-can the meaning of this be?” Sir Ivor’s voice trembled with anxiety. “Look here,” he went on quickly. “I’ll go to the Ritz at once and see ii she is there. J. don't like this at j all. Ami will you ask Lattimer if he can spare you for this evening, and if he says ‘Yes.' come here as quickly as you can. will you. and we’ll go t_> the RHz together. I’ll hold the line while you ask Lattimer ”