WINGS OF FORTUNE

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20310, 21 May 1934, Page 12

WINGS OF FORTUNE

By

Author of “The V/ay of Deception,” etc.

LESLIE BERESFORD

CHAPTER XIV.— (Continued.) Here, in front of her, was evidence that meant everything to John Christopher, even though it disinherited her. If only she dared tell the bank-manager when lie came bac-k to them, insist on him examining and discovering for himself the real character of this document which his bank had been guarding for Tony, tell him the whole story, whatever the consequences to herself! And when, while this thought came to her, the door opened behind Tony and her, admitting the bank manager himself, she was almost on the point of snatching that all-important document from Tony’s hands. But she was hold motionless by surprise, because the manager was not now alone. Following him into the room came the one person mofct concerned at this moment—John Christopher himself. Could anything more fortunate possibly have happened? Breathless, Sylvia eyed him with a growing sense of personal triumph. The waiting game was over. It was not he—but she, herself—who would bring it to an unexpectedly definite end. No need now to snatch the will from Tony, who was looking across at John Christopher with just as much amazement as herself, and not with as much pleasure. Tony and the will were here, and could not escape, once she had spoken. Meantime, it was the bank manager who spoke first in his pleasant, but busi-ness-like voice.

“Miss Darn ley, I suppose I must apologise for bringing Mr. Fellowes,” he was saying, gesturing a wholly unnecessary introduction. “I think you do know each other? And, of course, Mr. Mallison, that question need not be asked. Mr. Fellowes has just called to see me about some news from Shanghai, which—l’m afraid —is of a rather disturbing nature.” “News—from Shanghai?” It was Tony who intervened on a note of wonderment, not entirely free from alarm as well. “Worse luck, yes, Mallison!” John Christopher moved forward a little. “But, of course, it doesn’t affect you, unless you happen to have invested any of your hard-earned savings in the Anglo-Chinese Trading and Finance Corporation, of Shanghai.” “Good heavens, man!” he added, as Tony showed signs of frantic anxiety. “You don’t mean to say you’re goinsr to be hit, too?” “Hit?” Tony almost choked. “Why, what’s wrong with the Corporation, Fellowes ?” “Looks as if a very good deal’s wrong with it!” John Christopher shrugged. “As you know, Mallison, I’m one of the directors, and I’m over here in Europe mostly on the corporation’s affairs. I’ve just had this cable from Shanghai. Seems to speak for itself.” Sylvia, mystified by all this talk, read—as Tony was doing—the cablegram John Christopher had laid on the table. It said: “Afraid Anglo-Chinese collapse inevitable. Position hopeless.” It was only then that Sylvia realised how much this message affected herself. For this was the financial syndicate, she suddenly remembered, the lawyer in London had mentioned to her as the one in which her uncle’s £BO,OOO was invested. And this cable meant then, in plain language, that the fortune no longer existed. “Pm Penniless Again.” In a flash, Sylvia realised the immense difference this cablegram meant to her. If her uncle’s money was being swept away in financial disaster, the whole situation was changed. It took away what never was hers. It freed her from the blackmailing clutches of Paula and Tony.

That stolen will, which the latter still held in his hand with other blackmailing documents, was not worth the paper on which it was written. He could not hold it against her any longer. His cords of conspiracy were cut away from her, giving her unexpected freedom. She felt like laughing outright,, tears of intense relief misting her eyes for a moment. But then she realised something else. Her gain was, of course, John Christopher’s loess. For it robbed him of what should have been his, must in the end have been handed back to him. She felt sorry for him, when—with a little gesture of fatality—he picked up and put away the cablegram. “As one of the directors of the corporation,” she heard him saying, “Fve naturally known for some time past that it was. facing difficulties. But 1 certainly did not expect the worst, which I had taken this trip to Europe to prevent. However, as you can see for yourselves— ’’ He swung round on Sylvia with an air of apology and sympathy. “What I knew or didn't expect, doesn’t make things a bit better for you, little ladyl” he added. “I’m afraid this news must come as a terrible shock to you.” “Oh, not that!” Sylvia shrugged, wishing she could meet hit* eyes which seemed deliberately to be evading hers, j Could she speak to him acs freely as she wanted to do, with Tony present? Or was she to say nothing of the way in which the money had come to her?

“It isn’t anything strange to me to be poor,” she said meanwhile, feeling her way. “I was poor when Uncle Luke's will was first mentioned to me. That was a shock, if you like*. I’m not so sure I don’t welcome Ixeing poor again. If Uncle Luke's money has really vanished into thin air—” “Don’t be so sure about that, Sylvia!” interrupted Tony, moodily silent in the background till now, but clearly clinging to hope, turning to John Christopher. “Your cablegram, I noticed, didn't say definitely that this concern has gone under —” “Quite, Mallison!” nodded the other. “That cablegram isn't, of course, an official notice of failure, 1 agree. That will no* doubt appear quickly enough in the newspapers when it is definitely announced. My cablegram is only a private warning of wliat, unless a miracle happens, must take place.” “When I discovered from our mutual friend here,” he went on, motioning towards the bank manager, “that Miss Darn ley and you happened to be on the premises, I thought it only the friendly thing to do to let her understand the situation. I don’t suppose she has much faith in miracles.” “That I certainly haven't!” Sylvia laughed drily. “[ did think a miracle had happened when I heard of Uncle Luke’s will, but—as things have turned out —I’ve learnt differently. I’m penniless again, I suppose—” “More or less, I’m afraid,” John Christopher nodded. “Of course, there

may be something saved from tl wreckage—a thousand or two, peril a ps.

“That’s some consolation, Sylvia, isn’t it?” Tony laughed, seizing her by the arm with an air of protection. “I don’t think you need worry about being penniless while Paula and 1 are about. Meantime, shall we get away and choose that engagement ring, as we’d arranged, sweetheart ?” Sylvia looked across at John Christopher anxiously, puzzled. She had been quite expecting he would follow up this news from Australia by disclosing his knowledge of the way in which Paula and Tony had defrauded him, speak about the will which the latter at this moment was actually carrying in liis disengaged hand. But John Christopher apparently had no such intention. He held out a" hand to her, smiling in his pleasant way. “It’s a good thing. Miss Darnley,” she heard him saying, “you’ve some good friends to stand by you at a moment like this. I’m sorry to have been the bearer of such rotten news. I'd give anything if a miracle could happen to help you. For my own sake, as well, because—as a director of the corporation, naturally'—the landslide affects me as well.” Then, before Sylvia could say anything, he turned to the bank manager and asked if the latter could spare him a few moments, just as though Sylvia and her concerns had become completely forgotten. And Tony yvas tugging at her arm, hustling her to the door. “Let’s get out of this,” he whispered in her ear, his manner one of sheer Panic. As she accompanied him through the public part of the bank, a warm blaze of Titian-coloured hair caught Sylvia’s eye, and she found herself passing quite close to Stella Darlingford, who appeared not to notice her, being deep in animated and laughing talk yvith a woman friend.

And then something else caught Sylvia’s eye, almost causing her heart to stop in its beat. Stella Darlingford was holding out her left hand, on the third slim finger of which a fine ruby flashed and was being admired by the woman friend. “Yes, isn’t it just too lovely for words!” Stella was saying ecstatically. “He gave it me last night, and we're going to be married very soon. I feel just mad with happiness, and oh, here’s John coming out at last.” Sylvia could not resist throwing one backward glance over her shoulder as she moved on in Tony’s wake. She glimpsed John Christopher joining Stella and talking with her, their heads very close together. As Sylvia passed out into the brilliant sunshine and maddening gaiety of Monte she felt terribly and hopelessly alone in a world which cared nothing about her. A world which held no happiness for her, but only loss. Two losses she had suffered to-day. That of Luke Massinghara’s money was admittedly a welcome one. But the one, symbolised by that fine dashing ruby on Stella Darlingford’s engagement finger—that was a loss without repair. (To be continued daily.)