"THE PRIDE OF LOVE.”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 13, 16 January 1937, Page 7

"THE PRIDE OF LOVE.”

A THRILLING SERIAL STORY-

Sy

COMPTON IRVING

Diamond Cut Diamond. Mervyn Fenner and his wife received a great surprise when they returned the following day to find that Julie's brother Conrad had established himself at Fenner Hall. It was Johnson who broke- the news, and Mervyn Fenner went an ashen colour as he tried to face up to the situation. “Do you hear that, Marion?" he cried. “ The game’s up, I fear. We'd better gel away to New York without a moment’s delay." “ Not so fast, my dear," advised the more complacent Mrs Fenner. " First let’s think out exactly what this means. Do keep calm, Mervyn. It's not a bit of use you losing your head. Now Is the time, if ever, to show the Fenner back-bone."

With that she drew him away into the ante-room, and then she called Johnson in.

“ You say that this gentleman is Lady Fenner's brother?" she began. "That is so. Madam,” said Johnson, “ Mr Conrad West." And now Mervyn contributed something to the discussion. “ And does Lady Fenner seem quite happy about his having come?"

" Why, yes, sir!" said Johnson. “ Though she did at first seem rather startled. I mean, it came as •in entire surprise, if you understand me, sir."

“ I understand. ’’ said Mervyn. "And lhe others —how does Mr George take it?’’ “ Oh, they get on very well together," Johnson assured him. “They ride together, and play tennis, and swim. Uh, and he’s very fond of the children. He takes them out in the motor-car. Mind you, Master Bobby’s nurse always accompanies them."

“Thank you, Johnson, I think that will do." said Mervyn, and Johnson with drew.

"It seems Io mo, my dear," he said, turning to his wife, “ that 1 can't do better as a first- step than interview Jul’e. Naturally she's the one who knows all about it." “In any case, 1 don't see why there's any occasion for alarm,” suggested his wife. “I think you’re very possibly right," he agreed. " Now suppose you find Julie and bring her to my office."

]t was not long before Julie appeared. “Well, Uncle Mervyn, this is a surprise, isn't : l?" “It is indeed Julie," said Mervyn.

“ And if you will forgive me for saying so, it’s hardly in keeping with our contract. Frankly I would never have agreed to allow you to play the part of Lady Fenner lor five minutes had I known that this would happen.”

" If only 1 had known myself," she retorted. “ 1 can assure you that it came on me like a bomb-shell." " But you do know this Conrad, don't you? I mean, he's a friend of yours ?’’ " Actually he's the originator of the ingenious scheme," explained Julie. "And to be quite frank, he and 1 are going fifty-fifty." Mervyn nodded his head. Her explanation had considerably eased his mind. His experience was that if people came in on a money basis they were always more to be relied upon. Obviously this brolher Conrad of Julie's would be' quite as anxious as himself that the truth should not leak out.

" Does he drink, or anything of that sort?” he asked.

“ Practically nothing al all," Julie was able to assure him. “ Oh, you can rely on Conrad. lie's just about one thousand times more cunning than I can ever hope to be." “ Oh, very well! Perhaps I'd better have a talk with him. Then, if we three can come to a proper understanding, I- think we shall be more than a match for young George and well able to cope with any situation that arises."

And the result of the interview was that Mervyn was almost wholly reassured, confident that the situation was fundamentally lhe same as before the elegant Conrad appeared on the scene.

“Always remember one thing," was his Cnal warning. “ George Fenner is the actual legal heir. Naturally, therefore, if he hears the slightest hint of suspicion that little John is not really Eric’s son, he would not rest night or day until he was again in possession of his rights.’’ “ I’ll keep what you say always in mind," said Blake. “ Oh, by the way, realising perhaps more clearly than Julie did that her tenure of office was, to say the least, precarious, and might at any moment come to an abrupt termination, I got her to ’phone the timber merchants offering them an extra five per cent discount for immediate settlement."

Mervyn Fenner looked at him sharp ly. He definitely envied the smart Conrad. Now why had he not thought of that excellent expedient himself?

" Capital 1” he said. "So you fixed that up, did you? I’m delighted. That was the one snag. After all, one does not want to run all this risk, possibly sacrificing one’s respectability and good name, and get no advantage in the end. Oh, well, I’ll see you presently."

Mervyn Fenner immediately returned to his office and put a trunk call through to the timber merchants. He was anxious to satisfy himself that everything was in order. "Hullo! Is that Mr Stone, of Stone and Co.? .... Good! This is Mr Mervyn Fenner, speaking for Lady Fenner. I understand she has made an arrangement for early payment of the account. . . . Splendid!” Then a frown came over his face. "What’s that you say? You thought I ought to know that she’d given instructions that the cheque must be sent to herself personally and not to me?" "She seemed particularly anxious that It should be a personal payment to herself and not to you as her agent."

Fenner replaced the' receiver. "My God!" he breathed. "She means to double-cross me ,after all I Well, we shall see who winsl”

CHAPTER XVII<

What Betty Heard. Mervyn Fenner’s first impulse was to rush off and challenge Julie and Conrad. 11. was crystal clear to Mervyn that this was the .cunning Conrad's Idea, and he had no doubt thnt within an hour of her having received the money, the precious pair would be on their way out of the country. He was In a dilemma. He realised how very much he was in their hands. The truth was, as professional crooks, they had very little to lose, whereas he' had everything, and they knew It. So far from their being in Ills power, the opposite was the case. , . As was usual when he was faced with a difficulty, he turned to his wife. At last he found her lying in a hammock by the summer-house on the river bank. ■■Of course, Mervyn, you may be wrong in your suspicions,” she warned him. after hearing lhe entire story. "There is not the slightest doubt that by theory is the right one,’ he very step I would have taken myself, had I thought of it. Don't you see it means they can get away with o\ei twelve thousand pounds without paying a farthing to me. Naturally the., would Jump at the chance of such a windfall." . •■Still, even if It is true, I don t see what you can do at present, she ‘advised. "They are dangerous people to get across with, after all. My dear, why don’t you go at once to the police and expose them, n you do it now It won't be too late. “I grant you’re right," he agreed. "The only snag Is that if I dethrone Julia and her boy it means that George comes into power; and do you imagine for one minute that he'd show me Hie slightest, mercy after Hie way 1 ve treated him? No I No, he’d pack me off at. a moment’s notice, and you and I would be without a farthing, my dear, except my miserable sayings „ "Yes ves George is the difficulty, she admitted. "What do you propose, then?" • I’ve nothing to propose, he said, testily. "It seems to me I've simply got In go on and on. and make all I can out of them while they’re. in power. That won't be long, anyhow; but. it is the only way." Just then there came a slight noise in the rushes at the water’s edge. “What’s that?" cried Mervyn, nerviously. “It’s only a waler rat," said Jus wife calmlv, “or perhaps r swan.’’ As a matter of fact it was neither. Belly had been for a long swim up the river, and she was returning to lhe landing-stage. She had been swimming a very gentle breast stroke, barely disturbing the surface, of the water, and that splash was the first she had made for some lime.

And now she heard voices, and recognising Mervyn Fenner's, she heard him say :

“I’m thoroughly in the cart, no matter which way tl'ings go. Oh. if only something would happen to George!"

H, was that last sentence which burnt itself into Belly’s mind. What could Mr Fenner mean?

Instantly Belly was all ears. It never struck her for a moment that she was wrong In listening. Knowing how unscrupulous Mervyn Fenner could he. she knew it was right, if only in order to protect George from possible future danger.

“What on earth can you mean by that, my dear?” snapper Mrs Fenner. do wish you’d be sensible!"

‘‘Welk then, I'll try Io be sensible." he flung back. "What I mean is, if George were !o die to-night I should naturally become Sir Mervyn Fennel and the whole of the estate would belong to me. I should then go tn Julie and warn her that if she wasn’t out of lhe country within twelve hours, I should call in lhe police." "She would still blackmail you," •clorted his wife.

"She might attempt- it." said Fenner, but she wouldn't be able to extort

penny. How could she? She has nolhing in writing to prpve that I was ever aware that she was not genuinely Eric’s wife. Any money I’ve got from her has been paid in cash. J can assure you. my dear, that I'm luite safe on those grounds." " Anyhow, what’s the use of talking?" protested Mrs Fenner. "George s alive, and he looks like outliving you by at least thirty years. If you wish to retrace your steps and get lack on to your old thoroughly safe and respectable basis, why don't you go to George and expose Julie? George would take yoyr word that you knew nothing about it, and oven if he discovered that that wasn't absolutely true, he'd never lake proceedings against you. He’s such a quixotic idiot is George." " But he'd never let me go on in my present position."

" Even so he couldn't see you starve,” she insisted. "You know that quite well. He’d be certain to make us a quite adequate allowance', even if he packed us out of the country,” Fenner shook his head.

" [ don't like your idea at all," he said. ‘ Rather than put myself in George's power, I’d keep on with the present arrangement a thousand times But the fact is, George is the great snag. Oh. if only he were out of tin way I could see my way clear." “If only you wouldn't keep or harping on the Idea of George heim out of the way!" protested Mrs Fenner. " It’s so childish of you, Mervyn. A perfectly healthy young mar like that doesn’t suddenly go and pas? out, just to fit in with your plans.” " No, my dear, it’s true,” said Mervyn, darkly. " But even young mer come up against accidents. Whal wouldn’t J give to be in a position tc hand Julie and her precious so-called brolher over to the police" he fumed "But, come along, my dear. YouT be getting a chill if you lie in iha? hammock much longer. It's getting colder." (To be continued.)