HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1929-07-19, Page 7•
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RilIn'URE SPEC/IA/14MT'
•
Rept:ere, Varicocele, Varicoei Veins,
A.ladommal Weakness, Spinal Defame -
City. Consultation
F. Can ee
write. J. G. SMITH, BritiElk -41011-
Qum eecialist, 15 Dowille t Sam*.
00ad, Ont. ii202-42
11,124.A.114
Mg= ND. 921
SOHN 3. ZUGGARID
harrireter, Solicitor,
Notary Public, Eta
ttiS rloois Seaforth, Ont.
ee f
IL a. HAYS
Tearrister, 'Solidi:tor,. Conveyancer
lTetary Publiic. ,Solici •r for t ee
=annum- Bank. *ace in Dear of the
up,. racon Bank &agorae Mentey to
al:az. -
assr IS
@aweisters, Solicitors, Couveyan-
gaze ao, Notaries Public, Etc. Office
lie the Edge Building, opposite The
liliesemaitor Oiece.
c..,
VIKTIERIINARY
SOHN GRITEVE, V.S.
Howe graduate of Ontario Veterin-
see College. All diseases of domestic
,h ,s treated. Calls promptly at -
(lauded to and charges moderate. Vet -
canary Dentistry a specialty. Office
eand residence on Goderich Street, one
dew? eact of Dr. Mackay's Ones, Sea -
ken.
A. R. CAIYIP ewe, V.S.
Greeluate of Ontario Veterinary
&allege, University of Toronto. All
E2neasre.s of domestic animals treated
le_g the most modern principles.
aeges reasonable. Day or night
calla promptly attended to. Office on
Wm Street, Hensel)°, opposite Town
Mall. Phone 116.
MEDICAL
DR. W. C. SPROAT
Graduate of Faculty of Medicine,
Vallversity of Western Ontario, Lon -
dere. Member of College of Physic -
llama and Surgeons of Ontario. Office
las Aberhart's Drug Store, Main St.,
eseaforth. Phone 90.
Dr. R. P. 11. DOUGALL
Honor graduate of Faculty of
redicine and Master of Science, Uni-
versity of Western Ontario, London.
;Member of College of Physicians and
fauweeons of Ontario. Office, 2 doors
=let of post office. Phone 56, Hensall,
Ontario. a004-tf
DR. A. NEWTON-BRADY
ayfield.
Graduate Dublin, University, Ire-
land. Late Extern Assistant Master
Bottanda Hospital for Women and.
Clhildren, Dublin. Office at residence
lately occupied by Mrs. Parsons.
gd airs, 9 to 10 a.m., 6 to 7 p.m.;
tazsadays, 1 to 2 p.m. 2866-26
o.
DR. 1F. J. BURROWS
Office and residence Goderich Street,
emit of the Methodist Church, Sea-
2earth. Phone - 46. Coroner for the
County of Huron.
IDR. C. MACKAY
C. Mackay, honor graduate of Trin- '
flay University, and gold medallist of
icFrinity Medical College; member of
ate College of Physicians and Sur-
aeons of Ontario.
1
DR. H. HUGH ROSS
Graduate of University of Toronto
7aculty of Medicine, member of Col- 1
liege of Physicians ad Surgeons of
intario; pass graduate courses in ,
Chicago Clinical School of Chicago ; 1
loyal Ophthalmic Hospital, London,
Wingland; University Hospital, Lon- '
don. England. Office—Back of Do-
tasiaLon Bank, Seaforth. Phone No. 5. '
Night calls answered from residence, '
VIlatioria Street, Seaforth.
DR. J. A. MUNN i
Successor to Dr. R. R. a las i
Graduate of Northwestern Univers- ..:
My, Chicago, Ill. Licentiate Royal 1
College of Dental Surgeons, Toronto.
*lace over Sills' Hardware, IVIain St., ,
Gasforth. Phone 151. 1
I
DR. F. J. BECEIELY t
Graduate Royal College of Dental
Ourgeons, Toronto. Office over W. R. t
Elzeith's Grocery, Main Street, Sea- 1
Corth. Phones: Office, 185 W; resi- 1
&ace, 185J. 8055-tf I
I
CONSULTING ENGINEER f
S. W. Archibald, B.A.Sc. (Tor.),
OEL.S., Registered Professional En- 1
glamor and Land Surveyor. Associate c
Member Engineering Institute of Can- r
ads. Oece Seaforth, Ontario. 1
l
s
AUCTIONRIFIRS
TD3I0MAS BROWN r
Licensed :•uctdoneer for the counties t
e2 euron :nd Perth. 'Correspon.' :nee e
arrangements for sale dates can he ,
eme ore by calling The Expositor Once,
Seaforth. Charges moderate, an d 2
cotisfaction guaranteed.
PHONE SOS i
I
0 (
OSCAR KLOPP
£
Honor Graduate Carey Jones' Na- 1
clonal School of Auctioneering, Chi- c
ongo. Special course taken in Pure
aired nave Stock, Real Eetate, Mar- s
ehandiae and Farce Salsa Ratan in i
Neerping Ind*, prevailing market. Sot -
(Ideation assured. Write or 7.'1170,
0aear Mope, Zurich, Oat. Plme,
/12-22. earet-52 1
c
lil T. ILUMMIt
Li4n.used enelionssr t.a. ft CIST1247
tog Huron. Seloatteasel=t lei iin all
garte of the aentileg, 'Seem peer& oat- ,
resat:me in Nateitobees •eta Ze..eN 'Me -Schee 1
Team %%MO ranneranreire, neer No. E
e7e r 11, Mega', egentralia P.O. tt:', ..
Mo. I. Ordern loft ot Thi 0 I:117,20N,,
M;t4me ClawD Etatvato 9V001,45V m 1
mcytici,
By =GAR WALLA=
"The criminal Milsd is a Peculiar
thing," he said., adth a Eden. "It baa -
bolero illusions and fairy ateries. For-
ttmately, I understand that ee.ised. A.s
have often said --a-'"
114I
THE TROUPE
There was a quietude and sedate-
ness about the Public Proeecutoeu of.
ee ve *eh 'completely haranonized
with the tastes and inclinations of Mr.
J. G. Reeder. For he was a gentle -
an who liked to work in an oace
where the ticking of a clock was
audible and the turning of a paper
produced a gentle disturbance.
He had before him one morning the
typewritten catalogue of Messrs. Win
leby, the eminent estate agents, and'
he was turning the leaves with , a
thoughtful expression. The catalogue
was newly arrived, a messenger hav-
ing only a few minutes before placed
the portfolio on his desk.
Presently he smoothed down a leaf
and read again the flattering descrip-
tion of a fairly unimportant property,
and' his scrutiny was patently a waste
of time, for, scrawled on the margin
of the sheet in red ink was the word
"Let," which meant that "Riverside
Bower" was not available for hire.
The irik was smudged, and "Let" had
been obviously written that morning
"Humph!" said Mr. Reed r.
He was interested for nany reas-
ons. In the heat of July riverside
houses are at a premium: at the' be-
ginning of November they are some-
what of a drug on the market. And
ransatlantic visitors do not as a rule
ire riverside cottages in a month
hich is chiefly distinguished by mists,
ain and general discomfort.
"Two reception: two bedrooms:
ath, large dry cellars, lawn to riv-
r, small skiff and punt. Gas and el-
ectric light. Three guineas weekly or
would be let for six months at two
guineas."
He pulled his table telephone to•
ards him and gave the agents' num-
er.
"Let, is it—dear me! To an Ameri-
an gentleman? When will it be
vailable?"
The new tenant had taken the
ouse for a month. Mr. Reeder was
ven more intrigued, though his in-
erest in the "American gentleman"
as not quite as intensive as the
meeican gentleman's interest in Mr.
eeder.
When the great Art Lomer came on
business trip from Canada to Lon -
on, a friend and admirer carried hirr
if one day to see the principal sight
f London.
"He generally comes out at lunch
me," said the friend, who was called
Cheep," because his name was Spar -
w.
Mr, Lomer looked up and down
Vaitehall disparagingly, for he had
en so many cities of the world that
one seemed as good as the others.
"There he is!" whispered Cheep;
ough there was no need for znys-
ry or confidence.
A middle-aged man had conic out
one of the narrow doorways of a
rge gray building. On his head was
high, flat -crowned hat, his body was
ghtly encased in a black frock coat.
weakish man with yellowy -white
de -whiskers and eyeglasses, that
ere nearer to the end than the be-
nning of his nose.
"Him?" demanded the amazed Art.
"Him," said the other, incorrectly
t with emphasis.
"Is that the kind of guy you're
ared about? You're crazy. Why,
at man couldn't catch a cold! Now,
ck home in Taonto----"
Art was proud of his home town,
d in that spirit of expansiveness
hich paints even the unpleasanr
atures of One's Own with the most
tractive hues, he had even a good
ord to say about the Royal Caned -
n Police—a force which normally,
d in a local atmosphere, he held in
e greatest detestation.
Art "operated"—he never employed
baser word—from Toronto, which,
its proximity to Buffalo and the
nited States border, gave him cer-
in advantages. He had once "oper-
d" in Canada itself, but his line at
at period being robbery of a kind
hich is necessarily accompanied by
sault, he had found himself facing
Canadian magistrate, and a Canad-
n magistrate wields extraordinary
wers. Art bad been sent down for
e years and, crowning horror, was
dered to receive twenty -'five lashes
th a whip which has nine tails, each
e of which hurts. Thereafter he cut
t violence and confined himself to
e formation of his troupe—and Art
mer's troupe was famous from the
tlantic to the Pacific.
He had been plain Arthur Lomer
hen he was rescued from the Lon -
n gutter and a career of crime and
nt to Canada, the charitable ethori-
s being under the impression that
anada was rather short on juvenile
iminals. By dint of great artful-
ess, good stage management and a
tural aptitude for acquiring easy
oney, he had gained for himself a
ngalow on the islands, a flat in
urch Street, a six -cylinder car an.]
New England accent which would
ss muster in almost any place ex -
pt New England.
"I'll tell the world you fellows want
eking up! So that's your Reeder?
ell, if Canada and the United States
as full of goats like him, I'd pack
ore dollars in one month than Flolly-
od pays Chaplin in ten years. Yes,
Listen, does that guy park a
ck?"
4) •
V0 4440
Ittaeger1W4g'00 . 4
1:1114*41',00454V414144***irM1 '4C1
Mae whoa ia ntrealece Man bel 4glereb
gaipt hiea.
"Ixtmoe me, oir," field tho, otrau,l,
or.
"Net a a," ,qoreurorod I.Boul-
ez 1r watch is tare mbar* faote,
you can See the ecurrect tine ley gig
gen,"
Lomer felt 4 hand ''.1;P into s
coat packet, awn like one hypnotized,
the Watch go heel to 47. G, Reeder'S
pocket. ,
"Over here r long?" asked
Reeder pleasantly.
"Why--yesd'
"It's a nig? time of the year." aar
Reeder removed his eyeglasses, rub-
bed them feebly on his sleeve arid re-
placed them crookedly. "gut the
country is not quite so beautiful as
Canada the fall. How is Leoni?"
Art Lomer did not faint; he =ey-
ed slightly and blinked hard, as if he
were trying to wake up. Leoni was
the proprietor of that little restaur-
ant in Bu alo which was the advaac-
ed base of those operations so pro•
fitable to Art and his friends.
"Leo*? Say, mister--"
"And the troupe—are they per-
forming in England or--er—restin?
I think that is the word."
Art gaped at the other. On .Mr.
Reederas face was an expression of
solicitude and inquiry. It was as
though the well-being of the troupe
was an absorbing preoccupation.
"Say listen—" began Art husk-
ily.
Before he could collect his thoughts,
Reeder was crossing the road with
nervous glances left ana right, his
umbrella gripped tightly in his hand.
"I guess Pm crazy," said Mr.
Lomer, and walked back very slowly
to where he had left his anxious
cicerone.
"No—he got away before I could
touch him," he said briefly, for he had
his pride. "Come along, we'll get
some eats, it's nearly twel "
He put his hand to his pocket, but
his watch was gone! So also was
the expensive platinum albert. Mr.
Reeder could be heavily jocular on oc-
casions.
"Art Lomer—is there anything a-
gainst him?" asked the Director of
Public Prosecutions, whose servant
Mr. J. G. Reeder was.
"No, sir, there is no complaint here.
I have come into—er—possession of
a watch of his, which I find, by ref-
erence to my private file, was stolen
in Cleveland in 1921—it is in the po-
lice file of that date. Only—um—it
seems remarkable that this gentleman
should be in London at the end of the
tourist season."
The Director pursed his lips dub-
iously.
"M—m. Tell the people at the
Yard. He doesn't belong to us. What
is his speciality?"
"He is a troupe 'leader—I think
that is the term. Mr. Lomer was once
associated with a theatrical company
'n--er—a humble capacity."
"You mean he is an actor?" asked
the puzzled Director.
"Ye -es, sir; a producer rather than
actor. I have heard about his troupe
tharagh I have never had the pleasure
of seeing them perform. A talented
company."
He sighed heavily and shook his
head.
"I don't quite follow you about the
troupe. How did his watch come in-
to your possession, Reeder?"
Mr. Reeder nodded.
"That was a little jest on my part,"
he said, lowering his voice. "A little
jest."
The Director knew Mr. Reeder too
well to pursue the subject.
Lomer was living at the Hotel Cal -
fort, in Bloomsbury. He occupied an
mportant suite, for, being in the posi-
tion of a man who was after big fish
he could not cavil at the cost of the
ground bait. The big fish had bitten
much sooner than Art Lomer had dar-
ed to hope. Its name was Bertie
Claude Steffen, and the illustration
was apt for there was something very
fishlike about this young man with
his dull eyes and his permanently op•
ened mouth.
Bertie's father -was rich beyond the
dreams of actresses. He was a pot-
tery manufacturer, who bought cot-
ton mills as a side -line, and he had
made so much money that he never
hired a taxi if he could take a bus,
and never took abus if he could
walk. In this way he kept his liver
(to which he frequently referred) in
good order and hastened the degener-
ation of his heart.
Bertie Claude had inherited all his
father's meanness and such of his
money as was not left to faithful ser-
vants, orphan homes and societies for
promoting the humanities, which
meant that Bertie inherited almost
every penny. He had the weak chin
and sloping forehead of an undevelop-
ed intellect, but he knew there were
twelve pennies to a shilling and that
one hundred cents equalled one dol-
lar, and that is more knowledge than
the only sons of millionaires usually
acquire.
He had one quality which few would
suspect in him: the gift of romantic
dreaming. When Mr. Steffen was not
occupied in cutting down overhead
charges or speeding up production, he
loved to sit at his ease, a cigarette
between his lips, his eyes half closed
and picture himself in heroic situa-
tions. Thus, he would imagine dark
caves stumbled upon by accident, fill-
ed with dusty boxes bulging with
treasure; or he saw himself at Deau-
ville Casino. with immense piles of
mille notes before him, won from fab-
ulously rich Greeks, Armenians — in
fact, anybody who is fabulously rich
Most of his dreams were about money
in sufficient quantities to repay him
for the death chit* on his father's
estate which had ,been iniquitously
wrung from him by thieving revenue
officers. He was a very rich man, but
ought to be richer—this was his con-
sidered view.
His guide was a little dazed. When Bertie Claude arrived at the
"Does he wear st watch,? Sure!" Calfort Hiotel and was sheen), into
Mr. Art Loiter nodded. Art's private sitting -room, he stepped
'Wait, ---r11 'bring it back to you in into a world of heady romance. For
e minutes—Pm goin' to shove you the big table in the centre of the room
was eovered with specimens of quartz
rt was the maddest fool thing he of every grade, and they had been re-
d ever done in his life; he was in eorvered from a brand-new mine lo
ndon on business, and was jeopard- cated by Asst'mythieel brother and
ng a million dollars for the Rake of sited at a spot which was known only
reseeseee
,• ' ',„ . e'
, 2' thi 41°11tra'brar,Wit
eeeaee
040; bilopoNvinho
v9 JL4Pr friend 0% ,Deltee
ohgrag. 4potlyihis repo;
aPtAd4 1Pnu411 e
e :001npae/ it, but
Kr. Stat gaiseit#:Parnitte,Iituaes.
"Z thiols erelet ZMeiri's and it is une
neeefisareA for me tai you; that
11 do not Wend; ageglating a dollar
in this mine. :pOing up no
ey. What rat pro004'ed to do is ta.
use mer i ueleca in the Promotion for
a quid pro quo. Tem know what 'that
metana?"
"'Somothiug tur,Pol;.bing!" said Art
rely
and in this instance was net entir
wide of the murk,
"Well, no --stock ia the compels
Maybe PR take a dieectorship lia
when the money is lip and everythel
is plain sailing. I dean lend my an
to a—well, unknown quantity."
Art agreed,
"My friend has put up the money
he said easily. 44If that guy had a
other hundred dollars he'd have
the money in the world—he's t
rich. Stands to reason, Mr. Staffe
that I wouldn't come over here tryi
to get money from a gentleman w
is practically a stranger. We met
Canada—sure we did! But what
yeti know about me? I might be o
large crook—I might be a con man
anything!"
Some such idea had occurred to Be
tie Claude, but the very frankness
We, friend dispelled something of h
suspicions.
"I've often wondered since w
you must have thought of me, sitti
in a game with that bunch of thugs
Art went on, puffing a reflective ciga
"Bit I guess you said to yourse
'This guy is a man of the world—he
gotta mix.' An' that's true.
these Canadian mining camps yo
horn in with some real tough boys—
yes, sir. They're sumphf fierce."
"I quite understood the position,
said Eertie Claude, who hadn't.
flatter myself I know men. If
haven't shown that in `Homo Sum
then I've failed in expression."
"Sure," said Mr. Lomer lazily, an
added aeotheas "Sure!" to ram hon
the firsf. "That's a pretty good book
When you give it to me at King Ed
ward Hotel I thought it was sump'n
about arithmetic. But 'tis might
good poetry, every line startin' wit
big letters an' the end of every lin
sounding like the end word in th
line before. I said to my secretary
'That Mr. Steffen must have a brain.
How you get the ideas beats me
That one about the princess wh
comes out of a clam—"
"An oyster—she was the embodi
ment of the pearl," Bertie hastened
to explain. "You mean 'The White
Maiden'?"
Lomer nodded lazily.
"That was grand. I never read
poetry till I read that; it just made
me want to cry like a great big fool.
If I had your gifts I wouldn't be loaf -
in' round Ontario prospecting. No
sir."
"It is a gift," said Mr. Steffen af-
ter thought. "You say you have the
money for the company?"
"Every cent. I'm not in a position
to offer a single share-Lthat's true_
Not that you need to worry about
that. I've reserved a few frons pro-
motion. No, sir, I never had any in-
tention of allowing you to pay a cent.
He knocked off the ash of his cigar
and frowned.
"You've been mighty nice to me, Mr.
Steffen," he said slowly, "and though
I don't feel called upon to tell every
man my business, you're such a square
white fellow that I feel sort of con-
fident about you. This mine means
nothing."
Bertie Claude's eyebrows rose.
"I don't quite get you," he said.
Art's smile was slow and a little
sad.
"Doesn't it occur to you that if I've
got the capital for that property, it
was foolish of me to take a trip to
Europe?"
Bertie had certainly wondered why.
"Selling that mine was like selling
bars of gold. It didn't want any do-
ing; I could have sold it if I'd been
living in the Amaganni Forest. No,
sir, Pw
I'm here on business thatwould
make your hair stand up if you knew."
He rose abruptly and paced the
room with quick, nervous strides, his
brow furrowed in thought.
"You're a whale of a poet," he said
suddenly_ "Maybe you've got more
imagination than most people. What
does the mine mean for me? A few
hundred thousand dollars' profit." He
shrugged his shoulders. "What are
you doing on Wednesday?"
The brusqueness of the question
took Bertie Claude aback.
"On Wednesday? Well, I don't
know that I'm doing anything."
Mr. Lomer bit his lips thought-
fully.
"I've got a little house on the river.
Come down and spend a night with
me, and I'll let you into a secret that
these newspapers would give a million
dollars to know. If you read it in a
book you wouldn't 'believe it. May -
he one day you can write it. It would
take a man with your imagination to
put it over. Say, I'll tell you now,"
And then, with some hesitation, Mr.
Lamer told his story.
"Politics, and all that, I know noth-
ing about. There has been a sort of
revolution in Russia hy all accounts,
and queer things have been happen -
in'. I'm not such a dunce that I don't
know that. 'My interest in Russia
was about the same as yours in Pik-
etown, Saskatchewan. But 'about six
months ago I got in touch iwith a
couple of iRusskis. They carneeaout of
the United States in a hurry, with a
sheriff's posse behind them, and I
happened to be staying on a farm
near the border when thea turned up.
And what do you think they'd been
doing?"
Mr. Steffen shook his head.
Y.
ter,
me
,P4
all
hat
ho
in
do
ons
Or
r-
of
is
hat
n'
,91
r.
12,
's
n
11
'
d
e
e
e
0
"Peddling emeralds," said the other
soberly.
"Emeralds? Peddlings? What do
you mean—Lying to sell emeralido?"
Art nodded.
"Yes, sir. One h a paper bag
full of ka, nill oio. oo. 1 bought the
lot for tWelve thoefsaald dells, took
'em down to Vrorito and got them
valued t eormething makes a million
&llama •
Bertie Claude was lie ninff open-
e'aaanaadaaa . eee•
•
AY
$41•nkifi 4
r4or$,, E.iletOggV,04 64:
Chrlf$kriwhile44,11,0.
deAgn, -is a dilstinct departure fro:433'ri�i
oerormne. 4. They recoanize m Chrysler, fmr;
.
• • !
enoleering ii revplutiorwrif 44 the develaPale0' Or.
HO
When an unknownmotor car sets
as Chrysler did—to grasp the leadership
of a great industry, and with the speed
of a meteor, sweeps to a foremost posi-
tion' mni popularity and sales, it must
possess extraordinary Ruality and ability.
When the first Chrysler car was placed
on exhibition five years ago, the whole
industry looked in amazement at velsat
Walter P. Chrysler had accomplished,
ithin four years, Chrysler had leaped
to third place in the industry.
How has Chrysler done it? What is the
secret of this success? Simply that
Chrysler gave in the beginning—each
year since has given increasingly—and
ee
teglay gives la Still geeairer MeeSieree*
not only a filer grade' of baoic quality
hut a higher order of permanceo
beauty, stylporer, aceleratiouo. saf49
co Dm on—n at most reasonaMe prices.
Such weenig suCcess must prove
inevitably to the buyer of a aarysiercaz
today that be can conant on the most
advanced, the soundest, the safest and
the most satisfying motor transportation
his money can coas-ingmol. Leins prove
these facto in ademonstmtion.
CHRYSILED"75"-611.985 20305--1EiighttBooly
Styles. Clt-EitYSILS12. "65"--e1$1325 to $1440—
She Body. Styles. 411prices jr. o. b. '11'imisorp
Oratorio, socludisv standard facpory equipoorae
ffreight awe/ tastes =aro).
3 0 3
CP-42YSLIER MOTORS PRODUCT
mo Ament SeEforth
OFFICE AT SUPERTEST STATION AND SHOW ROOM
THE CANADIANUILT CHRYSLER
n1,
FOR CANADIANS
mouthed.
"These fellows had come from Mos-
cow. They'd been peddlin' jewellery
for four years. Some broken down
Prince was acting as agent for the
other swells -1 didn't ask questions
too closely, because naturally l'm not
inquisitive."
He leant forward and tapped the
other's knee to emphasize his words.
"The stuff I bought wasn't a twen-
tieth of their stock. I sen e them back
to Russia for the rest of tk loot, and
they're due here next week."
"Twenty million dollars!" gasped
Bertie Claude. "What will it cost
you?"
"A million dollars—two hundred
thousand pounds. Come down to my
place et Marlow, and I'll show you
the grandest emeralds you ever saw
—all that I've got left, as a matter
of fact. I sold the biggest part to a
Pittsburg millionaire for—well, I
won't give you the price, because you'll
think I robbed him! If you like any
stone you see—why, I'll let you buy
it, though I don't want to sell. Natur-
ally, I couldn't make profit out of a
friend."
Bertie Claude listened, dazed, while
his host catalogued his treasures with
an ease and a shrewd sense of ap-
praisement. When Mr. Steffen let his
friend's room, his head was in a
whirl, though he experienced a be-
wildered sense of familiarity with a
situation which had often figured in
his dreams.
As he strode through the hall, he
saw a middle-aged man with a flat-
topped felt hat, but beyond noticing
that he wore a ready-made cravat,
that his shoes were square -toed and
that he looked rather like a bailiff's
officer, Bertie Claude would have pass-
ed him, had not the old-fashioned gen-
tleman stood in his way.
"Excuse me, sir. You're Mr. Stef-
fen, are you not"
"Yes," said Bertie shortly.
"I wonder if I could have a few
moinnts' conversation with you on—
er—a matter of some moment?"
Bertie waved an impatient hand.
"I've no time to see anybody," he
said brusquely. "If you want an ap-
pointment you'd better write for it."
And he walked out, leaving the sad -
looking man to gaze pensively after
him.
Mr. Lomer's little house was an is-
olated stone bungalow between Mar-
low and the Quarry Wood, and if he
had sought diligently, Mr. Isomer
could not have found a property more
suitable for his purpose. Bertie
Claude, who associated the river with
sunshine and flannelled ease, shivered
as he came out of the railway sta-
tion and looked anxiously up at the
grey sky. It was raining steadily,
and the station cab that was waiting
for him dripped from every surface.
"Pretty beastly month to take a
bungalow on the river," he grumbled.
Mr. Lomer, who was not quite cer-
tain in his mind what was the ideal
month for riverside bungalows, a-
greed.
"It suits me," he said. "This house
of mine has got the right kind of
lonesomeness. I just hate having
people looking over me."
The road from the station to the
house followed parallel with the line
of the river, Staring out of the
streaming windows, Mr. Staffera saw
only the steel -grey of water and the
damp grasses of the meadows through
which the road ran. A quarter e an
hour's drive, however, brought them
to a pretty little cottage which stood
in a generous garden. A bright fire
burnt in the hall fire -place, and there
was a general air of cosiness and
comfort about the place that revived
Bertie's flagging spirits. A few sec-
onds later they were sitting in a half-
thnhered dining room, where tea had
been laid.
Atmosphere has an insensible ap-
peal to most people, and Bertie found
himself impressed alike by the snug-
ness of the place and the unexpected
service, for there was a trim, pretty
waiting maid, a sedate, middle-aged
butler, and a sober -faced young man
in footman's livery, who had taken
off his wet mackintosh and had rub-
bed his boots dry before he entered
the dining -room.
"No, the house isn't mine: it is one
I always hire when I'm in England,"
said Mr. Lomer, who never told a
small and unnecessary lie; because
small and unnecessary lies are so
easily detected. "Jenkins, the butler,
is my man, so is the valet; the other
people I just hired with the house."
After tea he showed Bertie up te
his bedroom, and, opening a drawer
of his bureau, took out a small steel
box, fastened with two locks. These
he unfastened and lifted out a shal-
low metal tray covered with a layer
of cotton -wool.
"You can have any of these that
take your eye," he said. "Make me
an offer and I'll tell you what they're
worth."
He rolled back the cotton -wool and
revealed six magnificent stones.
"That one?" said Mr. Lomer, tak-
ing the largest between his finger
and thumb. "Why that's worth six
thousand dollars—about twelve hun-
dred pounds. And if you offered me
that sum for it, I'd think you were
a fool, because the only safe way of
getting emeralds is to buy 'em fifty
per cent. under value. I reckon that
cost me about"—he made a mental
calculation—"ninety pounds."
Bertie's eyes shone. On emeralds
he was something of an expert, and
that these stones were genuine, he
knew.
"You wouldn't like to sell it for
ninety pounds?" he asked carelessly.
Art Lomer eilook his head.
"No, sir. I've gotta make some
profit even from my friends! let
you have it for a hundred."
Bertie's hand sought his inside
pocket.
"No, I don't want paying now. What
do you know about emeralds anyway?
They might he a clever fake. Take it
up to town, show it to an expert
"Pll give you the cheque now"
"Any time will do."
Art wrapped up the stone carefully,
put it in a small box and handed it
to his companion.
"That's the only one I'm going to
sell," he explained as he led the way
back to the dining -roam.
Bertie went immediately to the
small secretaire, wrote the cheque and,
tearing it out, handed it to Mr. Lom-
er. Art looked at the paper and
frowned.
"Why, what do I do with this?" he
asked. "I've got no bank account
here. AII my money's in the Associ-
ated Express Company."
"Pll make it .'pay bearer,'" said
Bertie
Still Mr. Lomer was dubious.
"Just write a note telling the Presi-
dent, or whoever he is, to cash that
little bit of paper. 1 hate Inks aaer-
way."
The obliging Bertie Claude aeriabled
the necessary note. When this' was,
done, Bertie came to busines, for he
was a business man.
"Can I come in on this jewel deal?"
Art Lomer shook his head reluct-
antly.
"Sorry, Mr. Staffen, but that's al-
most impossible. I'll be quite frank
with you, because I believe in straight-
forward dealing. When you ask to
come in on that transaction, you're
just asking me for money!"
Bertie made a faint noise of pro-
test.
"Well, that's a mean way of putting
it, but it comes to the same thing. I've
taken all the risk, I've organized the
operation—and it's cost money to get
that guy out of Russia: aeroplanes •
and special trains and everything. I
just hate to refuse you, because I like
you, Mr. Staffen. Maybe if there's
any little piece to which you might
take a fancy, Pll let you have it at a
reasonable price."
Bertie thought for a moment, his
busy mind at work.
"What has the deal cost you up to
now?" he asked.
Again Mr. Lomer shook his head.
"It doesn't matter what it's cost me
—if you offered me four times the
amount of money I've spent—and that
would be a considerable sum—it could
not let you in on this deal. I might
go so far as giving you a small in-
terest, but I wouldn't take 'money for
that."
"We'll talk about it later," said
Bertie, who never lost hope.
The rain had ceased and the setting
sun flooded the river with pale gold,.
and Bertie was walking in the garden
with his host, when from somewhere
above them came the faint hum of an
aeroplane engine. Presently he saw
the machine circling and disappearing -
behind the black crown of Quarry
Wood. Ile heard an exclamation from
the man at his side and, turning, saw
Art's face puckered in a grimace of
annoyance and doubt.
(Continued next week.)
You can tell the ancient buildings
were much better constructed than
modern ones; they've lasted so much
longer.—Brandon Sun.
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