In Strange Company

are of his uncle, Sir Benjamin Plowden, of the East India Avenue, London, ￡200,000 in English gold, with

came from in the first instance; for the statement of its owner that he derived it from his silver mines and Hacienda properties is not worthy of a

f the dinner in his honour at the Whitehall Rooms as general manager, his career was one of exceptional brilliance. He it was who hit out the scheme which saved the Bank in the matter of the Bakell-Askern Syndicate; he it was who manipulated the Patagonian Bonds and the Golden Sunset Silver Mining Company to the Bank's

eparture for a brief holiday in the South of France. Covers were laid for a hundred guests, the chair being taken by the Right Honourable Lord Burgoo, Chairman of the Company. In proposing the toast of 'Their Guest,' the noble Chairman e

went into his study and lit a cigar. As every one had noticed that evening, he certainly looked as if he needed a holiday; his face was woefull

sardonically as the recollection of the evening's speeches crossed his mind. Then, throwing himself into a

side the grate. He pulled back the curtains, unbarred the shutters, and opened the window, lettin

, his ticket was taken, and he was biddi

d half-an-hour later, a course being set, she was bowling down Channel, bound for Buenos Ayres. It was peculiar that the captain invariably addressed his passenger as "Mr. Vincent." It was strange also that, for a voyage of such duration, he should have

harge of defrauding the Anglo-Kamtchatka Banking Company of ￡250,000. But so carefully had his plans been arranged, that not a trace of either the

s Ayres." But careful though he was not to excite attention, before he had been a week in his new abode he began to have suspicions that his secret was discovered. He fought against the idea with all his strength. But the more he struggled, the stronger it grew, till at last, unable to support his anxiety an

ehind; vague terrors of the Unknown beckoned him ahead; while treachery menaced him continually on either hand. When at last, more dead than alive, he arrived in Valparaiso,

lans were in active preparation for relieving him of his wealth. His enemies had fa

om any conscientious motives perhaps, but because he found himself in an awkward if not dangerous position. You see as far as his own personal feelings went he was still the respectable English banker, therefore to have assassination menacing him continually was a future he had certainly neither mapped out for himself nor was it one he w

ncealed the treasure they so cunningly contained under the floor of his room. This ex

as not as luxurious as the one to which he had been accustomed in his old house at Kensington, when to his horror he heard stealthy footsteps in the co

dshaw, I

was too terr

lling upon you on a little matt

eated himself on the bed. Bradshaw s

ly from Engla

last, and said the first t

h me? I cannot see yo

rrived in Buenos Ayres by the brig Florence Annie of Teignmou

e, tell me what

t your floor needs repairing sadly-it looks as if you've been di

want to

t fifteen years. Now, strangely enough, considering it has done everything for him, he detests Chili and the people with whom he has to associate, and he wants to return to England, where everybody hates him. What he would do if he got there I don't know, but he seems to think he might turn over a new leaf, marry, and settle down to a quiet country life. Perhaps he would;

ou tell me all this? Look here

eneath his coat. "I see you've got a Smith and Wesson in that

s pistol, which the other coolly exam

six thousand a year he might become a credit to his family. It is his only chance in life, remember, and if he doesn't want to go under for ever, he has to make the most of it. Meanwhile he has not been idle. To assist his fortunes, he

rt, he is watched continually, and on two occasions attempts are made to procure his money. By a mischance they fail. Suspecting something of the sort, he crosses the mountains into Valparaiso, and takes a house in the Calle de San Pedro. The Society's spies have followed his mov

, but he looked as if he

the money. You've robbed the fatherless and the widow to get here; why shouldn't I rob you to get there? You can't get out of this house alive, and if you remain in it they'll certainly kill you. There's a man watching you on the right, and just at present I'm supposed to b

d any, had quite deserted him. His visitor took a pack

u won't be able to look after your own interests. The stakes shall be as follows. If I win, I take the lot, the whole ￡250,000, or what there is left of it, and find my own way to get it out of the house. If you win, I pledge myself solemnly to assist you

hat right have you to

I'll give you half a minute, and if you don't cut

you no

Ah! you're going to,

leaf, Bradshaw

of He

ood to beat it. Great Jove, prosper me, yo

of S

f I'm destined to get much good out of it, does it? If I'd lost, I should certainly have shot myself befor

eforth call Marmaduke Plowden, set to work, and in ten minutes had Bradshaw's treas

re, and the money gone, they'll probably make things unpleasant for you. As for me, I've got to fi

om a letter written the next night (a copy of which we have already seen), and which, we know, left Chili by an English man-of-war. That a ca

ware that the Society (whose name had so much frightened Bradshaw), of which he was one of the executive, did not regard him with any extraordinary trust; and to leave the coun

ut lest he might be assassinated, while he dared not remain where he was for fear he might be murdered; he wa