Young Lord Stranleigh

taken in conjunction with the lack of all interest displayed in the smoking room when he entered, caused him to realize that he had never been missed, and this indifference keeps a man from becomi

smoking room itself that he experienced the unaccustomed, but rather enjoyable feeling of being a wild and woolly pioneer, who had strayed by mistake into a stronghold of fashionable civilization. The dining room being for

f the shirt front. "Remember me telling you last week that

information from you," replied Stranlei

, the race isn't

on, I had forgo

thing. Don't you give it away, but act on the hint, and you won't be sorry. Odds are twenty-

ry attract

hy, it's simpl

on of toil trying to pick up an honest living. Why don't you follow my example, Billy, and do something useful? This deplorable habit of betting on

n through a large patrimony left him by his father, and since that time had develope

l next Monday, there's a good fellow. That sum will bring me in six hundred and twenty-five pounds before to-morrow n

hem, and passed them on to Sir William, who thus getting five pounds more than he had asked for, lovingly fingered the tena

and sandwiches were not a very inspiring meal at the end of it. "Don't trouble about that. If you take another sheet

hen the ease with which he had made the haul seemed to stir up

ne more ten-pound note, the whole loot will be an even thousand at twenty-five to one, you

a thousand, then, as you say, it would be a pity to miss such an opportunity. Well

gainst accommodating him with the so-called loan. The sight of the other's notes now returning to his pocket filled hi

ay a bit on for you, so far as Flying Scu

e you. I intend to put on some money,

g?" cried Sir William in alar

have that forty pounds back on Monday, without troubling you, except by betting against y

"this is dear old London again, sure en

legram from Mackeller. That capable young man had sent his message from the northwest corner of Brittany, having ordered the Rajah to be run into the roadstead of Brest. The communication informed Stranleigh that Mackeller had hoisted up a portion of the cargo, and placed it aboard a lugger, which was to sail

. Stranleigh was afflicted with a certain dislike of the telephone, and often manifested an impatience with its working which he did not usually show when confronted with the greater evils of life, so after telling the good Mr. Schwartzbrod to stand farther away from the transmitte

ing a little anxious because of the nonarrival of the Rajah at Lisbon, where, doubtless, his emissaries awaited her. In spite of his pretense of misapprehension, he had heard quite distinctly at the telephone receiver that Schwartz-brod had just learned he was the owner of the Rajah, and that he wished to renew his charter of that sl

ed him instead in the ample and luxurious drawing-room on the first floor, where Stranleigh, enjoying the liberty of a bachelor, was smoking an afte

news which had reached him from Sparling & Bilge in Southampton, that Lord Stranleigh was the new owner of the Rajah, had disquieted Schwartzbrod, and his manner showed

2

younger man. "You miss a great deal o

tobacco might suppose. I lead a very busy life, and, indeed, a somewhat anxious one, since times are so bad in the

You go in for the big things in li

ty, my lord, that I have alway

the same confession. So times

they

city, and come and live in the

pleases, my lord, but I have b

ever known the lack of it. I believe in honesty myself, and if I were not of so indolent a nature, I think I might perhaps have become an honest man. But a busy laborer like yourself, Mr.

eat deal of ple

ter which the telephone delighted in mixing up with buzzings and rattlings and intermittent chattering that made

ld field, which you know of, my lord, I charte

r. Roger was the word that came over to me, and 'Jolly Roger' means the flag of a pirate ship, or something pertaining to piracy, so I, recognizing your voice, thinks to myself: 'What, in the name of

in particular, as he sank back once more in his easy-chair, and again half closed his eyes, blowing the smoke of his cigar airily aloft. Presently, moistening his lips, Conrad Schwartzbrod fo

y in West Africa. That property having passed from the hands of myself and my associates into yours, my lord, I determined to employ the Rajah in the South American cattl

istened his lips when they had safely del

the Argentine Republic,

my l

ry, eh? Surely a remarkable cargo for a

ds, and as there are many mines in South America, we thought we co

Schwartzbrod, that you own large ranches

yes to half width, looking

t what, my lord?" mu

e in South America that you a

with apparent diffidence, "it is rarely w

into your secrets, but to tell the truth, I felt a l

on? What

ought I did. Now, in the company was vested the charter of the Rajah, and it was the company's money which bought all the materials with which you have s

that such a view could be held by any one, especial

shrugged hi

to look after my interests, it seems to me that sometimes they are not as sharp as they might be. I thought, after the acquisition of the company's property,

the bank was. But aside from all that, my lord, you gave me a document covering all that had been done previous to its signing, and the Rajah had sailed fro

ht the Rajah and her cargo was to be turned over to me. There, doubtless, I was mistaken. It seems to me after all, Mr. Schwartzbrod, that there is a higher criterion

lord, experience has shown that it is always well to set down in plain black and white exactly what a man means when a transfer is made, oth

ose necessary precautions which you have mentioned, so we will say nothing more about that phase of the matter, but you will easily

e charter distinctly states that I am to have the option of renewal

I take it, then, that my purchase of the Rajah does not inv

you buy a property, you ta

cation for renewal is a mere formality, agains

lain to you, my lord, that th

Sparling & Bilge made him acquainted with all the liabilities I was acquiring. If you insist on exercising your option, M

my lord. It is possible that, even before the first charter is completed, the Rajah may have returned to Southampton, and our experime

Mr. Schwartzbrod. By the wa

ort along the Argentine co

ps you can tell me

he mining engineer, so

ent him down to attend the loading of the Raja

ow nothin

ps he had sailed

e. Doesn't his fath

an I do. Just as much, or just as litt

loyee of min

he intended to quit my service. Probably he

valuable than young Mackeller, my lord. He alw

ed has not been conducive to the acquirement of the art of politeness. Still, as you say, there is no lack of mining

you in the selection, my lor

I suppose I shouldn't sign until my solicitors are consulted; still, I feel quite safe in your hands, Mr. Schwartzbrod

my lord," said the financier eager

anks. You go about fully equipped for business, Mr. S

things. He complained languidly of the obscure nature of the papers, and said it was no wonder lawyers were so much needed to elucidate them. Schwartzbrod put the papers in his pocket with a satisfaction he could scarcely conceal, then, standing up, he buttoned his coa

pected the Rajah from Li

was lighting another cigar, and did not look up at the ter

g to secure control of his featur

d she was at some point so

Buenos

of impatience as if he w

se foreign places up. I suppose it is because the Argentine Republic is one of

gal, my lord; the c

rid I was thinking of Madr

my l

n't a port

my

isbon on

ver Tagus,

I learned there. Well, good afternoon, Mr. Schwartzbrod. Anything else I can do for you, you know, don

and went down the stairs, at the bottom of which the silent Ponderby waited to open the door for him. When he reached the floor below Schwartzbrod cast one look over his shoulder up the stairs. The young man still stood on the landi

asy conscience, even in the city," said S

red the renewal of the charter without protest or investigation; uneasy regarding Stranleigh's apparently

om Lisbon?"

ode word. No sign of

all our agents along the Atlantic coast

after you left, from our man at Brest. I'd have tel

e," repeated Schwartzbrod impatiently. He c

Rajah Wilkie captain, in roadstead

was dreadful to hear, but his stolid clerk seemed used to it, and bent his h

hip, sir. Our man

f, for all his canting objections when we were striking a bargain. I don't believe Frowningshield's any better, and he's got more brains. They'll smelt the ore in France, after carrying it to some suitable spot along the coast in sailing boats.

ternoon were each in pursuit of her, moving westward; Schwartzbrod in his berth on board the St. Malo boat, Stranleigh in his berth on the Plymouth e

icion that the stop at Brest might put Conrad on the trail; but even if they had, they must have known that the arrival of the

ven of Portreath, within easy distance of the smelting furnace. The Rajah was unloaded with the utmost speed, and the ore conveyed as quickly as possible to the inclosure which surrounded the smelting furnace. Stranleigh thought it just as well to get his raw material under cover with the least possible delay, for, although Portreath was not a tourist center, one could never be quite certain that some s

equested this accountant to furnish him with a statement of profit and loss, so far as the mine was concerned. This statement he merely glanced at, saw with satisfaction that the working had resulted in a deficit, and put the document into his pocket. When the Rajah left Plymouth to worry her way round the toe of England to Portreath, Lord Stranlei

id not the slightest attention, but dawdled about, one of the men complained, as if he owned the place. At last the manager and Mackeller came out of the office together, and word was sent down the pit that all the miners were to come up. Ribald comment ceased, and an uneasy feeling spread among the employees that something unpleasant was about to happen. Their intuition was justified when all the men were gathered together, and the manager began to speak. He informed them that the reopening of the mine had been merely an experiment, and he regretted to add that this experiment had fai

unexampled. Each man was to receive a year's pay. At this announcement the gloom suddenly lifted, and a resounding cheer went up from the men. The manager added that he himself

gh is himself present, he will perhaps choose from

ckets, a cigarette between his lips, which nevertheless did not conceal the humorous smile with which his lordship regarded the six smelters, who were quite evidently panic-stricken to learn that they had b

"we will retain all six," and s

age made its last trip, and there, by torchlight, examined the workings, listening to explanations by Mackeller. When he reached daylight again he ordered the dismantling o

ts late occupant having taken his departure for the north. The six smelters were rude, unintelligent, uneducated men, w

o do with the gold in

placing them in a s

o its locks, bolts, and bars,

. "I shall leave the ingots open to the sky, witho

cried Mackeller. "Why, even the copper was protecte

his shoulders, and made no furth

ut a hundred pounds each. When the smelters had departed for th

'll show you my sa

of the ingots; still warm, walked to the

ple of his chief, until between them all the gold from the f

er had prepared, a telegram was brought in to Lord Stranleigh. The young man

der action of a man named Schwartzbrod. I am under arrest charged with stealing

cked her," ejaculated Peter

reperous men! Here are you constantly trying to involve me in a fight, and now here is Schwartzbrod entangling me in the meshes of the law, while, peaceful man that I am, I detest equally battles or lawsuits, but the righteous have always been

leigh retired t

to desert you. Continue the smelting as if we had not parted, and fling as many bars of gold down that pit as you can, thankful that for our purposes it is not

oing to Lo

self. I must foregather at Plymouth with some one learned in the law, and so disconcert, delay, annoy, and at least partially beggar that old thief Schwartzbrod; therefore, ta-ta, my son, and be as good

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