The Tomahawk., 1903-10-16
but keenest and closest amongst them
was Mr. Fillingham himself

S1Ou dllSE uluISI OPCA I4e1A W4uS anu
'cigars of these birds of a feather that
Phyllis was to forsake the paternal
nest and take that flight which should
make OF. mar her future happiness.
Medway himself, entering by a side
door Of the conservatory, was to meet
her and lead the way to the waiting
carriage. <.
The details had been carefully
planned and, adhering closely to these
arrangements, Midway foNnd himself
in the conservatory at eight o'clock on
the evening of the dinner. Five min
utes later, approaching with a quick,
soft tread in the semi-darkness, came
Phyllis, true to her tryst.
Springing forward, Medway c1asped
her hands in his.
sDarling!" he whispered, joyfully.
Then, amidst his elation and the trem-
bling fears of Phyllis, they drew sharp
ly up. Ahead from side doorway
leading to the main passage Of the
conservatory, down which they must
pass to escape, came Mr.. Fillingham's
voice. rs
''This way, Foxbrook," they heard
him say. "We shall be undisturbed
here"
Still holding Phyllis hands, Medway
drew her swiftly and silently beneath
the cover of some thick palms and
shrubs which bordered the passage,
and he had barely done so when Mr..
Fillingham and FOxbrook, a co-di-
rector, and the vice chairman of Mr..
Fillingham's great land syndicate, took
their seat on a low iron bench not
three yards away.
"What is the news, FoxbTook ?"
asked Mr.. Fillingham, eagerly.
Rather important to you," declared
Foxbrook in his cool, deliberate way;
Indeed to all of us in the syndicate.
I have just learnt from Bencher that
the new loop line will to a certainty
go through Darnley and tap the full
length Of the Irwe1l Hall estate. He
advises me, too, that we have no time
to waste if the deal is to be worked,
and we must buy the Irwell people up
without an hours delay"
Decidedly" declared Mr.. Filling
ham. did you call on Mullitt and
Fudge, the agents?"
II did," replied Foxbrook, slowly.
"And informed them we were disposed
to treat for the estate if it were cheap.
But we are too late"
"Too late!" cried Mr.. Fillingham.
'That bland fool old Mullitt, who
evidently knows nothing yet" rejoined
FoxbroolS, Uniformed me they would
have been glad to treat with the sym
,dicate, but they had granted an option
of purchase to person who hoped to
find buyer within the present month,
provided his efforts were guaranteed
by the option of the acceptance or re-
fusal of the estate for $4,000 up to
the 3Oth.'
An angry exclamation came from
Mr. Fillingham, and in the darkness
Midway gripped Phyllis hard tighter.
"Good heavens!" cried the financier.
"Why the estate has gone a-begging
for months, and must be trebled in
value if Bencher is right. Who is the
man? Can he have got wind of the
thing?"
"That remains to be seen," declared
Foxbrook. "You know him pretty
we'll. 1t is young Medway, who was
connected with us in that small af-
fair"
'Medway!" gasped Mr.. Fillingham.
"Your Medway," declared Foxbrook,
half satirically, "who was after your
daughter. I could never understand
why you threw such promising young
fellow over"
"And you say he has the option to
purchase for 100000 within the
month"; asked Mr.. Fillingham.
'Why, the estate is worth 100000 of
any mans money if Bencher's infor-
nation proves reliable"
''More," rejoi1Sed Foxbrook, calmly.
"And Bencher is beyond doubt"
"Well, we must see Medway," as
serted Mr.. Fillingham.
Foxbrook laughed quietly
after kicking him out?" he in
quired, facetiously.
"This thing is, of course, purely
business matter" replied Mr. Filling
ham. "And from what know of Med
way he will treat it as such. He is
poor enough. It is more than probable
that he knows nothing Of the real
state of affairs and is just dabbling to
make a small commission. We must
see him at once before he gets wind
of it's real value. Though, of course,
he is without money to buy himself"
"Pish!" said Foxbrook, contemptu
ously, "he will have dozen offers
within the week unless we secure him
before the rush-Steinway Goldthorpe,
Phillipson and a score of others will
be anxious to snap it up when the news
is known Bencher gives us only three
or four days before the cat is out of
the bag. But l have my doubts of
young Midway. 1t seems odd he
should have got control of the estate
Just at this juncture. We must get in
touch with him at once. Not a min
ute should be lost in the morning,
+ V,o,,cf rnOvo ooufinuS1v -