Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-15
yer that I can hardly stand"

about this boy
"Theres no more to see now. II We
place That's the way out"
O'Brien was deeply offended by the
language used beneath n roof hallowed
by the name of Mary Arson. The
slehtseer had TO go. and quickly. An
other commissionnaire. who was OBJ
serving them from distance. came I'D
nnd asked O'I,ricn what the stranger
was talking about.
aye nivver heard SIGH blaggard,"
said the old man Indignantly. II was
In the middle Of tcllin' him about Mr..
Philip when he began to curse like
oud Nick himself"
In the Mile End road the rawboned
person who betrayed such excitement
found the policeman awaiting him.
He sprnng on to bus and purposclv
glared at the officer in way to attract
his attention. When Mt safe dis
| tancc he put his fingers to his nose.
! The constable smiled.
~ knew | was right" he said. 81
don't need to look twice Mt that sort
of customer"
And he entered the Mary Arson
home again to ask the porter what had
taken place.
| It was m easy matter for Jocly
| Mason, released from Portland prison
on ticket of leave, after serving the
major portion of n sentence Of four
teen years penal scrvitude-the man
he assaulted had died. and the ex-
! o,,.1,. 4,
to ascertain the salient facts of Phil
! ip Anson's later career.
| 1t was known to most men. He was
| biogranhed briefly in who's Who"
and had often supplied material for a
column of gossip in the newspapers
Every free library held books contain
ing references to him.
1t was quite impossible that the
source of his great wealth should re-
| main hidden for all time. In one way
and another it leaked out, and he be-
| came identified with the ragged youth
who created sensation in the dock of
! the Clerkenwell police station.
But this was years later and the
clever manipulation of Mr.. Abingdon
Us his estate agent. and OF Mr.. Isaac
stein, as his representative in the dia-
mond trade, completely frustrated all
attempts TO measure the true extent
of the neteors valuc.
For now Philip owned a real dia-
mond mine in South Africa he had a
fine estate in Sussex, house in Park
lane, superb seagoing yacht, a col
liery in Yorkshire and vast sums in
vested in land and railways. The
latent value of his gems had been con
verted into money earning capital.
| Mr.. Abingdon proved himself to be
very able business man. When the
administration of Philips revenue be-
! came too heavy task for his naided
shoulders, he organized q capital es-
! tate office, with well trained lawyers,
engineers and accountants TO conduct
! its various departments, while he kept
up an active supervision of the whole
until Philip quilted his university and
was old enough TO begin to bear some
portion of the burden.
| They agreed to differ on this mpor-
| tant question. Philip was fond of
travel and adventure. With great diff
ficulty his guardian kept him out of
the army, but compromised the matter
by allowing the young millionaire to
roam about the odd corners of the
world in his yacht for eight months Of
the year, provided he spent four
months OF the season in London and
Sussex attending to affairs.
| In this month Of April he was living
in his town house. In July he would
go to Fairfax Hail. in August to Scot
land and month later would joyfully
| fly to the Forth, where the Sea Maiden
awaited him.
This lady, whose waist measured
eighteen feet across and whose length
was seventy feet. with Il fine spread
Of canvas and auxiliary steam, was the
only siren able to charm him.
He was tall now and strongly built,
with something of the naval officer in
his handsome, reeou;.. face and we'll
set up figure AS hobby lie had TAX.
en- out a master mariners certificate.
and he could navigate his own ship in
the teeth of IN Atlantic gale. lie loved
! 10 surround himself with friends most
| ~ oxford men Of his year, but he sci
dom entertained ladies, either on board
the Sea Maiden or in either Of his two
fine mansions.
lie avoided society In its general nc
ceptance refused all Ovortures 10 mix
In politics. took keen delight in using
his great wealth to alleviate distress
anonymously and carmel a deserved
| reputation as "near" anon" the few
match making mammaS who managed!
TO make his acquaintance.
In other respects as the boy was 50
was the MANTLE same downright
character, the same steadfast devotion
to his mothers memory, the same re.
lentless adherence 10 course already
decided on and the same whole hearted
reciprocity of friendship.
AS he stood in his drawing room be-
fore dinner on the evening of the day
| Jocky Mason revisited the locality. il
not the surroundings. of his capture
| Philips strong face wore an unwonted
expression of annoyance. lie walked
to and fro from end to end Of the beau.
tfu! room, pausing each time he reach
Ell the window to gaze out over the
park.
servant, who entered for the pur.
pose of turning on the electric lights
and lowering the blinds, was hidden nj
most impatiently to wait until Philip
and his guests were at dinner.
telegram came Arson Onpned a