New-York tribune., 1907-08-18
l 4

= shilling, f. the waiter as he passed out He bent
down in front of the motor car. started It. mounted
t. Bcakbanes habtual seat. and drove of with the
car which bv long the latter had almost come
t. regard aS his private property. \ turlong or 50
Of cautious avoidance OF cabs and vans. and ne
drew up in front OF the Courlander Building.
Standing for an instant the broad foot
path Maurice glanced up At the pile IN front OF
iin II was not immense. As size counted III
the newer crcctionS OF the city. but Il was Ger
talnlv the most sumptuous. and by lar the most
beautiful Office building between Temple Bar and
Adgate On the lett OF the man portal was cur yea
brass plate bearing IN quite small characters the
sole word "Couriander, and On the right was an
other plate exactly similar. There was no other
indication OF ownership.
Maurice climbed the seven marble steps leading
t. the level OF the central hall On side W1N the
underwriting department, on the other the south
was devoted 10 the bill dscountng department.
perhaps the most lucrative Of the tourl lander
activities He travcrscd the hall and took the
elevator to the second floor. where Oarls private
and inViolable office was located.
He went suddenly. IT We're with a brutal on
saught, into his father massive office. food
afternoon. gentlemen he SAID -
Three old grouped at the large oval
table under the central window. They were l'Idore
Antonio. manager OF the bill discountng depart
ment; Augustin, London, manager OF the under
writing department: and Jabcz Harris. manager
OF the South American department. Each seemed
to wait for his companions to speak The Queen
Anne clock over the wide arch OF the chimney
piece struck SIX
Il am half an hour late" said Maurice who had
beyond the edge of the Persian carpet into the
apartment He looked excessively young as he
faced the aged trIo.
Not at all, Mr. Maurice" said one Of his audi
ence lamey
And / cannot stop have to return to
the country instantly" he proceeded. Il had
meant to talk with YOU at length, doubt YOU
gathered from my telephone message But | must
be content simply to announce to you that under
my fathers will | the sole proprietor and
director of this house, and that intend to retire
at once. The business is to be wound up with the
least possible delay Kindly take the necessary steps
l shall be with YOU tomorrow 10 arrange details.
lit is to be sod?" Antonio tremblingly in
quired
Il will show YOU tomorrow that my dictionary.
being an expurgated edition, does not contain the
word but "
About the Morocco loan, Mr. Courlander?" haz-
arded Augustine London The papers ready
to be"
The Moroeeo loan will not 60 through-thaf
have communicated with Berlin
" Does Mr. Beakbane know" asked Harris.
Mr., Beakbane does not know. Mr. Beakbane
has left service.
And Maurice quilted them abruptly as he had
quilted Beakbane
He sat silent and contemplative in the tonneau
Dubois guided and urged the rapid car through
the northern skirts of London past Barnet into
Bedfordshire. In somewhat less than hour they
within a mile of the east lodge of Tudor
Hundreds. He tried to arrange his thoughts
but he could not. The truth was that he had
not yet begun to act from reason he was still
acting in obedience to profound and imperiouS in
StinCS. The terrific issues involved by his fathers
death, the manner and the horror of that death
the manifold OrdeaS OF the inquest, the secret and
disturbing appearances and disappearanCes of Sib-
thorpe and CarfaX, the enigma of the threatening
statue the SuSpclonS, the mysteries and the perlS
OF the s1tuatlon,-theSe things mingled together in
his mind like morose and heaving slate colored
Sea at twilight of a winters daV