The Washington herald., 1908-03-15
THE PAUPER
PARK LANE
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Outsider.

street, city passing from the Royal EX-
change to Liverpool street station. stands
q dark and dingy building, with row Of
four windows looking upon the street.
On a duh day, when the green-shaded
lamps are lii within, the passer-by
catches glimpses Of rows Of clerks, seated
at desks. porting over ledgers. At the
counters is a continual coming and going
OF clerks and messengers. and notes and
gold are received in and paid out con-
stantly until the clock strikes T. Then
the big. old doors are closed and upon
them is seen a brass plate, with the let
tering almost worn off by continual pol
ishing, bearing the words "Statham
Brothers"
Beyond the counter, through a small
wicket. is the managers room-large. but
gloomy, screened from the public office,
and lit summer and winter by artificial
light In "A corner is a safe for books,
and at either end big writing tables In
that scmber room deals" representing
thousands upon thousands were often
made, and through its door, alasl many
a man who finding himself pressed. had
gone 10 the firm for financial aid and
been refused. had walked out a bankrupt
and ruined
Ivy NNAiA Aiif ltAttAldSNi INOlM WAS a mar
row, dark passage. at the end OF which
\ was a door marked Private" and within
that private room punctually at IL
O'Clock, three mornings after Rolfe's con-
versaton with Macgregor. old Sam Stat
ham took his seat in the shabby writing
chair from which the stuffing protruded.
About the great fnancier's private room
there was nothing palatial II was so
dark that artificial light had to be used
always The desk was an old-fashioned
mahogany one of the style OF half a cen
tury ago. a thTeadbare carpet. two or
three old horsehair chairs. and upon the
green-painted wall a big date calendar
such as bankers usually use. while be-
meath it was a card. printed with old
Sans motto:
TINE FLIES; DEATH URGES"
That same motto was over every clerks
desk, and. because of IT. some wag had
dubbed the great fnancier 'Death-head
Statham."
AS he sat beneath the lamp at his desk.
old Sans appearance was almost as pre-
seatable as that Of his clerks. Levi al
ways smartened his master up on the day
he went into the city, compelling him to
wear frOck coat, light vest a decent
pair Of trousers and a proper cravat. In
stead of the bit of greasy black ribbon
which he habitually wore.
And how much have we gained over
the Pehin business, Ben?' Mr.. Samuel
was asking of the man who. though
slightly younger. was an almost exact
replica of himself. slightly thinner and
taller Benjamin Statham. Sans brother
was the working. manager of the concern.
and one of the smartest financiers in the
whole city Of London. He was standing
with his back 10 the fireplace. with his
hands thrust deep in his trousers pockets.
-Ah,' he laughed. when I first sug-
gested Il you wouldn't touch It., Didn't
care for Chinese business. and all that!
You'd actually see the French people go
and take the plums right from beneath
our nOses-and-"
Enough. Ben. I own I was a little
shOrt-sighted in that matter Perhaps the
details you sent me were not quite clear.
At any rate" he said. Il was mistaken.
for you say We've made a profit How
much?7
Twelve thousand; and not cent Of
hazardous risk"
How did We first hear Of the bust
ness?''
Through the secret channel IN Paris"
The woman
Yes"
Better send her something"
How much? She's rather hard up,
hear"
Women like her are always hard up"
srowled old sam. Leave il 70 me. I'll
get Rolfe to send her something to-mor-
row"
Il promised her a couple Of hundred
YOu mustn't send her less. or we shall
Iueer business for the future"
Il shall send her five hundred re-
spOnded the head Of the firm shes a
Very useful WOman-and pretty too. Ben
ner automobile at the Elysee Palace
about eighteen months ago. and was
much struck with her. she knows every
Body in Paris, and can get any informa-
ION she wants from her numerous male
admirers"
She's we'll paid-gets thousand a
year from u.s." Ben remarked.
And We sometimes make twenty out
u the secret information she obtains for
as laughed Old Sam Remember the
Morocco business. and how she gave US
the complete French programme which
she got from young Delorme, at the Quai
dOrsay. We were as much in the dark
AS the newspapers till then, and If We
hadn't have got at the French intentions
we should have made a terribly heavy
loss. As it was. we left it to others-who
went under"
She got an extra five hundred as a
present for that" Ben pointed out.
And it was worth it."
''Delorne doesn't know who gave the
game away 60 us If he did, it would be
the worse for her daintiness''
NO doubt II would. But she's a fly
bird. and as only you and 1 and Rolfe
know the truth. she's pretty confident
that she'll never be given away
shes in town-at Claridge'S-just now.
so you need not write her TO Paris. She
asked me to call the night before last.
and I went" said Ben "She wanted to
get further instructions regarding a mat
ter about which 1 wrote her. I dined
with her"
Sam grunted as ho turned slightly in
his chair.
Rather undesirable company eh, Benz"
he exclaimed. with some surprise Sup
pose you were seen by any one who
knows her? And recollect that all Paris
knows her 1t is scarcely compatible with
our standing in the city for you to be
seen in her company
My dear Sam. ] took very good care
not 20 be seen IN her company. I'm not
quite a fool I accepted her invitation
with a distinct purpose. l wanted to
question her about one of her friends-a
man who may in future prove of cOnsid-
erabIe use 10 us. He's, as usual. In love
with her. and she can twist him inside
out"
''Ah. any mans a fool who allows him
self TO fall under the fascination of a
woman's smiles" remarked the cry-as-
dust old millionaire We've been wise.
Ben. to remain bachelors. It's the un-
married who taste the good things Of this
world
Benjamin sighed, but said nothing. He.
like Sam himself had had his lova ro