The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-07-31
CHAPTER xx-fcontinued,)

CHAPTER xx-(Continued.)
Maxwell now Sir Maxwell Sister
son, Bart, had much to think of that
night. He was now head of the great
Sisterson business in England and
half dozen other countries-a source
Of fabulous wealth and, through
wealth, of power And he was still a
very young man. What might he not
do with this powerful engine at his
command? What might he not be-
come? His deepest ambition was to
be the leading financier, the richest
man in England, and he saw no reason
why this ambition should be baked.
And yet he was uneasy that night.
For one thing, he did not know what
were the terms of his fathers will,
but doubtless the will was in the
hands of Sir Johns solicitors in Lin
coin Inn-Edwards, Ball & Edwards;
he would communicate with them
next day. OF course, the bulk of Sir
Johns enormous fortune would be left
to him; his mother and Mary would
be handsomely provided for, there
would be requests and legacies, but
these would only represent a small
part of his fathers vast accumula-
tions. Thus he unused, and then he
reflected that it was possible that the
packet Sir John had entrusted to
Mary might contain WILL and his I'M
easiness increased.
He must obtain possession of that
will somehow. Mary, he remembered,
had talked of going to the Anato-
witches, and she would hardly change
her mind; she would go, probably, al
most at once. When she had gone the
little matter of getting a signature
sufficiently like hers to pass muster
with the bank authorities could be at
tended to without delay And she was
taking Christahel with her. Well,
why not? he asked himself.
His fancy for the pretty nurse had
decidedly cooled 1t had come quick
ly and it went as quickly; it now
seemed to him preposterous thing
that he had ever offered to marry her,
and yet she knew too much. Some
time or other she would tell Norman
Forde what she had learned about Sir
John. Still, why should he care? His
position, the position of the Sisterson
business, was legally unassailable.
But was it? Perhaps legally it was,
and yet it would not do to let tales
get about so long as William Cross
was alive.
1t was necessary still to keep
watch over Christabel until she was
out of the country. If she went with
Mary she would be silent. And as
for this absurd idea of making restitu-
ton to the Forbes, it was easy for the
present to put the matter off on the
plea that it would take a long time to
realize Sir Johns estate, and until
that was done nothing could be set
tied; that was simple enough and
would serve. But he wished with all
his heart that Christabel William
Cross, and the packet of papers were
out of existence, for they troubled
him sorely.
Such were his thoughts that night.
Next morning all the world knew
that Sir John was dead.
The telegraph flashed the news to
every corner of the earth, for where
was it that "Sisterson's cement" was
not known? The London newspapers
contained lengthy and laudatorv &C
counts of Sir Johns life, marked ~
even more than their usual air of
Omniscence. He was extolled by them
great captain of industry, a great man
OF business, a great financier, a great
benefactor Of his kind-everything
about him was great.
Some of the journals-those in
close touch with Lord Meldon and the
Carlton club, it may shrewdly be sus-
pected-said it was understood that it
had been decided just before the mo-
tor car accident that further sign of
the royal favor was to have been con-
ferred upon him, and everybody
guessed without difficulty that peer
age had been in store for him.
The papers dilated-for, after all,
they could not Say very much about
Sir John personally-on the greatness
u eaS oiSlCAoou UuSAIlCSS, IIGy spoke
Of the great central Office in London,
Of the great branches of the great
firm in France, Germany, Austria,
Russia, Italy and the United States,
representing a total capital of many
millions. Never had there been any
greater success than that of Sir John
Sisterson!
All these things and more did the
press say Of Sir John. 1t was what all
the world said.
1t was enough. could such things be-
to make Thomas Forde, sometime
partner of John Sisterson, rise from
the dead. But the dead rise not--they
sleep well. Sir John sisterson, too
slept well.
CHAPTER XXI.
A Lovers Parting.
lis my brother in, Billy?" asked
Christabel of the Office how in Jovc1