The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-05-13

-II~ --=
CHAPTER V

A<pAu IL II DIcScub cAHCAl
encing a rather feverish time of it. This
being one of the last three shareholders
left in the Great Tontine'' is the largest
speculation he has ever embarked in. In
his racing days he had never stood TO
win so tremendous a stake as this. 1t
meant either fortune or ruin. A few
months might see him in possession of
eight thousand a year. Or deprived of the
very comfortable income MS dividend from
the big lottery afforded him.
lie went to the Vivacity Theater. and
was daily shown into the managers sane
tum. Good morning. Hemmingby," he
exclaimed as he entered Il lave come
down to have a chat with you, because
,ou know something about everybody"
We'll, l can't expect you to condole
with me for being at last out OF it. 1t
Is too much your interest for that; and
really thought, Viscount, | should have
outstayed you. But you have OF course
had your letter from the directors. inform
Ing you that my nominee has gone at
last. Well, can't complain: and have
bad my hundred back a good many times
lott of it."
Il want you to tell me something about
my two antagonists"
II can tell you very little about Miss
Caterham. She is maiden lady living
at Kew. and / know nothing further
about her beyond the fact that her nomi-
nee has been unaccountably missing FOR
the last two years. AS for Pegram. he is
lawyer down in North Wales. 1t was
[ induced him to take a share in it,
Its tremendous big stake TO be play
Ing for" observed Lord Lexington: "a
hundred and sixty thousand pounds. 1t
would be a nuisance to lose this income
now. l wonder whether it would be pos
sible to compromise. You know this law
yer fellow; you might sound him on the
subject for me-
III do that for you with pleasure, "
replied the manager. 81 often see him.
1 invested little money in Llanbarlym,
and occasionally go down to lock after
some house property l have got there.
His son, too, Bob Pegram. always gives
me a look in when he comes to town.
tell you what. Viscount. i never thought
Of it before, but the directors are about
right TO keep the nominees names a Sc
cret- It's a big pile, and the temptation
becomes rather powerful when you find
there is nothing but the life OF an old
man of eighty between you and hundred
and sixty thousand pounds"
What do you mean?"
why. that there are plenty OF men
wouldn't hesitate 10 choke the life out of
the poor old chap if they got a fair
chance. and could by so doing make GER
tain of landing the lot"
YES" rejoined the viscount az quite
IL -
the whole thing to conclusion in their
own favor would be irresistible. The
nominees must, at all events, feel easier
In their minds that their names are a
profound secret"
Lord Lexington walked away from the
Vivacity Theater considerably relieved In
bis mind by this new idea which had &C.
CURED to him. 1t was so clearly the best
thing TO do for both Of them, and the
more he reflected upon il the more con-
WINGED he became that the Welsh lawyer
must be quite as keen to come to an ar
rangement as himself. 1t was too horri-
BILE 10 think Of going back to those days
OF abject poverty which be experienced
before the ''Tontine" commenced paying
such great interest. He would have been
delighted could he have known that Mr..
Pegram is very ready to hear of a COM
promise but whether his lordship will be
quite as well pleased with the terms Of
that compromise is somewhat open to
question. Old Pegram has made it his
business for the last two or three years
DO pick up all he can about the share
holders still left in the lottery. No de-
tails about their past and present lives
Or ordinary habits are beneath his notice
and be would willingly have ascertained
the names of all the nominees had that
been possible. Lord Lexington, for in
gtance, would have been astonished had
be been made aware how much old Pc
gram knew concerning him. The old
Welsh solicitor. too. has ascertained a
great deal concerning Miss Caterha m
He had learnt, probably from Hemming-
BY. that her nominee was missing; and
no sooner did he find by the directors
letter that Hemmingby was no longer a
shareholder, than he told his son. with
grin, that it was time to take steps to
secure their share of the Inheritance.
"You see. Bob" said the old man
"there was nothing to be done till there
were only two or three of us left in.
am main glad that this Hemmngby is OH,
Oh L he - a sharp 1ellOW. anC
I had just as soon that he wasn't play.
Ing against me. Now, the first thing
to be done is to find out all about thi,
missing nominee. 1t is quite clear we
can't move a. step without that. Now
the best chance. in my opinion, Of get
ting at it is for you to call upon Miss
Caterham, boldly to introduce the subject
Of the 'Tontine' and the missing man. Of
course not discovering your own ignor
ance concerning him. Recollect this: she
Is a retired maiden lady and elderly. As
a rule they are laxative. Be excessively
polite and quiet in manner. l think
the odds are. Bob. that she blurts out
the name we want before ten minutes art
over"
Upon my word, believe you are
right. / suppose l had better call in ar
assumed name
DO nothing of the sort. The proba
bilities are that q quieg. elderly lady lik,
Miss Caterham has never troubled her
self to inquire the names of tire othel
competitors"
'Well, it shall be az you like" replied
Bob Pegram: ''but l think you ar,
wrong"
CHAPTER VI
Standing off the Brentford road, ano
IN the immediate vicinity of Kew Gar
dens, is to be seen small cottage hal
smothered in creepers. Fitting abou
amongst the flowers with pair of scis
sors, and clipping a blossom here am
there. is a young lady of some three o
four and twenty, whose acquaintance w
made many years ago. This Is Mar.
Chichester, whom we last saw as a chill
in the Jardin DIES Plantes at Avranches
A somewhat tall maiden now. with gloss.
brown hair and eyes to match, and
frank, fair countenance that intuitivel.
disposes people to like her upon frs