Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-07-02

I art than 8 COW ia 8 field, but hes got
enough dough TO buy anything his &d-
viseTs tell him Is worth buying, ana y
gives him something to swank about,
It would be an act Of virtue TO take
over his collection, but suppose you
wouldn't see It that way"
Fernackss brow blackened- you re
damn right I Wouldn't" he roared.
Nov get this, Saint. You can get
away with Just so much OF your line
IN this town, and no more. You're go
ing TO leave Vascoe's exhibition alone,
or by God"
~Of course I'm going to leave It
alone" said the Saint mildly. MY
paths are the paths OF righteousness,
You know me, Fernack. Vascoe VIII
get what's coming TO him in due time,
but who am I to take It upon mysen
to dish It out?"
Between Simon Templar and Mr.
Elliot Vascoe, millionaire and SELF
styled art connOisseur, no love aG all
was lost. Simon disliked Vascoe On prtn-
ciple, because he disliked all fat loud
mouthed parVenus who took care 20
obtain great publicity for their chartt-
able works while they practiced all
kinds of small meanneSses on their
employees.
Vascoe hated the Saint because
Simon had once happened TO witness
a motor accident IN which Vascoe was
driving and q child was injured, and
Vascoe had made the mistake Of Of
fering Simon $500 TO forget what ne
had seen. That grievous error had not
only failed to save Mr.. VaScoe q penny
Of the fines and damages which he was
subsequently compelled to pay, but 1t
had earned him q punch on the nose
which he need not otherwise have SUI
fered.
Vascoe had made his money quickly,
and the curse Of the Nouveau richie had
fallen upon him. Himself debarred for
ever from the possibility Of being
gentleman, either by birth or breeding
or native temperament, he had made
up for it by carrying snobbery to new
and rarely equalled highs Besides
works Of art, he collected titles: for
Understanding names, and all the more
obvious trappings of nobility, he had an
almost fawning alteration.
Therefore, he provided lavish enter
tainment for any undiscriminating no.
tables whom he could lure into his
house with the attractions Of his Pa
risian chef and his very excellent vine
cellar, and contrtved to get his name
bracketed with those who were more
discriminating by. angling. for them
with the bait of charity, which IL was
difficult for them to refuse.
In a great many ways, Mr. Elliot
Vascoe was the type of man whose ex-
cessive wealth would have been nat
ural target for one Of the Saints raids
on those undesirable citizens whom he
included in the comprehensive and de-
scriptive classification Of ''the ungodly,
but the truth is that up TIL then the |
Saint had never been interested enough |
to do anything about it.
But In Simon Templer's impulstve
life there was a factor Of destiny that
was always taking such decisions out
Of his hands. Anyone with g. less sub
lime faith in his guiding star might
have called 1t coincidence, but to the
Saint that word was merely a chicken
hearted half-truth. Certain things were
ordained, and when the signs pointed
there was no turning back.
Two DAYS after Fernack's warning,
be was speeding back to the city after
an afternoons swimming and basking
IN the sun at the Westminster Country
club when he saw q small coupe OF
rather ancient vintage standing by the
roadside. The hood Of the coupe was
open, and young man was very busy
with the engine.
Near the car stood q remarkably
pretty girl, and she was what really
caught the Saints eye. She seemed dis
dressed and frightened, twisting her