The Baron was quite pleased at his encounter with Lady Ethel, for it
was well to know that Gaunt and his wife were not on good terms, and it
ought not to be a difficult matter to widen the breach. Upon arriving
at the hotel several telegrams were handed to him, and a frown came
to his face as he read the cipher message from Brussels which urged
him to stop Gaunt’s campaign at all costs. But still he did not allow
it to interfere with his enjoyment of a carefully selected lunch. The
Burgundy was warmed to the exact temperature which suited his palate,
and when the coffee was served he felt quite equal to the coming
interview with Mr. Julian Weiss. He was dozing in an armchair before
the fire when his visitor was announced, and he rose to greet the Jew
with that suave pleasant manner for which he was famed.
“I am indeed pleased to see you. Of course you will smoke, and I can
confidently recommend those Corona-Coronas.”
The Baron himself did not care for cigars, but he was an excellent
judge of them, and knew their value as a gift to one whom he wished to
place on good terms with himself.
“Sherren came to me and said that you wished to see me on most
important business. As you know, I am always prepared to consider a
scheme in which I can see a reasonable profit,” Weiss said, in his
rather pompous manner, and then took a long draw at the cigar.
“It may disappoint you to hear that there is no money to be made out of
our little talk.”
“My time is valuable, Baron, and if I had known——”
“But I think that there are other things that appeal to you as well as
money. You are not the man to forget a bad turn, and I understand that
Gaunt rather bested you in a recent deal.”
“Bested—he swindled me,” Weiss cried hotly.
The Baron smiled faintly, as he heard the Jew’s betrayal of his
nationality, for in his anger the careful pronunciation had been
forgotten.
“If your business concerns Gaunt, and there is a chance of getting
level with him, then I am with you, money or no money.”
“I imagined that would be your attitude. You say that Gaunt swindled
you, and I’ve the same complaint to make against him. Only, in my case,
he has betrayed those who were his friends, and who had helped him to
his wealth. Now, I want you to tell me the whole of the circumstances
of that deal in Amanti shares,” the Baron said quickly.
There was a quick glance from Weiss that was full of suspicion.
“Of course, anything that you say I shall hold in the strictest
confidence, and I shall take no step without consulting you,” the Baron
added quickly.
“All right, Baron. I know that you aren’t over particular yourself, and
you won’t be shocked at a little sharp practice,” Weiss said with a
laugh, that grated on the Belgian’s nerves.
“I got hold of a man named Davis, and it was arranged that he should
cable home a report in his manager’s name to the effect that they had
struck gold of a high grade. I didn’t want my name to appear in the
business, so I agreed with Gaunt to work the market. It came off, and
Gaunt made his pile, but when I went to claim my share he practically
told me to go to the devil,” Weiss wound up angrily, for he still
smarted to think of the way he had been “done.”
“And to add insult to injury,” he continued, “the blackguard sent a
check in my name to the King’s Hospital Fund for the amount I ought to
have received.”
“Have you any idea why he did that? It was very strange, for it could
not have been on account of the money that he refused to pay you,” the
Baron remarked thoughtfully.
“I don’t care a damn about his reasons. I want my twenty odd thousand
pounds, and I’ll have it, or Gaunt shall pay me in some other way,” the
Jew cried furiously, and jumping to his feet commenced to pace rapidly
to and fro.
“I can see that you are going for him in the papers, and I’ll give you
as much information as you can want about various shady deals in which
he has been concerned. And I’ll give you the evidence to prove ’em up
to the hilt. I schwear I’ll make the city too hot for Mr. John Gaunt
before I’ve done with him.”
“Didn’t it turn out that there really was a valuable find of gold?”
“So they reported, but I have just heard that the report was incorrect,
although the manager out there evidently believed in it. When I left
the office Amantis were selling at five shillings with no buyers. I
bought myself when they were at two pounds, and so I got left again,”
Weiss said savagely.
“Very unfortunate. I do not wonder that you were angry. By the bye,
have you any evidence that Gaunt had knowledge that the cable sent by
Davis was forged?” the Baron asked casually.
“Yes. Read through this letter.”
De Croiseuil rapidly scanned the few lines but his face gave no sign of
the satisfaction that he felt.
“That seems quite clear. I wonder if you would mind if I kept this
letter?” He placed it carefully in his pocketbook without waiting for
an answer, and then continued more quietly.
“I shall be glad if you will send me details of any other shady
transactions by Gaunt, and I will see that they are made use of at
once. Now I think we have finished, and I expect you will be glad to
get back to the City. Take another cigar.”
“You will not allow my name to appear?” Weiss said uneasily.
“My dear sir, I am a gentleman, and—but you can trust me. Good-day, and
thanks.”
When Weiss had gone the Baron sent out for the evening papers, and once
more settled himself in comfort before the fire, but as he read a frown
came to his face, and he uttered an imprecation.
The same advertisement again stared him in the face, and it was natural
that the public should take an interest in the spending of such large
sums of money, even if the wrongs of the natives of the Congo failed to
interest the “man in the street.” Moreover, it was becoming realized
that Gaunt was deeply in earnest and had deliberately started to fight
the powerful clique in Brussels. The millionaire’s well-known character
naturally increased the interest, and there could be no doubt that the
agitation would soon extend so that its suppression would become an
increasingly difficult task.
In great staring letters there was an announcement that Gaunt was to
address a men’s meeting at the Royal Albert Hall.
“And the man will fill the building,” the Baron muttered uneasily.
It was no small thing for which he was fighting. It must be remembered
that he and his friends received a large income, which would cease
immediately, should the reform be forced upon them. Just as soon as
the natives were given justice, the rubber would cease to come, at
any rate until the country had had time to recover itself from years
of merciless persecution. There were thousands of Belgians whose
livelihood depended upon the continuation of the present régime, and in
the event of its ceasing, Belgium would swarm with those men, most of
them undesirables whose morals were utterly ruined by the lives they
had led in the Congo.
And they had been going along so smoothly until the intervention
of Gaunt. The death of King Leopold had promised to give them an
indefinite prolongation of their reign, for his successor was a man
of amiable character, who lived a clean life, and they could shelter
themselves beneath his name. The great desire of Europe would be to
give King Albert an opportunity of showing what he could do, for it was
not realized that he possessed but titular power. The late King had
been an absolute monarch, and his conduct had almost driven the people
to seek a Republic; so that it was necessary for King Albert to tread
warily, and become the most constitutional of sovereigns.
Of the Belgian Parliament the Baron had no fear; there was no party
that desired to see reform in the Congo save a few members who really
understood the conditions of affairs in the Free State.
For years King Leopold had understood that the only possible means
by which he could be stopped from garnering his tainted gold was by
the awakening of England and the United States to the truth. He had
recognized that these free people were sound at heart, loathing all
persecution, and that should they once realize the brutal truth, their
righteous indignation would insist upon the immediate freeing of the
natives from a diabolical tyranny.
And now the danger of a great awakening loomed ahead.
The mask fell from the Baron’s face, as these thoughts passed through
his mind, and there was a malignant look in his eyes.
“I will break the man,” he muttered vindictively.
Gone was the suave man of the world and the brutal savage was revealed.
But at the sound of a knock at the door, his face changed and a smile
was forced to his lips.
“Oh, it’s you, Sherren. What news have you?” he asked pleasantly.
“I met Davis at Paddington, and I’ve got his address.”
“Good. Here’s a little document that you might like to read,” the Baron
remarked and handed over the letter given to him by Weiss.
Sherren looked at him admiringly, when he had mastered its contents.
“I wonder that Weiss cared to part with it, but I suppose that he was
blinded by his rage against Gaunt. This little document simplifies
matters, and ought to be very useful.”
“Weiss is sending on further material against Gaunt, and I shall be
glad if you will sift it thoroughly, for it’s important that we don’t
make any mistakes.”
The Baron turned to the waiter who had entered, and took a telegram
from the silver salver, which he tore open impatiently:
“_Am forwarding Marillier documents. Advise
that you proceed without delay._”
“There is no answer,” he said, and then lapsed into silence, for the
message gave him food for thought.
Sherren was glancing through the evening papers, and now and then
stopped to make a note, which he intended to use in an article which he
was preparing for the next day.
“_Eh bien._ I think we have finished for the present, Sherren. I would
suggest that you see your friend, the chairman of the Amanti Mining
Company, and show him that letter. You know what to advise him to do,”
the Baron said significantly.
“But what about Weiss? His name is compromised, and——”
“I fear that this is not the moment for delicate scruples. Of course, I
should like to protect Mr. Weiss in every way that is possible, but——”
He shrugged his shoulders expressively.
“But if Weiss must suffer with Gaunt, it is unfortunate; but I
shouldn’t consider the chief rabbi himself if it would interfere with
my attack on Gaunt. I shall await your report with much interest.
Good-afternoon.”
And the Baron took from a silver box on the table a cigarette which he
carefully lighted. Then he drew a deep breath.
“Now I think we are coming to close quarters, and we shall see a pretty
fight—but——”
The Baron’s face became moody.