Out of the Ashes | Page 2

I have in my possession a series of

autograph letters by one of the foremost men of his day; one, in fact, in
whom you have the very deepest interest."
"Napoleon!" he exclaimed.
She smiled. "I have heard him so called," she answered. "I have here
some photographs of the letters. They are amateur pictures--in fact, I
took them myself; so you will have to pardon trifling imperfections.
But I'm sure you will see that it is a series of the first importance."
From her muff she took a flat envelope, slipped off the rubber band
with great deliberation, glanced at the enclosures and laid them on the
table.
The Great Man's face was a study. His usual mask of indifferent
superiority deserted him. The blow was so unexpected that he was for
once staggered and off his guard. His hand was shaking, as with an oath
he snatched up the photographs. It was his own handwriting that met
his eye, and Mrs. Marteen had not exaggerated when she had
designated the letters as a "series of the first importance." With the
shock of recognition came doubt of his own senses. Mrs. Martin
Marteen blackmailing him? Preposterous! His eyes sought the lady's
face. She was quite calm and self-possessed.
"I need not point out to you, Mr. Gard, the desirability of adding these
to your collection. These letters give clear information concerning the
value to you of the Texas properties mentioned, which are now about to
pass into the possession of your emissaries if all goes well. Of course,
if these letters were placed in the hands of those most interested it
would cause you to make your purchase at a vastly higher figure; it
might prevent the transaction altogether. But far more important than
that, they conclusively prove that your company is a monopoly framed
in the restraint of trade--proof that will be a body blow to your defense
if the threatened action of the federal authorities takes place.
"Of course," continued Mrs. Marteen, as Gard uttered a suppressed oath,
"you couldn't foresee a year ago what future conditions would make the
writing of those letters a very dangerous thing; otherwise you would
have conducted your business by word of mouth. Believe me, I do not

underrate your genius."
He laid his hands roughly upon the photographs. "I have a mind to have
you arrested this instant," he snarled.
"But you won't," she added--"not while you don't know where the
originals are. It means too much to you. The slightest menacing move
toward me would be fatal to your interests. I don't wish you any harm,
Mr. Gard; I simply want money."
In spite of his perturbation, amazement held him silent. If a shining
angel with harp and halo had confronted him with a proposition to rob
a church, the situation could not have astonished him more. She gave
him time to recover.
"Of course you must readjust your concepts, particularly as to me. You
thought me a rich woman--well, I'm not. I've about twenty-five
thousand dollars left, and a few--resources. My expenses this season
will be unusually heavy."
"Why this season?" He asked the question to gain time. He was
thinking hard.
"My daughter Dorothy makes her début, as perhaps you may have
heard."
Gard gave another gasp. Here was a mother blackmailing the Gibraltar
of finance for her little girl's coming-out party. Suddenly, quite as
unexpectedly to himself as to his hearer, he burst into a peal of
laughter.
"I see--I see. 'The time has come to talk of many things.'"
She met his mood. "Well, not so much time. You see, not all kings are
cabbage heads--and while pigs may not have wings, riches have."
"You are versatile, Mrs. Marteen. I confess this whole interview has an
'Alice in Wonderland' quality." He was regaining his composure. "But I

see you want to get down to figures. May I inquire your price?"
"Fifty thousand dollars." There was finality in her tone.
"And how soon?"
"Within the next week. You know this is a crisis in this affair--I waited
for it."
"Indeed! You seem to have singular foresight."
She nodded gravely. "Yes, and unusual means of obtaining information,
as it is needless for me to inform you. I am, I think, making you a very
reasonable offer, Mr. Gard. You would have paid twice as much for the
Vandyke."
"And how do you propose, Mrs. Marteen, to effect this little business
deal without compromising either of us?" His tone was half banter, but
her reply was to the point.
"I will place my twenty-five thousand with your firm, with the
understanding that you are to invest for me, in any deal you happen to
be interested in--Texas, for instance. It wouldn't be surprising if my
money should treble, would it? In