Cymro a'r Celt Llundain

HIS LAST DEAL. [By TALIESIN REES.] Edward Meredith, obviously pleased with himself, sat in the library of his palatial resi- dence in Glandaron, and smiled as he read the following notice from the local weekly news- paper The Glandaron Tin plate Works will be sold by auction next Saturday morning. Owing to the generous action of Mr. Meredith, of Glan- daron Park, the sale, which considerations of a private nature have rendered necessary, will be a purely formal affair, and Mr. Howel Vaughan, at present part owner, will gain complete owner- ship. Mr. Meredith, in intimating that he will not be a bidder at the sale, but will stand aside in favour of Mr. Vaughan, has set the lead to all the gentlemen who otherwise would themselves have been bidders, and it need hardly be said that great satisfaction is felt in Glandaron at the prospect of the Vaughan family regaining full possession of the works. The great personal popularity of Mr. Howel Vaughan has naturally heightened the feeling of pleasure amongst the villagers." Come in. Ah I thought it was you, Vaughan," he said, as, announced by a slight rat-tat at the door, a young fellow of thirty, tall, athletic, broad-shouldered, and in the prime of health entered the room. I was just read- ing of your immense popularity amongst the villagers, etc." "Oh," laughed Vaughan, that's flattering; I was just calling to thank you once more for your kindness. To-morrow I shall realise the ambition of my boyhood and, thanks to you, shall be in a fair way to rebuild the fallen fortunes of my people." "I wish you every luck," said Meredith, cordially shaking his hand. Vaughan again thanked him, wished him good night, and left the room. Edward Meredith watched the door close, smiled, looked at the newspaper again, and chuckled audibly. This little affair," he muttered, will rank as one of the foremost of my business strokes." Business was the canker which had eaten deeply into the man's very soul. Upon the altar of the golden goddess he had ruthlessly sacrificed friendship, honour, esteem—everything which we consider contributes to the worth of the individual and to the value of life. A man of fifty summers, of medium height, with a ruddy beard neatly trimmed to a point, keen, alert, lynx-eyed whose riches popular rumour credited with being beyond the dreams of avarice, his powerful personality, and a plausible tongue, had enabled him to victimize some of the keenest business men in the country. Vaughan, stepping out into the sharp night air, strode swiftly towards the river which rumbled and rattled through the grounds. It was spanned by a rustic bridge, and the clear moonlight revealed the graceful figure of a yovng girl standing at the end. She advanced to greet him. Howel." It's all right, dear. He keeps to his word. I think to-morrow will prove that your old dad is by no means as black as the villagers paint him. Now you must run in as it's getting chilly. Nos dda-good night." He stooped as he spoke, and tenderly kissed Luned Meredith, who then, merrily obedient to her lover, ran in." The morning dawned bright and clear, and as Vaughan made his way to the sale, he felt that Nature, in addition to the villagers, had a friendly smile and a joyous greeting for him. As he reached the huge swing gates opening into the property a crowd of workmen waved their hands and wished him luck, and Dick Edwards, whose wife Mari, had nursed Miss Meredith, and was still her friend and often her confidante, conscious of the rights of privilege, shook Vaughan's hand impulsively and uttered a heart- felt Good luck from Mari and me, Sir," A chorus of good wishes assailed him again as he reached the auctioneer's stand, surrounded by young country squires and leisured gentlemen farmers. The auctioneer spoke a few prelimi- nary words and all were preparing to hear Vaughan's formal bid, when Meredith of Glan- daron, facing the assembly, and speaking in sharp, clear tones, said Gentlemen, I am here to bid against all comers." All eyes were instantly turned towards the speaker, who repeated, after a short pause I'm prepared to bid for the works up to any price." The first shock of surprise gave way to a feeling of incredulity, and then of amusement, suggesting that all took the announcement as a practical joke from Meredith. But Vaughan, whose love for Luned had not fully sufficed to blind him to the sinister capabilities of her father, turned sharply towards the squire, and asked, Is this a joke, Sir ? My dear Vaughan came the reply, A matter of £ 30,000 a year is at stake. Do I ever joke under such circumstances ? Without a word, Vaughan, quivering with shame and indignation, turned on his heels and strode out of the grounds. Amongst the callow country squires and gentlemen farmers who remained, there was none that dared to risk the wrath of Meredith of Glandaron, and the sale proceeded. He was sole bidder. His astound- ing deception had kept away all possible rivals. He had astutely reckoned on Vaughan's affec- tion for Luned, and the works and all its pro- perty were knocked down to him at a tenth of their real value. Highly pleased with his success, he smiled as he stepped into his carriage, and as he drove home, he inwardly congratu- lated himself upon his latest feat. The busy little village on that 11 sorry day," as one hears it still referred to, was stirred to its depths. Indignant workmen, trooping home to dinner, spoke loudly and threateningly, and had Edward Meredith made his appearance then, there is no doubt but that, for the first time in its history, a case of lynching with attendant atrocities would have blackened the annals of Glandaron. Miss Meredith, who had spent the morning on a shopping expedition in town, re- turning as the villagers were still engaged in animated talk, noticed that whenever she approached a group, the people lapsed into a sullen silence. Her suspicions being aroused, she questioned some of the women upon the result of the auction, but they merely hung their heads and said nothing. As far as they were concerned she might have been spared the shame of hearing the truth, but a workman. whose hour's call at the "Black Lion" had loosened his tongue advanced towards her, and raising his cap awkwardly, said He may think 'e's d-d smart, miss, but I do 'ope that there isn't a man in the whole of Wales would play the game 'e did this morning. It's not football, miss, and there's going to be trouble, you bet." Luned, burning with a sense of shame, hastened home and found her father in his study. Father," she asked tremulously, what is all this excitement in the village about ? "Excitement, Luned!" was the reply, Over my buying the works, I suppose. A good stroke of business generally causes a few ripples." But, dad, dad," said the girl, quivering in every nerve, it can't be true. Howel was to have bought the works." My dear Luned," explained Meredith callously, I bid higher than Vaughan. At an auction the prize goes to the highest bidder. I have made a wonderful stroke to-day. The marts of the whole kingdom will know of it by Monday. Why, what's the matter ? The girl had drawn herself erect, and faced her father with proud mien and flashing eye. Yes," she said, slowly measuring her words, the whole country will know of it. The whole country will know of your shame, of mine. You are my father. I have never known a mother's care. Bad she lived, she might have shared the affection which, in her absence, I have lavished upon you. But now, I hate you. I loathe your very presence. The girl stood trembling. Meredith, touched by this sudden outburst, bed out his hand appealingly. "Luned," he said, with that moral obliquity which had earned him an unenviable reputation, What have I done ? What have you done ? I will answer you in the words of a common workman who spoke to me on my way home. You have done," she- said, with deep scorn, what I hope there is no other man in Wales capable of doing." Without another word, she turned and left the room. Meredith stood for a moment mildly surprised, then, with a sudden apprehension of his daughter's action, called after her, and, receiving no reply, sank into a chair and gazed medita- tively into the fire. ? Hurrying from the house, Luned, avoiding the servants, passed into the grounds, and, the- hot blushes suffusing her cheeks, sped swiftly over the bridge and reached Mari Edwards' cot- tage which stood at the border of the adjoining field. The devoted old nurse received her charge with the utmost sympathy, and Luned, the strain now relaxed, gave way to a violent fit of sobbing. Dick, who, as the girl entered, had stood up and saluted, considerately went out into the garden. Comforted by the sympathy of the kind old soul, whose love was almost that of a mother, Luned soon regained her composure.. and listened attentively as Mari, in response to her questions, detailed the transactions of the sale, but her face blanched to a deathly pallor as she heard of the intense indignation which followed and the wild threats of the villagers. "I hope," concluded Mari, "that he will not come to Chapel to-morrow, whatever, seeing that it is Communion Sunday." The chapel—the largest in the village—was full on the Sunday evening, and a tense silence reigned as, towards the end of the service, the young minister, inviting the members to partake of the bread and wine in sacred remembrance of the Sacrifice, concluded with the words: As to his individual fitness, let each man search his own heart." Howel Vaughan, who was the youngest deacon of the chapel, taking one of the silver plates 011 which the bread lay, rose solemnly with three of his colleagues and stepped into the aisle. Edward Meredith sat in one of the pews nearest the pul- pit, and all eyes were turned towards Vaugha,n in speculation as to his action towards the man upon whose individual fitness" there had never been any- doubt in the minds of the villagers. Vaughan, for his part, had already settled the question in his own mind, having determined, for Luned's sake, to avoid anything of an un- seemly nature. He was on the point of offering the bread to Meredith, when a shuffling was heard at the end of the chapel, and there arose the tall, gaunt figure of Dick Edwards with out- stretched hand, heedless of the efforts of his wife to restrain him. Divining the man's intentions somebody said Hush," and instantly several voices tried to persuade him to resume his seat.. But Edwards still stood glowering, and his voice, harsh with a fierce anger, rose above the sub- dued sounds which were intended to check him. I am no saint," he said, with a deprecating gesture that was quite dramatic, nor am I fit to judge my fellow men, but, before God, I think, that that man," pointing towards Meredith, the moment he touches the bread, pollutes our service and damns his own soul." The crude words uttered, he sat down again, and with arms folded defiantly gazed across the chapel at. Meredith who looked as unmoved as a statue. It was the application of a spark to the dry powder of human hatred and an angry tumult was rising when the voice of the young minister, .solemn and reverent, was heard reminding the