Part 28 (2/2)

”Yes--Hogarth, Hogarth”.

”Cheated the gallows? And out of prison? And rolling in my wealth, my riches, my diamonds? Oh, no!--is that fair? A dog? Is that how the world is run? G.o.d of Israel!”

”There is this to be said for him: that he _deserves_ to be rich--”

”Who? So you are taking his part now?”

”Tut--!”

”There is no _tut_ about it! You confess that you are nothing more than a penniless hanger-on: well, then, I have _you_! back to prison you go this hour---!”

O'Hara's cheek trembled; but he said: ”A sufficiently vain threat, sir: I am Hogarth's tutor: he won't let me be taken. Don't waste your time, you impotent Jew--”

”Tutor? That's good! What you teaching him?--murder? _outrage?_ He _ought_ to have a tutor, he! That's good! Tutor! Well, suppose I drop a line first post to your nice _pupil_ to let him know that it was his _tutor_ who stole his diamonds--”

At this threat O'Hara felt himself outflanked; and though his eyes surveyed the Jew unflinchingly during a silence, inwardly he had succ.u.mbed.

”A man in Hogarth's situation”, he slowly said, ”is always liable to attack. Why should two sharp old fellows like you and me, whose interests are identical, quarrel?”--and instantly Frankl took note of that surrender, that weak spot, and knew that the man was his.

”Well”, said he, ”so true--two old gaol-birds like you and me, eh? So true, so true. But what beats me--who runs Beech's? Hogarth is only a young farmer: he can't operate all the big things I hear about this Mr.

Beech--”

”Tut, you do not conceive the man as he is at all”, said O'Hara: ”perhaps you cannot. High finance, the first day he looked into it, ceased to mystify him, for he goes always to the ground of things, touches bottom, where first principles lie, and first principles are simple as two and two. It was because he had discovered a first principle that he escaped from Colmoor. And he is as nimble as six twisting minnows: what you or I learned in a year he learns in an hour, and if he does not know the usual way, not an instant does he hesitate to invent a way. You know about Owthwaite's: how the recent shake-out of the market threatened their collapse, like so many others'. Owthwaite's, in fact, had already declared, when Hogarth decided to help them over.

And how? Not Bills! He filled up a call-in of two millions and a half by the India Council, resettled loans and short-discount business, cheapened money, and in twelve hours his _proteges_ were off the rocks.

And now I hear--”

”But why not buy a chapel, and preach about him? I hate--”

”Stop! O Lord--he is calling--”

”Here's my card; I want to see you to-night at that address at eight”.

And that night at Frankl's town-house in Hanover Square Jew and prelate conferred, O'Hara for some time resisting, but finally again taking sides against his saviour. He disclosed that Hogarth, beyond doubt, kept a few diamonds in a goat-hair trunk in his room--enough to make two ordinary fortunes, and also carried two or three, with some hundred-pound notes on his person; and this was made the basis of a scheme for bringing about the arrest of Hogarth, the first step being to get from Hogarth the sum he carried about him, leaving him in a situation where he would find himself powerless to bribe.

This Frankl undertook; and O'Hara promised to lend Harris, and some friends of Harris.

Now, during these weeks Hogarth was living in some fear, haunted by insecurity and a vision of Colmoor; and, remembering the theft at Thring, with a consciousness of Frankl somewhere in him, he went not only with diamonds on his person, but a revolver as well, and a _punal_ of Toledo.

But three evenings after the conference in Hanover Square, he received this letter:

”Dearest Richard:

”It is long since we have met. This is to let you know that I have heard of your getting out, and your coming into great things, which has made my heart rejoice. I, alas, am just the other way about. I am staying for the next two days at Woodfield Cottage, Wylie Street, Finchley Road, N. I understand that you are lying low, so better not come to see me perhaps, but send me something.

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