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90
STRANLEIGH'S MILLIONS

on board the Adriatic. This for two days remained a record of extravagance in crossing the ocean, but on the third day an American millionaire, coming eastward on the Deutschland, gave his cheque for fifteen thousand dollars, and so the palm remained with America.

The fact that legal action had been taken on the very day that Stranleigh sailed went far to convince our young man that the suspicions of Miss Sarsfield-Mitcham and Peter Mackeller regarding espionage on the part of P. G. Flannigan were correct after all. Stranleigh had hitherto been very sceptical on this point; nevertheless, if Flannigan expected to sell up and possess all the effects of the company before the Adriatic arrived in New York, he had counted without the opposition. Lord Stranleigh's advisers in London had made arrangements by cable with an eminent firm of lawyers in New York, who at once interposed on Sarsfield-Mitcham's behalf, and instantly blocked proceedings by beautiful legal methods, which must have convinced Mr. Flannigan that there would be no hole-and-corner sheriff sale of the patent and other assets of the company.

There had been a good deal of curiosity on the part of the Adriatic's passengers when it became known that the great Lord Stranleigh was on board, and the ladies especially were most anxious to get a glimpse of this aristocratic magnate; but Lord Stranleigh remained in his magnificent suite