[Frontispiece: They explained in bold, clear tones that they were the chief ju-ju men of all Africa. Page 224.] Kate Meredith _FINANCIER_ By C. J. CUTCLIFFE HYNE Author of "Captain Kettle, K.C.S.," "McTodd," "The Filibuster," "Adventures of Captain Kettle," "The Trials of Commander McTurk." Illustrated in Water-Colors by FRANK PARKER Copyright, 1906, by C. J. Cutcliffe Hyne A. HAMBURGER & SONS, INC., SPECIAL EDITION, LOS ANGELES, CAL. NEW YORK AND LONDON THE AUTHORS AND NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION 1906 _Copyright 1906 by C. J. Cutcliffe Hyne_ _Entered at Stationers' Hall_ _All rights reserved_ Composition and Electrotyping by J. J. Little & Co. Printed and bound by the Plimpton Press, Norwood, Mass CONTENTS CHAPTER I. A West Coast Welcome II. Introduces Miss Laura Slade III. The King who Stopped the Roads IV. The Beach by Moonlight V. Events at Malla-Nulla VI. The Coming of the Okky-Men VII. The Invisible Fire VIII. Presents the Head of the Firm IX. Navigation of Dog's-Leg Creek X. Envoys in Council XI. Again Presents the Head of the Firm XII. Exhibits Antiseptics XIII. At the Liverpool End XIV. Tin Hill: The Journey XV. Tin Hill: The Mine XVI. The King's Bounty XVII. Kate Sends a Cablegram XVIII. Carter Makes A Purchase XIX. Senhor Cascaes XX. Major Meredith XXI. The Feeling on the Coast XXII. A Fisherman and his Catch XXIII. The Song of Speed LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS These explained, in bold, clear tones that they were the chief ju-ju men of all Africa . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ He fired on and on with deadly speed and accuracy, till the heated barrels of the repeaters burned Laura Slade's hands Then, as the crocodile jumped once more, he threw up the rifle and shot it under the left foreleg, where the protective plates are absent She gazed her fill on this very crude presentment of George Carter [Illustration: (Facsimile Page of Manuscript from KATE MEREDITH FINANCIER)] KATE MEREDITH, FINANCIER CHAPTER I A WEST COAST WELCOME "Mighty beach to-day!" grumbled Captain Image, and handed binoculars across to the purser. Mr. Balgarnie tossed his cigarette over the lee rail and tucked a sheaf of papers into his mouth so as to have two spare hands. Day had ten minutes before glared up over an oily swell-writhing sea of bottle-green; dew lay in fat greasy gouts on the deck planks and the skylight frames, foretelling in clear prophecy another spell of scalding West African sunshine; and a mile out from the crashing, bellowing surf that smoked along the beach, the S.S. _M'poso_ buttocked sullenly over the swells, with engines rung off, and sweating firemen on the top of the fiddley, slewing ventilators to catch a flavor of the breeze.