Page 22 - A Hero of Liége

station. Everything was swift and systematic; the troops, though a little
hazy as to their destination, were in high spirits; the war would soon be

over, they assured their anxious friends.

It was all very new and exciting to Kenneth Amory, who had only vague
memories of the English mobilisation for the South African war, when he
was a child of four. His father had founded, with Max Finkelstein, an

Anglo-German business which had attained great dimensions. Finkelstein
controlled the German headquarters at Cologne; Amory looked after things

in London. The latter died suddenly in the winter of 1912, leaving his son
Kenneth, then nearly seventeen years of age, to the guardianship of
Finkelstein, in whom he justly placed implicit confidence.

Since then Kenneth had spent much of his time in Germany, learning the

business under Finkelstein's direction. He had a great liking for his father's
partner, who was a keen man of business, scrupulously exact in his duties
as guardian, and a "good fellow." Finkelstein had announced that Kenneth,

as soon as he came of age, would be taken into partnership. The firm would
still be Amory & Finkelstein.

When Kurt Hellwig spoke of "our business," his use of the first personal
pronoun must be taken to have implied a commendable feeling: he had no

actual share in the business. His connection with it was a proof of his
cousin Max's kindness of heart. Hellwig had brilliant abilities; in particular,

remarkable linguistic powers; but he had never been able to turn them to
account in the various careers which he had successively attempted.
Finkelstein had more than once lent him a helping hand; since Mr. Amory's

death he had employed him as occasional representative in England.
Needless to say, he did not entrust any matter of importance to his erratic

cousin; and the salary he paid him was proportionate rather to relationship
than to services.

Kenneth returned to Finkelstein's house for the midday lunch. Neither
Finkelstein nor Hellwig was present.