LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 777, 21 March 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

i- ———■ • j£ PAT KELLY'S BKCG. if ' Sj (Conunmefc.j E&f-Kv. mlnttes later the curious, jaunting car. with..u «*t ? on c£h ride arranged so tot the -- •ccupanW sat buck, to- back, with *; their leet propped only on a Htjte f> ahell whkh made jumping oil upon r-ina road almost irresistible, its tw-o b'wneel* one horse and seat tor the $t driver in front, drew up with all f- posdJUle dignity before the doorway t-' - of the •■' Keninare Arms." & ili« driver, apparently a rough, ¥' £ood-natured, country bumpkin, w-ith ¥? i shock of brown hair and shabpy, B? ill-fitting clothes, inade an awkward F dutch at his hat as his passengers Ei took their places—a. niiddhxis«.d B<-'n-m Win, a lady, to whom the same &" adjective might apply, and a beautit* lul young girt, with Jose-Untcd F cheeks, and chestnut hair in a lon,i I'-P*"' l - . ~, -.. .i.nmi.

%. '" Gladys, mind you don't slip on; r £' yra eannot catch you if you fall," p <f sad the elder lady, taking her place s fe beside the gentleman, while the t ft -girl sat alone. F g Fitegermd woukl have given-mot j & his eyes, for then he couid not have P looked at her fresh young beauty— f S* 1 out jeaie of his life to have taken ] £"' the vacant fdace beside her instead; ( PT of being obliged to turn his back.), If" upon her and mind ins own horse ; l but he had begun bis acting and he , must play the part through to the h «*•• , >' t l"he young lady seemed to be a i &f very enthusiastic admirer of Nature ; r "U- and she piled the driver with ijues(V ' tions regarding the various scenes '-" they entered upon. 5-V Fittgera'.d was delighttd that she f eared to address him, and told, unWushmgl.v. toJes » f his owa lnanu " l" lacttirc about a region that was as r ,- new to him as to Miss Gladys hcr- ?* self- '; v- I'TtUnb Gladys is losinsg her, »'' heart to our charioteer," said Miss fe- KwU, laughingly, in German to ber £' brother. f,'. " The admiration is natural,. I fi fancy; the fellow nearly drove over i; that *mkey eart, so intent is he •?' , opoa what our young protegee says.' t especially prided himjf«, seld on his proficiency in the Gerio-- man language, and,he was immenser ly, though rather guiltily, amused at pi the turn affairs had taken. : i' 4 « . " Ha.is very, handsome, don't you Sf Ibink. so ? " said Gladys in the ' same language. " His eyes are a If*' - trifle washy-looking, but he has a

1 ;- good complexion and beautiful teeth. . f- I suppose be ows bis teeth to his } native diet of Murphys and butter-;-C. .milk." jf Murphys and butter-milk, indeed!" if' • thought Fitzgerald, as he assailed S : Billy, the horse, for some iniaginif.' ary viriousness. to conceal the smile » _ that would rise to his lips. ,i - . Ho wondered if bis honour as a ', • gentleman demanded that he 'should v. t tell his knowledge of German ; but j. /' an Irish peasant speaking foreign; WuVKUftfea flueptA/, bibs t*x> suepicijoua a. character, -" FHsgerakl would not now betray Us imposture for worlds, for these *■_ travellers would naturally be inp ttfgaant if they knew of the trick I .' played upon them, and the more he ; ~ . saw of Gladys Fenwick, the more fr* earnestly he wished that nothing; should occur to prevent their acquaintance in the future. Front scraps of their conversation, J," ■ he learnt that the travellers! intended; to pass a few weeks at Queenstown for the sea-bathing before returning to the Continent, and he made a mental note of the hotel which- they bad chosen for their, Stay,, and wondered in what way he Could] present himself, as the idea, tnat these peoplo were Philip Daera's friends had never been cherished, i " Are you afraid of spoiling your hands, that you wear gloves this weatbwvKeUy ? " asked Mr Fielding .with a laugh. A guilty colour rose to Fitzgerald's checks, and he mude some awkward reply, knowing that gloves were very unsuitable for him under. the circumstances. A turn in the road brought the walla of Muckross A'bbey before them, and Fitzgerald was glad for _ wWPßti. , **C t° direct the conversation irooi himself, though he regretted the interruption to his chat with his pretty companion. Ihjy, all alighted, the driver gallantly lending his. arm 'to assist the young lady in the rather perilous descent from the car, and then Fitzgerald began, lor the fir.st time, to

realise the trials of his position. Instead of going with the others to wander about the beautiful old ruin, and speculate upon its liis- . lory and antkjuity, he had -to* stay beiiind to feed thj horse and guard his employer's umbrella's and .wraps. To bri&hten his soilitudo the supposed Kelly was presented with two bottles: of stout and a huge hunk of bread-and-cheese, which he accept with a foicud smile of thanks. After a weary hour, which a cigar failed to enliven, a ragged urchin appeared whom Fi!t%eraid. engaged with the prouiiio of half-a-crown, to guard, the vehicle ami its contents; the gentleman then directed his) steps towards the path taken by his party of tourists. They were sitting under the famous tree, which, gnarltd and aged beyond all : reckoning, has -Mill P* sprung l up since the roof of the .X\A f . bey Weil, a nrute but emphatic wit--1 "neas of the great untixputy t.f the I wni{a .surrquciiiigi it, ragged, ivygrown and picturesque. 'lhe travellera were partaking oi aa.iawiohes, cold fowl, unl s 1 erry, j and Fitzgerlad djvoutly wished he I could join them, 'ndtiaci «f hanging i about in the iike a shabby pickpocket. i Gladys rose first, and began gnthI ering l a nosegay of the, pretty pink 5 daJstaia growing in the soft tur'. *' What lonely red berries those are ! I wonder if I could reach .them," she said, looking long at tho

- rich scarlet dusters standing out ! taavcly against tho grey wal& a'bovo iter head. She swung lightly up on, a kdge *of roek, but still the berries hung f tantali singly above her grasp, and ■ she was obliged to abandon the at- ' .tempt, and rejoined her friends under the tree. Fitzgerald followed her presently j with a. huge handtul of the covert'ed berries, which he hud ca.vily reached, taking off his gloves as he tcrambled up the wall. " I gathered these for the young laid}", if she will accept them,-'. he jsaid, with a bow wntch was far from being the awkward gesture he , sbud intended to make. - " Thank you," said Gladys, with ■raU£lmts&.get them."

eye"? Sighted Simultaneously upon thij the cameo of the monkey's face worn on the pseudo-driver's finger,, and Mr Fielding, his sister, and G-ludys,* exchanged glances oC su» prise. •■ 'ihnt is. anicn ring you wear, Kelly, where did you get it 1 "- askid Mr FicMing-,1 watching the man's; I luce narrowly. • Fitzgerald blushed with vexation) lat having forgotten his glove, and stammered. | " t>h, l got it as a present from 'iny late master ! " I ■An t/Jd present for a gentleirjan Ito make his servant ; a five-pound note would have done more good. Let me examine the ling a little closer. It is beautifully cut." I As soon as possible Fitzgerald withdrew from thq scrutiny, that was -bicuming awkward, but he litUo ;..ifptcti.<i thq great cause for aaloiijsiuintil liis companions had. I ' .iiui u.un i., certainly a! rogue," said Mr Fiufdingy as soon an) Mtip I gerald bad disappeared, ■" The ring he wears belongs without doubt to '

»«> Buuiß uviongs wunout ooubt .to I Phil s irit-uii, and this man has etol- I en it eiuier last night or this morn- l ing. -lucre is no possible question of its being the same riny.'i iiui, uncle Ueorge, if he had stolen it, he surely would have hidden it, instead of wearing it so conspKSously," said .Gladys pleadingly. '■• He couldn't get it off his finger -it was quite fast, so he wore gloves to hide it. 'Jne rascal > You both saw how he blushed when I spoke of the gloves, and asked 'how lie came by the ring. I am sure the IwJow is guilty, and we must put hmi under arrest'. It is rather an awkward .business ; he has noticed! our suspicions,. and lam aftiaja he will sneak away before we arrive at Kenmare. I have it 1 Wfe will Mum by way of Killarney, and there, under pretence of getting, a . g i ass °' .**«*. »e can #ve him in charge of the police " "It is our duty to Phil's, friend to nave him arrested, I suppose ? " : tiftiuestionably i " " Poor fellow, perhaps ho j s . j|nnocent ' said Gladys, a troubled look shading her lovely eyes. Fortunately there were plenty of signiKKts, or Fitagftrlad would have ~ been hopelessly at sea when told to t return by way of Killarney. J His passengers, including* Gladys, i were surprisingly silent) and' self-con-J tamed during the homeward route, i a state of cnind which he could only ) attribute to fatigue. a Arrived at the hotel" in Killarney, I the ladies and gentlemen descended Y and disappeared' within doors, nnd directly after, to Fitzgerald's amaze- , ment, two policemen advanced, ai.d i n taking hiiu by both arlHsf. announc- I 'i ed that he was their prisoner, d " Confound that ring, 1 :U,,ught s it would bring me into trouble ! " '" he mentally ejaculated. " Hut hnw 1C ready those strangers arc to juuip l " at conclusion. How could they 4 know that Kully the car-driver tuitht L <s not honestly ha've such a trinket".'-' It woirfd not do to explain the

ridiculous affair until after the departure of Gladys and her friends, so Hugh Fitzgerald allowed himself to tic led ignojniniously away to prison for the theft of his own; property. As he was turning the comer, flanked by the two policemen, he heard light footsteps behind him ; Gladys Fenwick darted forwaid, (pressed something in the prisoner's hand, and flew away again, as I quickly as sli3 had come. Fitzgerald opened his hand and | saw a bright gold sovereign lying in the palm. I " The deux Kittle girl, she was sorry for me, and gave me this money as a consolation. Mess her kind heart ! " he.said, as something very like a tear dimmed his eye. «- * • • Six weeks later, Hugh Fitzgerald, walking with a friend on the <|uuy at Quecnstown, saw Gladys Fenwick and her aunt approaching. To his delight his friend a dvanct*l to meet them, shaking hands cordially. Fitzgerald was presented in due time, and the desire of his heart was gratified, his right to address Gladys was established. She in her turn was nothing loth to having the tall, handsome Englishman for a cavalier, and thev had many a pleasant stroll togetli- , er on the beach. Gladys had often noticed what seemed to be only an ordinary Eng- , sovereign attached to Mr Kit/, gerald's watch-chain, and one dav I she asked him if, in all his wander-

—b», "» j~ai iouiiu no rarer keepsake. r " I prize it more than anything else I own." he answered uuietlv Reversing the coin, ho showed .^f-M? sraved on thc other side ~ July 7th, 1803." How odd we did not meet i " S h.. exclaSmed. •• B ut ■•»,.. *,„ ' !»■-♦'« • J do you wear that sovereign, all the same 7 " ■ hj» J VH Ml you aome Perhaps. Aot now." * * » . A few days. l ater th ere was great' • «fen.w i d veutur «l beyond her : S "° ° ne was «*«« eni ° U f* to s«im out to save her A gentleman walking a i on< ; ~,„ heach, hearing of what h,,?i white anxious face mwi „ V,, . 1 -l want to t,.n ... nniKe, and thegoM l^'!^," »'• cause you gave me Vou are °" : lovo for her ho, l .. er how «* he saw her on ?>«<* and how > ttt Ken'"g her again ho h ? C ,Sake of ' «.„ arrested. utbcr,l, «- as she saw him "■But howdW Vou ""SlWiSllJ,lentprison?" iou cw «Pu fromthj wrote a, few wo,l ? OB " a<l S°»». I land-iord of the Kiln lo thu

1 oetraying me 3 T Kem " orc "ot i taken in th™ " ad l " as ™ '»««- ; a -eX,^; u "- ; -f" u -' - 1 tun you loit-iv,. s»u-i, Poster, Gladys 7 I' 1 ':