The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7835, 30 May 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

IV* ' THE WAIiEKS". Hue years ago I my seat in "diltgfence from Marseille to F—— , railway that now connects sfc Optics- was not jet contemplatwere Ave passengers in all. | sift'these one was a short, (at man, Bm BHoth timkl and a red face. Frfonh pljtinly dressed,' U> clothes very good, acros# his waistcoat 1 &.i|gN a thick gold chain, - which Pif was careful to let me see was at|j|fWl to a handsome watch, on the gpMtft of which was a crest in jewels, ispfcie was jitt doubt he was a ricK jgpiß, and that I, at all events. yjiyAia not -doubt it, he informed me SUMA/his income exceeded fifty thousfrancs a year, and "that he bid |Sj|r~to doable it before five years Imls'gSne. so prosperous was his |w>(B9. Kj'was partly amused and partly by his loquacity. Why he p&qiild have made a confidant of me HS?particular I don't know, unless it jjsSia that 1 happened to sit next to Among other bits of information he gave ms to know that this yi&a the first holiday he had indulg- . QJ .himself with for three years. * tH"Where do you get out?" X enf ■*At F said h<j " But why. do you go so tar from ' Marseilles for a holiday i " 1 asked. ha answered, "I an. J Moping; to get married." "TTw deuce ! " I exclaimed, laughwjSfajT andtJtja call that taking a | It"" tyhy." said he, " that would deBpfeSSlf'l "«tere going l to marry an woman, now, I call this St *m engaged to i? an »8 cl; ®'rmight hare' sat for - one of Ma,h<fcir. : «. liar BTta—" oft into a long acSftWu. of mistress'perfections, «te#SjitiM Ma fluent destription with maimer., of shrugs, grimaces, -. and are a Very fortunate man, : g3r?'.*li I. -/and i Wish and you may wish; the lady.. Ay. too. and!congratulate, her as jpnt» for give mc leave., to say it Rg ajjht'awprv -woman who has the.luck with a. who unites splendours ol .wealth tluj acifeijiiJiyßit of. genius and the MMta of courage." !Uiugh. • - ig',-','J3o .you -have, genius and courage Edfe well as jantf*?.". » lh Bodded.»eJwmently. |& " Without -toasting," said lie, X &rWIVT T"ftl pftde myself on - being Ejjj&jiiMl iif nil the qualifications recommend a man to the ladI iiigg ti they are sufficient to |? recommend "you"to a tody pf your pKoHb you-'ahoul'd be satisfied." They should Stßciait," be rejpilled. " and in my own mind I am K'jieratsaded that they are sufficient ; p&t; tfiough the younfc lady is ttaauj§mKil as a houri, I regret to say she Jo is'rarii»r perreree tn her taate, ao |tk|t Tor a lonjr time I coulfl hardily any headway Iq her affections. ffhUßeetf. she was weak-minded epp?gh Sj?to avow a preference for a cousin of k youngs lieutenant—a beggar, I' sfr, and. a mighty impudent dog to jSsfaot"

jfe, "To be surer" said I .drowsily. Rfc-*' ■' I»u ije perfectly: fraqfc with y vou," Br7fe» Continued." tfnd confess that 1 H'-tat think she would 4rer have acBp v '%epbed me ,had it not been for heir who Is a. poor man, and is K?sMn! eager to hare me as »' son-i»-la*, thinking that I shall pay all IT his d*fs." K- " Stat you .don't «aw jbout her If,' low? " said I sleepily, g* , "Not a fig! " he -answered, "not SU -a f I only, want her. At my f r tlpe of life, sir,-we tfnow the hypocrisy of lore, how aasilyi it is coun~ E. teHHtri. I hare a ring at homo Z~~ with * paste stone in it, I declare " to you it flashes like a diamond, |%- and *s thought as costly as. the West R*; -of fhe jwol stones I iron. So with K' Wf. TV counterfeit passes for the. |£- ISB Btaety-*m>e- times ina hundred • p: and. though I'll own I would rather gj»*ba!fc the real, if I can't get it, ;I ifr- should be just as w«TI satisfied with fifS? th« sham." «** am ashamed to say I felt sound KJarfeep very shortly after he had comg*,* menqed some cynical remark. HE.-. I was awakened by the diligence Pr- stopping at the GoMen Lion Inn, in eZ-tAim principal street of F—— We fat, red-faced betjbler got out. p.-- t followed him. He pulled out. fev* te watch, which sparkled most gojp|r£-' (flxwsly as it took the sun's rays, and exclaimed, turning t 0 ma—"A quarter to four, sir. Half an P hour after time." I??,. - I'll bet you that it is not," said' * gentleman, with rcry' fierce mousK. ■ ta£ies, who stood smoking a cigar fc -Wore the door of a- 1 ow-roofed gj JKpkrtmoit. P " I should know," retorted the litilgt red-faced man, turning' sharply K, H#t Wb, " for this onf of Leroy's watches.. It- cost me two thoufnuje*" "rirWt you iten louis that it is BKj, ®o* one of I*roy's watches," said the moustackcd smoker, coolly. ?"■' * 'red-faced his anft' wtot Into the "traveljsj fcw' room. a»yi*g to nicEa- *' Don't dine here. We can do bct-B-,lar ct a. cafe." Js~ r " I'll wager you the value of the Bj|' -Watch, that the watch is worth no- §?' ; and- if you win; you will re*s®*® wfcrt you will not find is worth Eg-- WBTjdrife to Ww/' uaid- t he' gen-&&-y *'« man with the moustaches, followjfc~ tag n» & • •» not address my c«marks to 3&„ iron, Mr." pT-J'ou that you did," said" with the most provoking tittle man," amazed by this lr g OT y ti .°»- touehed his forehead, t< i |V **W«y that the gentleman with the jp ■ ontltAti was mad, " W bet you don't prove that I'm * ®ad» said the other. ■ & ,' There wa# a pause. They looked V: ~? t * 0 K odß waiting to he slipped iOT ft fight. % ''!yp°» my word," said the rcdl , f?*™, 5? Bn ' " I know nothing of * ( ?' H * to a most impudent % *»««•. whoever he is ; and I havo i. a ff°od mind to march him off." ' » ? >ak * y °° any ct J' ou like yon Bon t make me march off ' " cx- '* JiS 004 '.I 1 ® other ' Ws moust- and , I'M further bet jou C_ *njthil* you like that T make you * . f™ d bock Paris, and «*t too without any delay." , The littU man, whone race w a < now L * «eP rrunson with rage, blurted oat—i- ' - ,y° U ried" catn ® here to Bet mar- ' ®®e hundred napoleons tou do not marry ; " r*! *"_ Si r- y°» an impertinent scoundrel, aad I'will pull your nose.'-

The little man stamped with rage. 1 He glanced around him fur sonic mo- • menu in silence. then exclain erl—you want me to shoot you?" "Til bet you don't shoot n,e." "Where can we procure pistols?" exclaimed the rod-iaccJ man, birthing short. ''The landlord will accommodate \is ■ both," answered the other. He hurried into the house, and returned with a box containing a brace of pistols. I haul hitherto treated Ihe affair as a joke, laughing in my sleeve at the red-faced man's rage and the other's cool insolence. But I thought it was now timo to interpose. "Gentlemen," I began. But the moustached man turned on me with a frown. "I believe this gentleman to be a coward, sir," said he ; "and if you interfere, 1 shall conclude vou ale conspiring- to prevent him from proving himself a coward." 1 said no more, bui followed the two men into a lonely spot in the park, where the cigar hero was sal- ' utetl by an officer of ihe garrison, who was willing to become hi; second. Having loaded the pistols, we placed the men. It was agreed that I sbjuid give the signal, which was to throw a five franc piece in the air. My position was a peculiarly disagreeable one. Up to the last moment X bad believed that the whel .business was only a rather cruel I r.tctical joke on the pari of the man with the moustaches ; and as my curiosity was excited to follow"