The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7875, 18 July 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

A MOTOR ELOPEMENT. Henry I'. 'Jait.-n, oi I'ew.ylyiitU, was furious. There was rage In Ms Toice grease on his hands, tnd dust on bis clothes. He was engaged in sitting on the white, dry road, ailh spanners, hammers, files, wrew-dnv-ers, and various mechanical ir/.plemeiits strewn about iiim. A lew i minutes below he na<l mvww >t :i •"- a) "do-it-or-die" eflort to induce the internal arrangements of the motorcar under which to sal to resume their normal functions, but be did not succeed and he did not die. In laet, he was much more alive than before, as the strength and fcnuui of his language showed. "Perdition take the confounded thing!" be exclaimed (only he used much stronger terms'). "I can't make it out at all. That's what comes of buying plaguy things from Germany instead of tbe genuine Ainurrican article. It's only the true Amurrican productions that are any good. Waal, it serves me right for sending lo Europe for a motor-car, that it does. But never again. Henry ; never again; oh, dear no ! Once let me get this confounded oil tank home and I'll giro the thing as a present to the field artillery as a. target. Perhaps a few of their sixincfa shells wouM move it a bit, though I almost doubt it, judging from tbe way the thing has acted today."

"Can't you get it right, poppa, dear 7" inquired a young lady who was -gracefully. reclining on the luxurious cushions which formed the upper exterior ot the vehicle "What a time you are >l it, and it's so hot up tore in the sun. Why, I almost believe i could have made it go again in tar less time than you have been." There was a saucy beam in ber eyes as she spoke and she gaily boHbed tor scarlct*sunshadc up and down, to and fro, as if trying to raise a hreew to temper the solar orb's fierce burning rays. "Huh ! you do, do you ?" was the balf-grunted reply. "Then I wish to goodness you'd come and try ; that's all I wish. No, it's only part of what I wish, though. I wish the car, the man who madcJt, the ship that brought it, and the fool that bought it—that's me—were a thousand leagues under the sea ! Hot up there in the sun ? My word ! Whv, I kind of calc'late it's freezing up there in comparison with this down here— I'm about five hundred degree; above boiling point. Don't talk to me about beings Yaowh ! Gcr-ee-ee ! Wowh !" Alas, the spanner Mr Batten was using slipped oft the nut he was trying to turn, and caused the lucklessltnan to knock Ito skin oB several of his knuckles. "Oh, dear, whatcver's tbe matter, arc you hurt 7 " iwnrired the girl anxiously, peering over the side of tbe car. "Oh, it's nothing; nothing," was tbe reply, in a strained, hard voice which belied the words and showed thai the speaker considered it a great deal more than ho said. "It onlv makes the third time I've knocSed Ihe flesh off my knuckles, but it's the last. I've done with the business ; I'll have nothing more to do with it v for the thing's hewitchvdtbat's ihe only way to account for it's not going. There is plenty of electricity in the batteries, the petrol is good and fresh, tbe engine is all rigftl. and there is nothing broken ; yet she won't go. But we will —off home, sharp, and leave the thing to its fate. Come on, Jess !" "Oh, poppa; but I really can't walk all that way. I—l am so tired !"

|. "Tirol! Tirol ol silting still all | thv afternoon, doing nothing, while &- I've been working away there, liant%r er than all Hie nigs in the State j 4 put toother. Tired. Then what do tyou expect me to do if you can't walk? Push you back home in llris two-lon affair as if it was a blessed baby's pram, eh ?" *. ' "No-o, of course not; but don't be so silly > But sit down with mc and rest a few minutes vou poor . dear; you must ache so.' Perhaps ~, the works will go right again presently ; then we shall g« sailing V home beautifully. Now, if only Charlie were here, he would put it " "In ten thousand times worse state than it is now !" interrupted pop- ; pa, with an angry snort. v . "How can you say so !'' indigV nantly protested Jessie. "See how I beautifully he manages the maihinf ery at the Central. The lights have I not failed once since he has been k. there. He's very clever!" "He is," grimly responded Mr Batten. "Clever enough to come huz- ► ' zing round you because cf your dollars. I'll admit ; but at nothing else i~"- W *«" **. Anyway, he's got I more than his match in mc. He'll have to get up jolly early if he wants to take a rise out of Henry p Batten. Trust me for that." "Or stay up late at night " said Jessie to herself with apparent irrelevance. "Yes," Mr Batten went on, rolling the words orer in his mouth as though they were delicious morsels 'when he can take the shine oht of k mc I guess it'll be (j mc for mc fo ft retire and take him into the fain- ■ ily, but until Ihen •• Words for the appropriate complefcton of the ■£i railed him. Now, Charles Sampsom was the I . one great bone of contention between I H r Batten and llis motherless, only |- cmM. Ahamlsotnc, intelligent, roun" f electrical engineer was be, wbo'loved ami was belovol by Jessie, the milt liotiairc"* daughter, so richly endowl «! with beauty ami wraith. But tme father disapproved of the match, and sternly forbad all ■ intercourse between the lo\ers. and ■T since the discovery of a clandestine j meeting, a little while previous to the lime of this story, had never allowed his daughter out of his sight nor permitted her to send or receive letters without first submitting tVm to bis censorship, for Charlie had the misfortune to actively and openly differ from his charmer's father in polities, and that was a crime, far, . Jar beyond Hie pale of pardon. "Jess, with all her wealth, must marry some Knglish lord or duke, , and that's who site shall, and no one ! ; else," her father always declared ; and to accomplish that (to him) vei ry desirable object- iie bad made arrangements to visit Kngland, (or the f dual purpose of selecting for his

daugliipr's consort a nobleman of the requisite sUtus, ami keeping her al i tin- same lime out of llir way of r"lhat low-down, ranting Sampson," who, though of good birth, was not counttil fit to marry 1 lie daughter ol a man who hat) "made liis pile" out of a lucky "corner" in lard. The first stage of Hie journey to Kurope was to be made on I lie uuir- ' row of the day to which this narraI tivc refers.. On that particular aflcr- * noon Mr Batten anil his daughter I were making a round of farewell iisf _ its on the motor car, and just rc- | " turning from a rather lons Tip on a lonely, and unfrequented road, when suddenly, for sornt unaccountable L, reason, the car stopped and iffuswi I to budge again, notwithstanding the irofierrtly stirring up of lis vitals by its owner. For nearly a» hour , be had worked heroically at it, butt J without avail. It would" nol R o, tinmotor would not move. Vet nil now r »t> hart .always travelled splcirtlid'h-. *ith never a hitch, so (hat the pre- ; sent contretemps was all the moie surprising to Mr Batten, who prided nimself up on the perfect uianaseiaerit t 01 the ear and his ability to tope !• With every coutingencr which misfit f arise without the assiatance oi a I chauffeur.

In 7 ' lls n0 J""* 1 stiekins lure ■II «ay that I can see," lie presenter remarked to his daughter. "Reik--011 » how I'll have to go to " .Halloa ! What's up ' Had a (ttaMowir ?'* inquired a cheery voicr ** * Pwylist, WeariiiK large green : - £fj t0 P ro,ett Ms eyes from $ WB 4q«t and glare ol ttie toad roth;

up wnl dismounted u|K>n toeing the implements lying in the road as Mr Uatuu bad left tutm. ''Can I he oi any assistant* ?" be continued. "I have had some experience with motor-tars, and may he able to help yon, it you will allow roe." ••Wi, I'd allow you fast enough, colonel, if I thought it,would toe .of any use. But it wouldn't, because 1 Imvfl tried myself and can't make Iter go," was Batten's somewhat egotistical reply. The stranger smiled—a curious little twitching sruile. "Well, you might give me a chance to see what I can do, anyway," he urged. "Please yourstdi, please youtscll," said Mr Batten, turning away 'villi a sniH of disdain , and taking a liitis.; cigar out of his pocket, and planting it between his teeth at an angle one would adopt to shoot a star near to the zuiilh, proceeded to light it, and then, burying his hands in lis pockets, watched for the stranger's discomfiture. Meanwhile the newcomer hail lawfully laid bis bicycle down by the road»irie and fhen examined the i.u 's machinery.

"H'm '. I thought so," was his remark, after a somewhat lengthly inspection. "Thought what ?" sharply inquired tbe car's owner.

"Why. you iave not been driving it property. Kvcrything Is all right; there is nothing wrong with it. That is so, I assure you.

"Oli, all right, is jt ?" echoed Batten, grimly, remembering the exertion he bad expended so vainly trying to get tbe engine lo go. "Then perhaps you'll have the goodness to start her," lit suggested, with the calm confidence of a man who was wining the card up his sleeve. "Certainly I will," and true to his word, he did start her, and at once too. The gear being disconnected, the car remained stationary, while the fly-wheels of the engine revolved at a terrific rat*. Mr Batten was clearly surprised and nonplussed. (To be Continued.)