The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7886, 31 July 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

Baffling i Detective. It was a dull, rainy day, towards fba end of September—one of those fays wfaon earth and sky alike arc grey and dreary, and the raindrops pattering against the wiodow sound like human sobs. The clock that hung against the wall pointed to tfcc tour of three in tbe afternoon; and I was sitting in our little inner office, looking oat at the expthse of doll, grey wall that formed my only prospect from tbe not over clean window, and thinking. I bad ujad every square inch of type in tbe newspapers. I was musing about Graci« Elton, 'ami wondering how long 1 it would be before I would be aMe to marry ber. Dear little Grade, she tyas as ; tweet and as patient as it was in tbe nature o( a woman to be; but I knew it was a bard Kfe for ber in that «jr«-crowded milliners' workroom, day after day, and month after month, and I lodged to set ber free from tbe monotonous captivity. Sbe yrtM a pretty blue-eyes girl of twenty, witb a dimple in ber chin, and the sweetest roses on her cheek that ever inspired the pen of a poet. I was as -poet, yet 1 think I underStood appreciated all her womanly beauty aa fully as' if my heart's tiMWghts couM shape tbemaeives into verso. And it was of tbem I was thinking when the door opened, and Mr Cleaner came in. Mr Cleaner was our "chief"—a dark, silent Utile man, witb square, stem mouth, and clouded, grey eyes, which appeared almost expressionless when they ' were turned full upon you, and yet which seemed to see everything at a glance. He sat down beside me. "Meredith," be said, in a quiet, subdued tone tbat was natural with trim . "didn't you say you were getting tired of doing nothing ?" "Yes, sir." "Well, I have something for you to ito." "What it is, sir ?" "Something that will bring you credit and also friends if you can manage it skillfully. I had intended to do it mywlf, but circumstances happened tuirtowardlr, and I shall send you instead."

Bending his head towards me, and speaking, scarcely above a whisper, - be told me the special business on which I was to be sent. There bad been, it seems, a scries of very skilful forgeries lately committed, with a boldness and audacity that fairly seemed to set the authorities at defiance. For some time be bad been in doubt as to the exact purpetrator of the crime; but after much quiet investigation and easting hither and tfciHier, he had detected tie bidden spring—one Perhf Mattison—who bad skillfully eluded all prrsuit, and was now somewhere in Ming in the north of England. His whereabouts had been ascertained as nearly as possible, and it was for me to go quietly up and apprehend trim before h* should become •ware of oar knowledge of all his movements. I sat listening to all the various details o( our plan as tbey were tketebai out by Mr Cleaner. The reward tJiat had been privately offered was high; my heart leapt as I reflects how much nearer it would bring me to Gracie EHoir, nor did •the enterprise seem particularly difficult to accomplish. "Do you think you can do it Mr Clenoer asked, after the whole thing bad -been laid before me. "Yes, sir. When shall I start >" "Now. within half an hour." "So soon !" "Yw ; why not f" ( I couM think of no sufficient reason except one, which I did not care to communicate to my superior—the longing wish to see Oraiie once more before I started. ■•■' Just as you decide, Mr Clenner, of course," I said rising. "IfJI taki the night express, I shall be there early in tbe morning. . "Yes, and Hiat is altogether the best plan. He will not remain long I fa any one place just at present, depend upon it, and what you have to do you must do at once." All through tbe long night jour- ' ney I mused upon the task that lay -before me. The house to which I was directed was quite in the country, about ha|f a mile beyond I Jfce village of Berwood, and was the residence of Mrs Mattison, the mother of tbe audacious forger. If help ' Was needed, I was fully authorised ! to call for it upon the eonstabul- j aiy authorities at Kerstead ; but I "" expected to need no assistance. j Hie rosy dawn was just flushing tte eastern sky when I alighted, •tiff, weary and jaded, from the j train. t j

"Can you direct mc to Mr Mat ti•on's place ?" I asked the sleepy •telioamaster. "Mattison—Mrs Mattison ; I don't , know her, but 1 can Ml you where I she lives. Just you follow the main - rtreet of Hie village out about half -• mile, and ye'll come to a wood, , with a footpath running through it. I fiet over the stile, follow the fooipath, and in a little while ye'll sec : B yellow housa-thc last ptacr in te world you'd expect to sec a That's where Mrs MattiJo» lives." I thanked my informant and set oat at a brisk walk, carrying inv travelling big in my hand. It was ». 9>our ere 1 divrrjgrd from tiw main street into a quiet and secluded road, or rather lane. The • *tile at thie end of vhe footpath •tlirough Hie wood was quickly reached, and the little yellow house—a ; cntam-coioured cottage, literally ov- ■ er-grown with honeysuckles— presently rewarded my search ; ami as 1 f taocked at the door, a clock sonic- ; Where struck (he hour of seven. J\ decent-looking, elderly woman, in weeds, came to the door. lb. Mr Mattison in—Mr Perlev Ihtttson »" No," she answered quickly, with, . •* I imagined, rather a confused i-look. , I did not believe her, and asked Vfet'y, "When do you expect him " home ?" "Not at present." k Apparently she expected me to pi > bwt. instead, I slipped into Me passage. ► "Mother," said a soil voice at we "head of the stairs, "who is it '" And then for the first time I bettme aware that someone had been jukniin; to our lolkiquay from tlie ®f the stairs—a'young girl, ,«ft»scd, like her mother, fn deep ■ wack, with very 'brilliant eyes, and r* Profusion of jet-black curls. *- -'Someone to see your brother." We came halfway down the stairs fMtng back her curls with one hand, ,S~L "Wking at me with her wouiJtJ' eyes. Even then her beaufy ® e I stood gazing at lier. 6.rri IT 'f.,? 0 ' at l">nic," sire said r~3 . Rone aw ay. We L"SLI? ow , 1 whm ■" *>" return." Evidently this mother and daughW were IB the secret of Maftison's IpWjwy, and doing their best to «*» him from its consequences. .M* l«t med for both of them ; hut *»* no lime to indulge in snrti--77,', P'"'- «Pcakinq as briefly as ««M, I tolil them it was my ducompel them to remain where were While I searched the house, ■rt MatHson sat down, pale and J?™ m - Hpr daugfrier coloured Mid, "Why do you 3* » such s'an»hwi« i? -.. ,lim search i* 1 ' n,y Mother if Jimocent m I am !" f ( T « *e Ctotlmied). HrboadUa] Congha take Woods' Pt Pfpperarfnt Ciu*. i. efl. »