The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7887, 1 August 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

filing a Dctecihe, No owositton «» * fi » t « d , t0 „ my ■arch. U was antiiely fruiUess, towevtf ; tbw» was wwhcre „ aRI trac* e< tie Musute a"" Nem ~ Sluns i cesqlre* to remain there «ieUf> «•* a day V ura - l * M * *aai i mti« waWn ""i* l hnng *rtk. 01k saiM aiterioaa Clara Matli- ' «e* caa* ia as 1 sat hy the winto*, fceeptag a fl l « nl ** lth •" aU ■sound. "Mr Heresi!*," she saH softly, "•otbk t*iaks I haw *ee« nide to «. £•« twys it was wrt your fault personally, tJttt jou wore sat bete M sue* a wrstitkea enaW-aad, perhaps sh*B ri£t- I am sorry if 1 lavs »ort year fsrtiigs." Tbe mtty, peaitwrt way ia whict *» spot* quite we* vy heart, and . a lew q*»l*>W «any part seemed <• mbx* to WW* teewses of hei IWflilMH •• On USUI at feat shyly, but af> tinradb, witt Mtr* wsarattce, a (Misc-V, her afesrflrt brother, and he: wttfaat, Ha(Ki ttotisatrf littli bMljfeSaflt* walet 1 almost dread ■i to km, . Thi» «vUtchft WKttmal tin Itmusttstt ewtote •* my by w —am are fteebnt Hie,, asd 1 was tot • Htfio ajoajyei when it wai fcoke* fat upoa try the arrirai o . Urn cqDßttbM from Kerstead, wlu «sre to watA through the night. At the sound of their footsteps (lara.rosa ny and sat down again confused tad ftigbteaed. "Oh, Mi Meredith, those "Be easy. Miss Mattison," I said "you (tell hi «• way he annoyed n; tern. Yout privacy shall not i> broken tn upon, believe me." "I know I am silly," lalterei (Sara • "hut, oh.'il seems so dread M." , , My orders to the men Were sfuipl •«Bd sacciuct. 1 stationed them a seemed best to «e, and then relup •d to spend Un? evening with Mis HattiscD. And when I was at leng* left alone, I »uld not help ttankiit -God forgive me^W 1 * much mot Winning and graceful she was tha poor Grade Elton. , At last an answer came to my ft P .port to Mr Ctemwr. It was show / and to the purpose. ' " Come back. You are only los.ni . time. If the bird had flown, w must look elsewhere for him. I read the missive with a panj Clara Mattisos'* cheek deepened i colour as I announced my tfcpartui to her. ... "You have bte* far kinder than « tUred to hope, Mr Mere* lb," si aaid as 1 held her band In mine"You will think of me sometime Clara ?*'. . . Tha wader wiH easily .perceive froi this how our intimacy had progres: ed. She smiled, hung bet head, am taking a pair of, scissors from tr UWe. severed one bright, black tu Irom tbe abundant tresses that hut: over her forehead. "Keep tins, Mr Meredith, fs men ©ry <rf aßc .. ... Was I foolish to press the Jetl ringlet to my ««* «« ' larf ,X \, aVaiasl, my heart ? Clara evld« J Sht I was, for she laughe. it didaot ■■•«2| h «* IB<X Mi Clmner appeared to be a jf* deal awoyod whei I got back ' to toww-tmttar an «»"»«»»* thing o, Ws part, for I certain ' dW all that n*aa could do under tl drcumstanocs. . "•Ub have been mistaken all H , way ttrourh, it seams," he sav • ttting MsTllp; vei •tram. I ae»er was mistaken h torete «ry calertattoas. Well, * HtoB thatirigh She reeeiTo* V» wHfc a sweet, s of welcome, that shou tape mad. mo tta tapptet ma» i Si world; but rt drf wt. Clai MattteOß'B dark beauty seemed rtand botweejmm a«d her like a v. ftle barrtor. wSea I took my leav there wore tears hi her eyes. "Gtaeie, you are crying :"" "Becauw yen ar» changed, Kdwai Von do tM !»▼« «b* as well as yt "Onne, what i««se«se : I was Tend with her, simply t causa I kaew ber accusation w; true. Bo* 1 hissed In* once moi and toe* my tetfre, moody and di aatirtod. ujfea t ttaeasri the offlee next mor nw, Mr Oner was not there. "Hi weat last night to Kerstead said my fellow-detective. "To ICenrttad ?" I " I was serioosly annoyed. Did (Sennet doubt the accuracy ol my i ports * Or did he imagine that was enable to institute a thurou; and complet* tnveitigatioo. "It's eerj strange," 1 mus alood. Jones laughed. "Well." he said, "you know Cli ■er has a strange way tif doi '( ' tilings. Depend upon it, he has g» reasons for his conduct." I was sitting at my desk two da subsequently, when the door rIKI noiselessly open, and Clenner liiuisi entered. "You are back again, sir. A what luck ?" "The best." "You don't, mean to sar you ia got him »" "I do mean to say it, Edward i redith. I knew I could not be entii ly mistaken. Perley Mattison is the ne*t room—half an hour fru sow be wilt bo in prison." "Where did you apprehend liira ?' "At homr in bis mother's hodsr.' "But—" "He was there all the time y remained there. Ned, my boy, y h have made a blunder for once , t don't let it happen again." "What do you mran, sir '" " For reply ( be opened the door , the private inner room—his o special sanctum. A sliplit, boyish I Ure leant against the window, sm< * ing a cigarette, with Mack cu tossed back from a marble-wh brow, and brilliant eyes. He mm ingly inclined his head, with a n tion not unfamiliar to me. * "Clara Mattison !" "Yes," he said, in a solt, sate; ' tic voice, "Clara Mattison, or P ley Mattison, ot whatever ynu chr;c to call me. Many thanks for *<' politeness, Betcctivc Meredith ; a ; if you would like another lock fc bair " r. "I turned away, burning scarl while Mr Clenner closed the door "Never mind, my boy ; it will a lesson to you," be said, j "He made a very pretty girl, but •* am not at all susceptible." \ What a double-dyed fool I had bee I had lost the reward—failed in t estimation of my fellow-officers—ai !■• behaver 1 liko a brute to poor Grai i —and ill for what ? ' 1 wmt to Gracic and told lier t whole story ; and, lo my surpri: I tfce dear, fafthful little thing lov |r me just as much as ever. rf "I won't be jealous of Perlcy Ma tiso', Edward," she said, sniilin "whatever I might be of his s L ter. And, dearest, don't be disroi I" aged, m waft as long as you pica: [ • and you will be a second Mr CTe E «er ye*.' r She was defcrmiseil to look on tl t wight sHe of thisgs, this lid I Oracte of mine ? But I felt tire nm ifc UHcatton bok toe fess kemly ; a m- thoug*, as Mr Clenner said, it wou ■ Mfloubtefly prove a good lesson