The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7892, 7 August 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

Ttifr Twin Rings. "How do yon KVe the the dia••Kail. How much ?* "A fcaadren." "Www did yon «£ * * i.„. •• «At a friend • tn Maiden Lane- . ••Well to certainly d-raVt stick m Jack. I'm wnwUiiog oil judge oMUmonfc, an* I Wl you to W" S wortTerery eart you pa.d lor *'"oh, ta» 1 taa»ea't laid lor it y*t. ] Sty friend." , "Well, y«'« » Saw* s - l *** * n * ■Ha who can get diamonds an credit fantves my. protoundest respect." "But 1 didn't net it on ciwUt, my fear boy." . , . Jones tooted at Ms fellow clerk in wonder. ./'Didn't pay tor tt-*dn't get it ob credit," to queried, "then how lid yon get it? Honestly, I hope. "Perfectly," ieptied Jack. "To be brief, I girt it on the contingent ■tan." "Oarttogpnt on wnatr-oi whom?' MUT aakrf. , ~ '•"Why e* her having Be, of coarse" & ligM earns to Bitty. "That wkaV-aow whom ?" VMIS9 CNell," replied Jack, somewJWt Ooahgd. Jones looked across tke desk at fttsTtmv Ha w*a interested now. "And whew does Hiss O'Neil *»•?" fc» taked, with (arced calm•eat A 'At Ocennoc, H teptfed Jack. "It il only a IrWte village; a mere cross roads; or, aa the Texan would put J*, "only a neighbourhood.'" "I know the place tery well," said Jones, studying the paper before iim. He was very pale. After a «me he looked up and asked: "Yon will propose soon, I suppose?" "Yes, this wry day. She is to meet me and we are to lunch at TWV at two o'clock."

Jones said nothing. He opened a drawer hi his desk and took out a tiny pink perfumed missive. It read. "Dear BiUj.-WiH be at "Del's " at three and will hare a keen edge on my appetite.—Tours, Ann."

Jones had nut Miss O'Neil at a seaside resort and had at once fallen in lore with her. He pot of! asking her to marry him, however, until he should And out wbat his chances ot promotion were- He had built much on certain encouragements during the summer, aul »o i; may be imagined Stevens's word? were Ilka a dub of ce water en his leering*. Only one hope remained. "Perhaps it is ber sister," be reflected, and tfcea asked, Ms (ace brightening: "By the way, Jact, as you yourself are not so very otd, you must t* going to marry quite a girl." "She was hut twatty-twa last June," replied Jack. Billy'a heart,.', fefl like a tall of had. "It is the same—the very samethere can be ao possible mistake," he said to himself, and when be saw Jack address an envelope "Hiss A. O'Neil" and send it by a messenger, the last hope of mistaken identity died in his soul. But another hope •prang into life to sustain him.

"It may be she is only flirting wtft Jack, after all," he mused ; •■'she toW me is a dozes ways but words that she loved me. But I am slow. I ought to have followed it op. I've been back from the seaside two weeks and never been to her hone to meet tier family. A girl doesn't think a man is paying her enough respect il he doesn't go ft* once to her own home and see her shine there. If I've lost her, it to my own stupid neglect. By the way, she told me she had the greatest surprise on earth in store for mc when I should go to Oceanoc. Sh? said I'd be dumfoundod. I wonder what she could have meant. I know one thing. I'll go w Delmonico's at three sharp, or better, half past two, and see what she has to s»v when she sees that I have caught ber lunching with Jack. The only puzzle is, bow the dear girl came to make such dose dates-that's is what amazes me."

Accordinly, at the hour named *ones stole nervously into Dfclmoni*°*s '■* 'a*"* * seat four or five twtes away from where Miss o'Neil «asritting, opposite Stevens, gazed B Kt, ilt ** ller ' oTer his Mlow cl«kB shoulder. By staring hard and long; he finally succeeded in attracting Mha O'Neil's attention. »fte met Ws gaze wttti the greatest Calmness for a moment, but gave no "gn or recognition, so he did not bow or smite. He sat there bewildered and indignant. "Well, if she hasn't the most cool0858J* *"' P rl * eVer mrt ." be said tt> Hmcelt. "Preat Scott» She thinks to pass it off by not appearing to know me. I'll not be surprised *t anything after a while. Maybe she's short-sighted. I'll smile *t her."

It took some time to catch her eye again, and when he did so Jones smiled and bowed slightly. The result was something he was not predarcd for. The lady flushed and said a few words to her companion. Stereos turned quickly with an angry frown, but when he recognised Jones be laughed, and after a moment's speech with Miss O'Neil, arose ami went over to where Billy was sitting and held out his hand. The other took it prefunctorily. M Why Jones, old man, when did yoo get her* * I didn't see you come in."

"No doubt ytw Were better employed than in looking out for old bachelors," replied the, tart"Well, I like that; an old bachelor yoo may be, but not lost in the gentle art of love yet" JoißWri at him interrogatively, "what do yoo mean ?" be asked. . ''"*"' TO" »oo't mind, old chap, Mt it s a huge joke on you, was actually trying to flirt with her, my fcoy." Jones's hands dropped to his ndes in ntter helplessness. "My goodness, what next, I wonder ? be said, half aloud. Joneft, feeling that he needed fresh tir, was soon groping for the door- "*?■ N ° sooner was he outside lhan fte found himself face to face with Miss O'Neil. He now thought he mast be crazy, for sure. "Why did you treat me so, Ann'" «£*•' """"'y a °' c to speak. The girl looked surprised. "Treat yo° how, my dear ?" she asked. '" nT . take lunch with .Stevens and accuse me of flirting with you—to short, make a monkey of me." "I really don't understand you, Billy, but as I am dreadfullv hungry, let's go in and lunch. You can explain there as well as here in tie street"

L toy entered (Ik- room Jonrs «wM tartly repress a cry of half MWMBwnt. half /fright. At the *? e J«We. as before, sat Sterens and Mfss O'Neil. 'l I .J Wnk M 6e ** er a so«la an* then pet out of this before tiny 2? E£"J!l £? ■*' M " in K to, »'"- *Jf, fctt* the fair prl m tts side tad drawn him close to the table of H» other couple. Stevens' compan»on rose with a liKJe expression of pleasure as they approached. Let me present you to my sis- «£««&.- -""i. Afln : " my twin 2_l'i. Sh * " lhe su nrlsc I spoke •bout. And Jones could only say ■ "Will I am amnWomnfed." The- next day. Bland. Blank and 2L' £w , ? n! « Maid * n Un C Weived tha foHowtn* tetter:» send me jusf «wb another diamond as yon sent %?"*!■ ■ "n*T mwt be sa ?^. h . *S! *•* *• can ' l Wl torn *re lot twins.—Yours, etc., WILLIAM JONES." '