The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7911, 29 August 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

A Worn fieaoiy.

It had been a glorious ha.ll, but Bow it was waring its ml, and to two vcung people at ha-»i aiindst the throng the curt o{ the hall seemed tIK" eirl ol all ihings. At prrsent they v.ere silting together in a Jim ' conservatory ecuipUtely absorbed m tacit otb.r an.l th# joy oi the mo"That's a dear case !" had been rtnutked by oat person and more, | as Kettv Trevclyn sped on with winged feet in the arms ot her stalwart cavalier, and it certainly looked like love at first .sight. Kitty wa> eighteen, and it was only her second ball. Perhaps, then, ii was little marvel that she had at least lost hvr Vead, if not her heart ; and ii Kitty herself bad been asked, she would have avowed (at least inwardly) that her romantic organ was no longer in her own keeping. Never had evening sped so gloriousfy as ttiis, since shc/hai I.oktJ into the brave frlug tjts of . this young soldier. As for Kenneth Hamilton, he was in a similar plight. He bad never seen Kitty in his life before, but, from the moment he had gazed at her rivid, radiant .face and caught the brilliant gtanoe of her grey eyes, he was bo longer master of bimMlf.

"Thig|js the girl for me," he had fiaid to himself, and it was with a heart beating.with emotion fhat, after the accessary indroduction (with Which prelimlnasjr he would willingly dispensed in his young eagerness !) he bad ltd Kitty forth to the dance. And now, towards the end of the ball, they were sitting together in the conservatory, and Kitty was listening with bent bead and downcast eyes to Kenneth's eager words. The light of the fairy lamps just touched Iter ruddy hair, and brightened it into gold, and the downcast face looked marvellously fair in thu dim glow. "In two days we sail," Kenneth was sayiog, and with that he suddenly broke ofl and was silent. "And you are glad ?" said Kittv in ht r low sweet voice.

"f was glad," he answered. "I am afraid I am not quite so glad as I ought to be now."

The colour ruslted up Kitty's face. She lifted Iter eyes suddenly to his and as suddenly lowered ttr-ra acai. while her heart gave a great throb. ,on G do s'ou expect to be in India ? ' she asked quickly. "I don't know," said Kcnr.tth "I ' may be for years, tnd it may be lor ever. Who can tell ?'• "Don't !" cried Kitty, .caic-lv aware cf her own eiclamar'on. for a moment their eves met— Kenneth's eager. beseeching , thv Rirl s suddenly sparkling with tears Kenneth bent forward, bin Kitty - M>ns e came of to the nscui bhe pulled herself to^ethtr "I Woi.der ii I shall ever He vou a " J m, ' she said lightly. "Tertian' we shall meet years Ik nee when wt are both quite old, or even a few iln US - •j" "" S You will a d'sv c - of cimrw ' lad • w ? h ' Sfr l ' a « r <'at sr.eien « 'i i "tarried a duke or an f , bat 1 stl all condescend *i| t<, <)W 5-ou Won't that I* kind i" A R am her eyes were raised but aml danc «l J he,t Wack 'ashes. lib, what a beautiful fa CC : f , He"r S l° r H, throUKl ' Krnn<> ' i'can wr words were probablr a true prophecy. Someone would ' win her bclore many months wen- m,r t Sf h S A,,d he out r, "■ " e would lierhaps never :,te rxevni** 1 " lfl > r llr ' s niß,lt was "'7' *ay in the future as another man s wife. He fl&it U |kh> »tL .1?, s ? trasic an:| fu|l Rioom that the young grl was start her Kr r " ' CKS f t 5 came ovel .(^u t ', ! ; aw h?r ' ac « change, foie T d,d . ' not mwl you befoie . he cntd, bending over ft> r passion in his voice. I wish you had," answered thf' r . '? the innocence of bcr heart *>n, I wish you bad rich M D ' oniCnt thCy K aZC(I each Othess eyes. A sol of excik- ' in Kitty's throat—and at that jn.-ntnt another couple appeared at ai. dooi and the precious momeir hadl tone_ At the same instant the KJ f Blue Dan a ™* trom the ballroom, with its haumiiiß persuasive melody. "Come," said Kenneth eagerly Never mind your partner, never mind anything. Give me this last dance, I implore you." The girl rose at his bidding m another minute they were swinging round the ball together, silent with ? cmotion - The beautifu: melody haunting, familiar, singed in their hearts like pain, but it wanot till the last bar was ptayed thai Kenneth spoke. "This will ±e something to remember out there, even if it should be icr ever. ' Kitty made no answer. She eoulii not trust herself to speak. .."Goodbye," said Kenneth in a low voice, as lie led her back to her chaperon. "I shall never forget vou I wonder if yeu wj|i remember mc.'' She raised a pair of lovely eyes gleaming brighter through tears, and vrn.cd by the blackness of her lash es. Her childish lips trembled a, she uttered in response— I will," .she answered ' Goodbye. ' Three years had passed, and Ken- ! 7 I? 1 ' returned to his native land How often lie had thought <f Kitty during those years it would le Idle to guess, but certain it is that a return to England seem. ,I suddenly to revive the memory of that and of ibe eager-heartrd Ijtde giVi too youn s t 0 conceal hj« ( morons r ,cars in her'loveiv eve... , . CVcr scr her again he wi"i(Ur>d idly one evening ;-.s u t crowded reception, he sto<d'wat'i■ng t„e throng pass by. And alirost ••s the thought framed itself with-, him, lie eaughi a glimise of h r ace in the distance, and hi, h art to brat wi;h an ime.'s' e.v i. ( -

I say,' he arcrvstpl a trj H ] whn PaSSm!t - "" is not "'at .M;s- Tr.--ulyn mp r thpro-that iwau'iful ■in in RTfen with the fop,«. r luir''." caiiv , "«L et " rilcl ! !' is frirnil cally. She nurruil s,, [!,.,,ry cv.ro. land a year a E „. a „.| ,s , . ! f - fader nowadays. Too ~,i man, tanit ho , m wiMi V-r n' <m ir <hr (| ttl in'V

Tliw nichi.s lalrr j, was |IK ur J tj> late hor .low, ,o | . Lady topcland had appa.v „lv f'lf" ' lim - He had l«n ;^ n ; M to hor, and .she had crrrtcri him 3 .\id an Th- T '.! hpr " Vc( "•"■'""■■ ru. JS Tii i. how stK' had ihaiice.l ' ThM charming child iu ,| turned T',„ a c ar m , ng woman, it was al.s - chant . d tLV bUt " h ' ll " '"hut 7., I 1 were the .saiw -rov ll o '1 rin Wd. ''N' wl| rri' « rvminjc ho had l o vod I.TJm! ? incredible (<1 hi,„ i| la 7X , a '; fnr K oitofl. Vrt sh * l " 4 ' T tr L.° f,r " cc "tly' \hor'l""'i'..| i doubtles* that was ,n Uhi! l/h! I » ,hiU fVr,M-!a lit fcl- I (To bt Co*tinupil|. j