The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7912, 30 August 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

A Woman's Memory. ' (OonUnuedj. Latcr(rn the evtßieg Kenneth found himself once more at tar aide. As he met the bright, laughing glance of her grey eyes be s« wall remem- ! unconquerable feeling oi tttteraess bsred swimming in twts for him, an forced him to speak. She eotrtd not have forgeMnn. "It it carious how your prophecy has been UlnHed attar all," he began i - suddenly, gating at hat with sombre ' ■ eyes. - Lady Copeland toakaa up, genuinely itartled"My prophecy l" she reputed. "Wag I indulgiag in «uc> downstairs. I had forgotten/' "No, not downstairs," he aasweied. "Do you not remember one eight three years ago—" "I *m really mast awfully sorry," •he answered, ''hut I don't remember am seeing you in my life before." The grey eyes danced up ta his witb the mischief he «• well remembered. IBs basil swelled with bitterness. ► "I bat* a«t fargattih" he answered. "After all, ii Was net a difflaill prophesy to nufct. Yen sain* that ■ perhaps belen we met. again yen might ban married 'a toot «r an earl,' sad became t great society lady. Bat the society lady was lo t remember me. That was the boad." b. . He spoke with affected lightness. fc 1 Lady Copeiaoi shoot her charming W bend. , "Welt, t have not married 'a dook or an earl,' I have not become a great society lady, and I am afraid ;' —I am most awfully sorry—but I am afraid I have not remembered you." m. The grey eyes looked op imizzically into his from under her dark lashes, and she smiled with a delicious air , of repentant apology. "Women's memories are ofteo very short," he answered, the bitterness showing.itself is bis voice and eyes. Lady Copeland looked np swiftly. A sudden thought seemed ta strike her. "Do yon mind telling me where it Was ?" Now, in her eagerness she looked so like her old self! His heart seftened. ' "At Jack Beauchamp's coming of age ball, three years ago," he answered. "Ah 1" she murmured, while a , faint colour stole into her cheeks. "Ah, you have remembered !" he exclaimed. "Will yon come to see me to-mor-row afternoon ?" she asked htm suddenly. Her whole manner had changed, her Toioe was low and eager. And now she was the Kitty he reik memberrd ! And she belonged to anf-- other man! i She murmnrod bar address as she rose from her ehalr, and then an irresistible laugh broke from her at the , suht of bis tragic face. "I am very sorry ho have forgotten yon, Captain Hamilton •■ sir said, with a saucy smile, ,! but I think' I remember yon now. In fact I: am«ure I dol Please don't forget to com*. I shall expect yon." She gave a nod and a smile a<: she passed over to where her husband stood. "Ths same old etory ?" Kenneth heard the latter say, with a smile, as she approached. "The same old story," answered she, witb a laugh of delicious maiieo as her grey eyes once more sought Kenneth s lugubrious face. "I will not go," he said to himself furiously. But on the morrow be went. He was ushered Into a small draw-ing-room. At a desk somebody was writing, but as he entered she rose and cams towards ,Um. "Ob !" she cried suddenly. "It is you!" Her face changed from piuk to white, and finally she Musb?d like a rose. "I—l—<Ud not expect to see you—so soon," she stammered, Is confusion, and ths grey eyes were veil- ' ed completely by the black lashes. Kenneth stood lookin* at her In utter bewilderment. What was the cause of alt this emotion, as utterly inexplicable to him as bad been her manner of the previous night. v "I am very se-rry," he answered I gravely. "1 understood vou to say to-day." , The girl suddenly Bashed her eyes np to his. The confusion died uttcnly away from her face, and her lips curved is a smile. "Indeed, I am very glad to see you. When I said I didn't expect you—l meairt-tliat as—l ihounht—l mean—" The man's eyes were staring witb astonishment. Could Ibis possibly he the cool, self-possessed woman of the world be had met the night before ' U so, why did she recover from one state of embarrassment only to fall more hopelessly into another ? ; As the girl ceased her stammerine speech and looked up at him wistfully, and yet with a smile on her Jips, he moved impetuously forward failed SttpptA in wh « fe reas °n

"I am in a perfect maze of mystery, he said, -but one thing If e ' "ttr iir" * re not Udy Copelanrt "No,"' she answered smiliajr " I am not Lady Copeland after alt." On, how fceautifol she looked as C/jrtWK: *■ «>» *>■ "Then you have not forgotten me" '-'ifut '-'ifut why oh *»J\ om you pretend »" "I have pretended nothing " she answered -I „, BOt *£ £"*»!: » »" afraid most She looked up at him with her E2&&*» mischi ™ s - '■- H^'ll 0 ! 1 3 '" sh * murmur, rf. He came impetuously towards her 'I g".ew nothing," he said fa wr . .!i*. y f u - ' '<"« rou sun *■ fcaudibW '•%," *•»»»"* •'most, inauaiwy. Oh, it has seemed so 2TiJ M, L. ta ? and the bbek-fring-to* trembling lips.

"And now explain the mystery," be , legged ter. j "Her* it comes," said Kitty, as the door opened ami Lad; CopetanU sailed into r*» room. With onemer--liy mischievous glance she took in •the situation, I "How do you do, Captain Hamilton ! So you have solved the tiddle and played out the little comedy of errors. Kitty and I are very much aHU, kut it you look at us closely you will soon detect the difler- | Kenneth cast a glance first at cue and then at the other ct the twin ! sisters. Truly there was a difference ! —all the difference between Kitty and .Lady Copeland ! j The latter laughed merrily as she .caught the import of his glance. I "Don't mind me!" she cried misjClaeTously. "So you thought I hail forgotten you, and could not explain t* yourself bow such a thing was even thinkable < Ah ! me, for the '.medesty of mankind ! 1 was ill I that nighr, and could rot go to the ', ball; but I had vague recollections .of bearing of a certain Mr Hamilton who was there !" ! She shot a mischievous glance at Kitty's glowing cheeks. I "I prepared this little surprise for you,'' she went on. "Last night you would willingly have slaughtered our .ejitire sex. To-day I believe you feel .otherwise disposed. And all because .a woman's memory has tot proved se short aiter all '" | But Kenseth barely heard her. He 'was looking across the room, deep j iito a pair of soft grey eyes, where- | it shoie lo longer tears, but perfect happiness.