The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7918, 6 September 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

RIVALS. I The young wan selected at the corner of the square a bunch Irom the basket, and the blue-aproned woman, noticing his badge, concluded the transaction on the basis of cost price, apparently swallowing the coin which he tendered, ar.d certainly dealing out coppers as change. He took the chain oft the wheels, called •ut : "Let >m go, William !" And stepped on as the omnibus moved round to the beginning oi Sloan# street. One passenger sal demurely inside , he pinched her ear furtively, and turning, issued a general invitation to folk on the pavement to take the trip to baker street, King's Cross, and Ilornsey Rise. Retorting smartly to an inquiry tor tbc World's fcnd, he glanced back to sec an approving smile from the (ar inside. Two matronly laities, having extracted (rom <huu something lu the nature ol a sworn affidavit to the effect that he was certainly going to Marble Arch, permitted him to assist them, ohtain-

ing confirmation irom the young woman in the corner ere the re-startiny ol the otnuthus forced them to sit down.

"Threepence, missy, if you please. And would you mind accepting, as a slight reminder of the country '■ One Of the matrons prodding tincheerful conductor in the side, called his attention to the fact that a

young person was running swiftly in the endeavour to catch his omnibus; be pulled the string without looking round.

■""Thought I wasn't mistaken," panted ihe new arrival. She dropped into a corner seat. "Ob dear, oh, dear"—fanning herself with a copy of Home Chips—"l ave had a run for it. Didn't you hear me screaming after you ?" "Thought it was a steam tug on the river. Fares, please." "Tbc usual," she answered. Now, no squeezing ol fingers, mind !" He punched a pink ticket, and glancing rather anxiously at the young woman in the inner corptr appeared to decide not to go on with bis oflcr of tbc violets. He ti<ok the ovbor fares, <and hurried with a sign oi temporary reliel up the steps. When he returned he found, to his surprise, the two youn* women discussing the question of spring. "Ho," the late girl cried frivolously, as he looked in.

"Not much of it," he advised. "Them violets (or me lie gau * curt reply. "They wouldn't suit your complexion," she went en. "Moment I turmtl the cor„tr or the King's road and caught sight 01 your (ace I couldn't really h.ljsmiling at mesclf. I expect iicopl, looked -at me an<] wonder.d." ''Expect they always do. He still held il.r flowirs, antt sufjied Inclined Ift ta,kc deter wined action. Instead, he tcok oC his hat, found a pin in the lining, ann nxe the violets m the buttonhole of t.ilight overcoat. Willi his back to th. omnibus he spoke over his IHI shoulder 10 |tbc first girl remarking m an undertone that Kussia, as fai he could see was having little or nothing in the shape of luck ; he often found himself giving thanks to Providence for not having made him a Czai. ?be second girl, watching the conversation with plain symptoms 01 intolerance, touched his arm.

"Vou know very well I don't want to go down 'ere," she replied tartj iV ve ,ook a ,hrw Pfnny ticket, awl 1m going to have a threepenny ride. I was going to ask you whether you ever came across any o the old set. My married sister uj in Rabert street—l'm goiug to spenu Hie evening with her now, if ail s well—she was asking after you not long ago." Very kind of her." He returned to the other. "As I was saying, ht"e Japan's a country alter me own heart—"

"She says 'Oh, 1 site says, 'do vou ever ste anything of thai awkw'aid young- fellow you brought here out Su:..lay afternoon, who broke one of my best cups and saucers,' she savs She had forgot, you see,' 1 remarked the girl sentimentally. "\ou was all larkin' about ore's is it wouldn't have 'appened." "I am most awfully fond of a joke Anything lor a laugli," she conlcss-

At Knigbtsbridge, a-s he stepped down on the kerb, he could not help keeping cn« eye 011 the two cori.cr passengers. His breeziness of manner disappeared ; whcn a consUble gave an order with a wave of the hand he showed inclination to dispute the instruction, but" the constable gazed rather tucdly at the oval yellow badge, as though interesti<l in the crown designed upon it, and he contented himself by svjng opinions of police regulations to himself in an Undertone.. The second girl was now talking with great m vacity, showing a readiness to pel njit others beside the quiet yi.iui;, pirsrn opposite to enjoy thv lj\-ricln; M.-ruing tri.m inr c nvcrs.itiui. llov. it flid take one Lack, to l,c suit-, to meet an oM friend. Jlarfv six

months ago seem like yesttrday. Only proved the truth of tjie 01.l sa)ing. Time, indtcd, did fly. "That's true," said tho quiet gill. "And you found that fellows once merry and bright and cheerful had become cros.+tempered and snappish. Keady to bite your head of! if you yentuled to remind them of the old days. '

"Fancy," remarked the quiet mil. The gentleman, for instance, n it up top collecting fans There was a change if you liked. She could itmember the lime when he might le counted as the liveliest anion" the lively. ° "Well, well." And look at him now. Rcailv t • snub anybody, an.l scarcely Miowii.g wliat one might t< tin collision tiviiit>' towards passengers , it would serve buii light to semi a postt,u.| to headquarters reporting him 1-, i two pins "You'll excuse me." interrupt, d tie young conductor, lending. | Jr m„, ( with ela'boiute politeness, his ia.e had taken an ad led shaiie of led, "I , Want to speak a wonl to vou, miss" " Vou Can call me Nell." I sh>.ll call you .something u'O's,* than that il you don't listen. You arc intruding your conversation on tni. lady, and I wish you'd kindiv lint your cackle, ."-he's up Irom tl;:

country on a holiday, and I want her lo enjoy herself for the three days iiici's here. So if tyou Uoii-'i object. kindly;give your face a rest as far as, say', lljker street. Jane. 1 bought these violets lor you." The London lady sal back glowering dangerously, the conductor pointed out Stanhope Gate to the quiet girl, and expressed regret that she could not manage to spend a Sunday in town, for at 1 o'clock on that day you could sec there what the conductor could only describe as a serits oi eye o|>eners. People drci-sd up to such an extent that they looked more like (lower gardens than anything else. And now they would not be long ere they reached Marble Arch.

"Do you remember how I kept you waiting "Will you shut up," demanded the perturbed conductor, "or will you not when you see me talking to a lady ?" "I'll pay someone out for this.'' she muttered. "I'll fairly mesmerise him for ihis. Nice thing to find me, a Londoner, ousted bv a mere person from the . Here comes tlu jumper The conductor produced his hoard offering with confidence the pencilled figures on the paper for inspection. The with Home Chips threw down her pink ticket and took from '.he floor one of white belonging to a previous journey. She turned with an air of innocence to present this The other girl stopped. "This won't do." said the inspector seriously. "My lad, what sort of a game are you playing at? Do you know that ihis is likely to " "I'll swear it's the one he gavi mi'."' she said.

"Female inliuer.ee," said the inspeclor, "often makes a man run past himself. Hul I didn't think tlat—" ".More of her jokes." explained Hie country girl from the corner. "Mi-' is so fond of a lark. Here are our two tickets, inspector. Slo.ine square to Tottenham Court road. ' "That's more like it," agreed il.e inspector. "Oniy it's jokes' like this which get a chap the sack." T!k two women went up the sieps. "I shall get ofi 'ire,'' remarked the disappointed young woman ris'"!K. "and walk i!.e rest of th,' v:ay As a matter of fact, [ was never -.o very much gone on him. Hut you must l>e very fond ol him," she went on with acidity, "to take ail hat trouble." "Rather. ' admitted the quiet girl. Always was his favourite sister!"