The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7925, 14 September 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

CONSPIRATORS. (Cotttiuucd.)Ti:fV came at length in tardy obediince, ami Sir Anthony. admonish- .;>, 4 iliem puiunctoiily with tin' dog . wiup. If carried, st.,optd to pick up a f.nall .scarlet sl.-pper Uut.lay on the grass. "As I live !" iiuolli ho, "L'iiidereiU lus dropped lur slipper. Ai.a now, good dogs, to heel ! Damon to litrel, -sir, we'll go seek this lady o> tha dainty foot." She leant •areatlilcss against a tree her iace something white, and fear still in licr eyes. One little foot/ in pearl coloured stocking rested on. the insttep of its slippered fellow. Her coquetry was gone. As Sir Anthony approached her with his court- • licst l)ow her fact- said plainly : "Hast thou found me, oh ! mine « en?my.;. ' "Jladar.i," he said humbly, "1 am come to intreat yout forgiveness for eoiidutt. I feat tticy caused you some Hut! ' they are gentle beasts—it was only fun to them." . "It was death to me, sir," said • the girl, an I her lip quiw-Vnl.

In tlie pause that followed Anthony iorgrrt the feud and his poverty anil all else in the world savo thai fair face and tremulous mouth. He came a paco nearir. "Since tlieie is no one to present mo. by your leave, I'll present myseii," said Le. "My name is Feaiheriey, very much at your s,n ice, and you, i( 1 mistake not, madam, are my cousin Betty." "And your enemy, sir. It seems you forget thai !" ' In good sooth lie had forgot it. But at ber words he reaiemheied that he had a certain part to piay. "The feud was none of our making," said h;\ shrugging. "Why should we he enemies ?"•

"Perhaps Uocause my grandfather has ftrbuldm n.e to speak t-j you or with you. I am a Featlurley aul Featherl.-r'i> feud must he my quarrrl too. I liai.S you have my slipper. »if' -t!.; ■ was very haughtily—"if >ou please I'll trouble you lo give it tat." AnthuiiV r> tarded the .slipper thought fully, and, "Tib atuuing>y llltle, cotin.'u !" She meili'tl on the iiistaiit. as latem.ows melts' uuier ii.e warm April swi. •'My. gun ;!>: :!.er fc.:s | to 111 ill v. i • ;,<i pieces on my wt. iUiug day," M.e murmured, dimpliiii. "I'heu. i' uitli ! madam, your hii., l.aii.l will he .. i,e iiiicri • !*- liili tr, i(.£ i...i:i ii ii 1.01.l many guineas ! " cri,.,: i„ . Kui the v.i ::.i v.-;-!il w«.l. in tl:o>e Jays, aii.l a man could nUr;.s.- ain l:> <-.i:ni lim, :,t i,„!n l> aii.l r.adilj—nearly—as he could b»v-r. A.. I'm lit ity sin- permitted'him to Inn! a : ;.l plaee the littie scarlet siij'i'ii' i.ii lur toot. I'erhaps—who Totild toll '.'—she did not greatly dislikr that lier i ncmy should see how art ..;d fine was the instep ia llic~pc-arl pmk stiA'kingj But when 111' rose to his feet once rn'-i." she swept him a formal couit- ;■, s tyii;g : "I tl.aiih \mi mt, and I wish you a £i-..d iik.iiiiiii; and was turning to ,;o nhen he as';ed carelessly: "la it your habit, eou-,in, to walk here in the early morning ?" T!.f voiie was soine'.hit,,; too indiff'Tei,!. She UiUd hrr iln'n. • "And if sir, what is tlul- to .Sir Anthony Keatlieriey "Nothing eMcept—it 'happen? to btc»y haSit too !" He stood before tier in t!ic mist i.f tap youns May morning, bareheaded, uvarinj; ifh' hii'.ilo (if i i K * who plays a pretty comedy-as indeed, he aid. Looking on .him, Betty told herself that it were, in sooth a wicked thing to revive an old' feuri "also that grandparents were not created exprestfy to <, „u. v „| against all % reason. Nevertheleis sho sinswered proudly : "I cannot be eipectcd to for ceo my mornings Walk, sir, merelv tx-. cause somr , other person cho-jses to J>e abroad at that sanie hour proudTy/' ma "' Un SaIJ AEl " onyas

And so during the fortnight that I k,7 11 'hat, these two Wil U1 young folk aic t o f U . n in >thc early morning by the river. and bv sfcnt I'nrt 01 l ' oUl the 1H« ? for S o|, - n Nor did ~, t . greatly resent the i ' S boM *> un ? in ■er cansm. Tli. rr- ww ( . 0 .,. r , t ~, f gmlry thingsi t-, recommend "*ard. Ho handle wd he liad as pretty and as , t . n(l 10-iruc as ever paid homac to S»«y « w«.n ItdUtVs iiVau 11 and—LsT ii ) t ''t' i' n;l m aRi ana-fist- »»' »>y no nnvus i. f had forbidden her t<i *aye speech wiiii h, m ! J the , *o"ing prospered ■ ana one May, morning the General stood, unseen and all a-grin on th ndge fd as dainty 8 a s ever "trail saw on ihe Muul, below. "But it Jiri'-t (>■■ a pcist-e'iais-' a:. I a ladder i .ijwn-ai.d fir.-ina ■r«n ; 1,;., i, *•.-.< iayu. R , w l!h tl beginning of a ! V !, u !;l! the smwttst hur* •irtaihle.s 1 ; laiieh and a spar&ie o: purest excitement

under the curled lashes. "Gretna Green, tlwn sweetheart, it shall be cric-l Anthony, and he, too, lauglu-d, and, bending, kissi'd her hands. Betty looktd down on him as he did so with a monstrous liuiug in hit dark eyes. "My grandfather would never let mc riiarry you," she said. "Why, lie toM me he'd as soon'give me to a loot-pad as to you. And he said—think of it. Sir Anthony !—that you would not touch me Willi a pair of tongs !" Whereat Anthony laughed again very heartily. Hie laugh was echoed by another, ami lo ! who should come walking calmly.down to the shingle tut Genera Feathei ley himself !

Betty gasped and whitened, but her cousin swore beneath his teeth. As for (ne General, he caijiie ioijwaiM and greeted Anthony with a mighty slap on the shoulder, crying out ; "And s.j. Anthony, dear lad, it's ail settled, all.l you'll marry J3citv and bring the fVatherley title back to JratlierU'i". And, bv gad ' we needn't keep up Mr-" comedy anv lo.'iger. Tne feud—ha ' ha ! it was a liiotis!rotis good notion-tile feud has UißCii the trick !" Ai.thony. gianctil ieariully at the S« 1 s facv, and ; "Confound you, sir cried he, -liakin: the f:arisl of! I,is should, r i,eu>-for Heaven's sake.don't take it liht* inaJ ! ' • i--i B. li, uulerstond. The situa-' |tM", hart .struck her full and ,wift, I'urntJ to the General. "Is tr.ere then no feud ?" she asked ii, a voice of tremulous coldness i vague disquiet. i:n, there is not," he Said tapping bis snufi-l.oi-. ""was a plot, then, loAVid me K) you.' —and she faced round sud demy and fronted the youiu; nun a p&.. Le " Ki lioatseI >-.

J,, I ;'', !' itv WJS W'iic as the ,u • VJUlcii lum uiiii (-'injul and liar'" L r r -.,,,,i "Fortune-hunter • \ Mn ' l T '"•M'LKss iii-' i,-,. ... *'- N - liinl- <« hW"li- i.i ' < ,-p , '"UII. ~, i. "I!.W'\. "v i",J.' . v ',' l: )' m should t':r *«, j. , * * '' t " t u "- !i *i 1.1 y. iu - m-.iey r,ri!.! '*' • f l.«l\ (■ ;,i, i* T1 (if, • f '' i- ' Wfi.ll I HW lii t „ siv,.' } „ u " 1 '"••-'""•'S- I haw- U I .j-j" ln . a «'«;«« U.c !•'.:i«i ..i ,i; t famiU-L iwl 11, VDU. Hut 1,,c.t1!.e ilrMl'it,. your and y„ ;J1 taiii'mm, i chance to love you, I vou t g« "it!! ili,. , lloII( -v.- '

lii the silence tiiat followed t!,,. ftiil drew in her tii(..m, . s |, a |.,|| v jsoltnes» tame am! lit <1 tifc lii'e .''r<.ye-,asdoUl,ttu!ly they sou „ lit Anthonys in mute qUr.Mmum■* 1 "Vou dru-iu-.l uu ./- sla . '^ h[ ■ pitrMi.iiJy.

He came and took her 1ia:,.1, kneeling on one knee, as a lov ( r should, on the shingle at her feet. "Sweetheart," | ic said brokenlv. Was .1 wick,.l plot and mo.; : con emptihle ; hut, Ihav.n' wit I 1 Sttear. iron, the liis; mome.il 1 saw j.r;i I j„rgot all else 1 low J you. And—llct-

lieiiieiiiljeline j.,., O , V|l ,„ U]|l General turned his hack auruptlv and walking to a ln.Ue distune.-, took snuh not wisely -hut too well'. ino l-iriK colour had come rit-hlv U, Uc-tt;", l'aee. There waV « tV i .'"'' iniss in her eves all .t

"Al:.l do you. then, also chance to in l'm'v 't'' I .' aii-i niv tantrums ' . J !u r«i wi,il l /! , ; U T " r,ls n jO • ,J »"y knew, for tl»v w.'if drowned a most milt i , 5 V "icv.ee flow the (; t!lvra!

<H>ho! l among tl„. Maori pas ~ Is til in Wa '" kur « pa. beinft eitußt"l in an unhealthy position was hy Fonii- ot the ou.Maoris as a death-trap. A, . "rr>«p"n,!,. n , lvh(1 S p,, ak wjtll >ha< unless the r.„vrrnmc. fake - urßf . a«ist.,n... „ ~V 1, |.,,u Ihar , hi . (|j _ fn* s t ,rr.«,|. and very r ' ~ "i" pr.|hallly follow, w. ][av.t.i ui.il.-! aiui i],.,, Ic-r of ihe latanaki .Maori Council r.as wired • !«.• Xamv Minister to urge that ni.«lir rt l Resistance .should »«• ,hdt I,r - Ponmiv will visit tlii- jui.

Il i- •!;. .[ i] K . m "';' '-t'er.fn s t«iie de,v,.m| an{ j p^OSperl"l Wilo.nl S- >ujui. iiiaf,, Operate i.-- W..|.. '-.TI-] i, .1 Oli at iIIHIIII IJ'KI !■ .I'ei.e sta-l.'\ii i,\- 1 tr-'iiriiiiivr ajnl f ' i 1 * -' 1 ~ A -ii ttrv- was aitd a t:0,, : . l « as ,(riven tip on to Ihe rrrf. i r „ m »hieh somi- i:o™i sa lr .]il.-s or givcnston.? jv.-'H' oi.iniu.-ij.