The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 793, 21 September 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

A SCIENTIFIC WITNESS. • (Continued.) Whether all the world and.his wife bad gut the wind fo the case, or whether the fashionable crowd were friends of the defendant and the plaintiff, Hclden did not know ; but as he cast bis eye over the building a quiver moved Ms well-cut lips for & minute. Then be turned to the lair plaintiff, who bad addressed some question to him. The defendant, looking most uncomfortable, and casting now and then beseeching glances in the direction of the perfectly-compos-ed and charmingly-gowned American, was consulting with his counsel—two of the great lights of the legal firmament—and a stir of excitement ran through the waiting crowd as the case began. HoWen opened his case well; be had got his chance at last, and he made the most of it, and his eloquence made a fatourablc impression, for the plaintifi permitted herself to smile and the deleirdant look*! u'l.'c and more acutely miserable.

"Conceive,"' sanl HoMen, i-i his raojt impassioned accents, "the painful position in which my client finds herseli placed by the unheard o( conduct of the defendant. Treaud as if the were merely a party to a purely financial arrangement, to be tossed aside like an old glove when a slight reverse in the money market reduced tter ionune to a mere nothing. I say a slight and temporary reverse, gentlemen" tccar.se another luin of fortune's wheel has more than reinstated h«.r in her (oimer position."' (Sensation in Court.) "Nor is this all, gentlrnirn—what shall I say <■( my client's tad. r feelings, which have been torn and lacerated .' What damages tan adequately heal wounds such as these which she has suffered 7 Kir the defendant d'.d not hesitate to inr/.tg.' my client's heart as Well ?s lit Vi'ilil'i. lie has pin-area hir..;e!f twenty-nay, thirty—times. 1 bave in.!is;:'.Jab)e evidence to show you in conniclion with this fact. There Me no letlus, gentlemen—a, common feature in a case of this description-.tit I have soiuu'Aing which is more convincing." He paused. A curious object on the ledge :before him attracted all eyes ; a trumpet shaiid cylinder protruded from it, and t;v its side lay a number of small rolls. The defendant was observed to gain.- open-mouthed «t t«em, while the plaintifl hid a somewhat apologetic smile in her perfumed handkerchief. A stir of expectation thrilled the waiting crowd ; even the judge was observtd to lean forward a little. "In these da}s of science and indention," continued Ho'.di-n, in his ciVar, even tones, "everyone has, I nit/pose heard of a phonograph 7 This gciitlcmrn, is a phonograph, and the Hi r:y-five roils beside it are thirl}five records, a few of which I will adjust in order that you may hear their contents. My client, anxious to keep for her own solace when alone some of the ut'.craucts of the defendant—he appauntly spoke well, although he had not the pm oi a ready wrilei—condived the I.lea of recording them on Wax records made for that purpose. I will now v.iih this slight explanation proctc.l to give you one or two —you may consiucr tiiem as lutcis, if you wish—but the sound oi the defendant's own voice is far more convincing than an\ written mailer, surely !"

There was a simultaneous gasp from Ihe defendant ..r.d the Court. Someone cried out suddenly—whether it \tds the plainufl or the defendant no one could say—and a stern voice said "Order !" Then nothing was to ■be heard but a faint, hoarse whirring, from the terrible little instrument be lore Holden, on which all eyes were fiicd. And then there issuid from it a voici—easily recognised by ail who knew him as th; alarrruis oi Streatbam's. . "Vou know I love you—why, there isn't a woman in the worl.l i a murry or speak to—if 1 had my own way—hut y..-i, darling ' No, money isa i cveryUi,-. Oi courte, It's a tvlp, but—what 7 Of course it would be ju.,t the same ii you wire as poor as a chinch mouse. You don't thick I'm such a cur ..s that, do you 7 And look here, when we're marrit.i hi ~ ;,u ri:;ht away, qu,u. '„■,- ourselves suraewheue, where people can't stale and frss and ali that sort of ret. 1 hate it all ! You'll look perkcii} -v.'.ftl with the family emeralds on >0..,r l.tft-1. liy Jo.c : And look here, Dimples;—yes, I shall call you Dimples—you've so many of them. I don't see win—" Amidst ihe tipple o whic;, ran through ;1., ; C-yurt the photnr gr.-.ph cm;.o,i a t L ries of strange tU'Jli'Js. ;io!den 10,1., d up with a perfectly wasklike face"i ought io i.\pian.,"' he submitted. "Hut ;i: t s t - ddd-> r-sounils are i.u.'.ahn; i„ uoi-.-s in -a Inter." And a! t;-.at ;l.e lioimdant could coatam l.iii.ieif no longer. Tlie Most Koi.ourabl.' u.e .Maimi-, oi StreaibuJi leapt up i„ i:.is plaie, with his Boyish I'.c- sc..,lrt wihh mi.rut.calio:. and anger. "My lend. i.e said. "I protest C. .-,. it's—i(s i.iiquiioiis. ■ il:s cou:.-■ I put a n'taining hand On his an.:, whi-ipeied in his ear. and; the boy—he wai little more after

all—subsided. Holdm i could have sworn that a dove-like murmur of | "Po*>r Billy '." readied him (rom the plaintiff, who wa.> sitting with her ! charming chin testing en the pink palm of her ungloved'hand ai.d the [tenderest twinkle uf mirth in her eyes , hut there was no more interruptions, an.l il:c phonograph went merrily on with the second an.l third iicords, which wire mix'a as the first, only perhaps a little more am|oroiis. Never had such gusts ol [laughter sw.jit the Court—never had judge and ushers been so lenient with the disturl/ers <.f ihe peace. And thv,case swam 011 to its triumph mt finiish, which lesultid in a verdict for the plaintifi with two thousand poui.ds damages. Amidst some applause., which was instantly suppressed, Miss Thurston swept out oi the Court to the rocm where Holden was awaiting her, . He turned to her wr.li iiuslk.l face arid eager eyes ; lie had w.,n his case —the cause crieUe of ihe hour. Cuiside in lite streets newsboys would be shouting the in 'hflf an hour or so. lie had (.ood cause to be pleased. >J "I congratulate you, Thurston," he said.. She flashed round upon him. and r> his amazement he saw tears in her beautiful eyes. "I'll—neter forgite you," she sard. 'Never !" Holden stared at her for a moment. "My dear Thurston, what is all this?" She turned awav with a little gasp and for a minute lie thought she was ■ 'going to; burst into a storm of tears; i but she choked them down.

"I'm furious with myself—and you" she said. "I'm ashamed, Mr Holden. That's what is the matter with me. It wasn't your fault—only mine. And I'll never lose my temper again. Poor Billy !" A gleam of mirth twinkled into the barrister's eyes. So that was it, was it ! Inconsistency thv name is woman ! "Poor Uillv !" | "But I understood—-" he began. I Miss Thurston waved her hand expressively, and dabbed at her eyes with a minute handkerchief. She was still a little husky. "You don't understand anything," she snapped. "You're onlv a man, so how should you. I told vou I was playing for a high stake, and I-I believe I've lost it. He'll never—never forgive me now." ! Holden smiled. He could only see a pink outline of cheek ;,u.l the delitale curve oi a thin, but—

"A man might forgive anything—to you," he said. She whirled round, all smiles. "Really 7 Do you mean thai ?- Are y<m sure 7 You're a man—so perhaps you ought to knov;. Mr Hoiden, I've' never •thanked you vd—vou .lid splu;-di.-ily. even in such" a bad cause. Will you do one thing more for ir.e 7 Wili you go out and fetch l.'iilv 7 I must i speak to him. I know" he hasn't gone. Tlure ! I can hear b ; m talkimr in the passage. Please tell Uiin I must see him for a minute." Iloldin laugh, .1. and J.;l |,. r M\. ding. What a eh-ii.i she was. !;■:- inflected, as he found Hilly in (he oassage ami brought him, red ot face and lather abject of attitude, to the room where .Miss Thurston was pacing up and down like an animal in a cage. | She positively ran towards him as ,l'tey came in. I "Oh, ISilly !" she sai.l, with b.'.llu haiids held out. "1 am so sonv ! I'll never lose my temper again "" What Avi we quarrel about 7" I "Well—by Jove ' I forgot." lie stuttered, "whatever it was—oh ! I say. Dimples, don't, don't darling !" Rut at that juncture the banister I Felt the moment for flight ii a; | C nmc ;and he simply daslml out ( ,r the room and shut the door behind him.