The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7938, 29 September 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

SOUK GRAPIiS. Whether there are really many oi those oft-written-of individuals who love once, and once only, does not matter. Failing in love gets easier every tumble. They had partid five years previously. He, at that time, was accepting what he considered a hopelessly inadfjpjate salary from a ss'K.Vi'iV>kcr. Considering hv spent' as much of his time as was possible chewing the top of a penholder awl iud'ilgtns in unprofitable day dreams, this remuneration—from his employers point of view—was sufficient, no! lo say munificent. "She"—well ! She was nineteen and prelty—viry pretty, and n was not necessary for Iter to work ior a living. At that time they loved each other. They would die for enc'i oil. cr. They would never pait 111 si things they told one to the other, at somewhat iinr.ecessaty with constant repetition. Tlrvti she nut tlu* other man. There is always another man—sometimrs several. If Jack—his name wa'; .lac';—had only Waited (or a little and not got excited about it. things in all |;Tohability ftould have developed dit;. renllv. A.s it was he had got exciti-.!—very much so, and once again the particular angel who records lovers' broken vows had been exceedingly busy. It had Iven such a long live \ears to .lack since tliey had parted He sought for-fame, fortune, and forgetfulness in l.ondun ; Maisie bad time t.i marry the other man. At frst he had looked ior the forpc.fulness in places of amusement, ami Rood—or, rather, gay—company. Kvrntiiallv lm found a eeriairy amount of and a larger portion of fan*? in literature. His name was known, his work sough-; for, aud he was angry with himself because he couhl not forget the face of the girl who had left him lo marry the other man. The other fellow's name was Frai.cis Collier, anl

( he was wealth) It is gc»-rally accepted 111.11 ii:i- v-1 >) 1.1 is a vciy small place. I'eihaps il may be ior l)n v m.Mi \w\ i\ a 1 il« •':S lt li.l a \»AVAn*I | a mM<>r, *ti«h< plt-niy t-ig enough | fur the jnan ftl.o hasn i im* L ll i'"' 1 01 ; a 'bus iaiv. Small or m\, .lack had neither si'<■ it <»i oi .Mrs trancis , Collier (luting tlif !iv t ' years that had elapsed since Utt-iL parun>;. Yet lUc ytvis had lioi.e wry tilth* w dim ihe picture his memory .held of Maisict and on this particular morning his tho'-ight:-. had hi i'ii giwu an unexpected impetus into the familiar diannel. Jack:had 11,11 down t° A quiet seaside town tor a change, and the lllst thing to catch i.;s c\e m the ,\\stii'-ul(. of his iivuunle 'h-'lel was a pile oi luggage labelled "Mrs Francis Odlirr. He noticed name casually at —it had no more meaning i'«»r hun than Mrs Thomas Kohins.-n. IKul the Ullage been lale'.Ud ' Maisv —tiieie are manv Miws.«*s — imagination •.would have at once cam el id over a 1 thousand weil-:-.n»wn ai.tl o!t-r;-meiu-I beted incideiits. Scutes oi Utile | lutes—Maiv.e's. awl e.ei ■; "»h —-v.riilil i have come back to h-uu with sweet I sadness.

As it was.|.Jack walkid out across the almost cl.vrted ]■:<nii( naiKI—it 1 —it was earlV .June—anil was admiring the splendour oi the sun-kissed sea fx'fore the name had any significance for him. Then it suddenly Hashed ion him—"Mrs l-rancis Collier "" She must he lieie also ' Did lie want to I bee her | Before '.lie resolution to see her couhl take shape in his mind lie ■caught sight oi a figure coming in ' his direction. A bewitching figure, in a light, clinging, summer costume, dainty brown boots that twinkled in I a most unsi'titling manner as she came quickly towards liira It was undoubtedly Maisie ! Jack the cynic thought "it is without doubt Mrs Francis Collier." He got up from his seal an.l Went towards her. Then tthwi he was quite ctose and it was />n the tip of his tongue to exclaim ''Maisie !'' he n muni.ered. and. pulling biii-.scli together, >aiii lirmiy. as li,- lift, ,| his hat. "(rood morning '—ami wailed. Maisie stopped. u,-„l t-iul! .Jack h:w read her thoughts lie would certainly have felt flattered. As it was he couldn't, and gathered what consolation he could fiom her momentary hesitation, and irrepressible blush. "Why, it's Ja—Mr Vit.c tit , I an, pleased to see you." "You are looking well." l!ow absurd it HiUinUd. Tin- j.ime thought ■>tri:ri; them sininllaiieoiisly, an.l they both laugl.n!, "I .mi glad you laiighe.r." said •Jai'!v. ar..l ed.le.i <;s an aiiei-i'iought : "I kno". wi;> you laughed, loo." "Oi cou.se \oil do ! Il v.'as sillv. wasn't n ''

•Jack was in in;; m himself In ask afiri her husband. ] )U j ,| i( , nearest h • couM Has: "Arc vou l, 11' ,i|n;:r V" "Yes—.. Jsii'i i! 1; Jack tlj.ia ? !n rliis dly unkind o -Vl I hj:.: *l. " j ;i on. " n Iter M'-I." i..- vi'iu.i ,■.! "«ill V"U ll,.IO!/l i a ,. "I wonder whether I 1 !!>:nk I v,.ii. M , ln things ...I lh,. I:uir aN- j;,,i : mentioned ;« ih,. (!«>pa:tiis. mi Sra:.." T!:ty v.v!i.ii! K j. t!. • !■!■ i jii s ,| ; :i,'leev :i :: , c I:.; I 'leall '.Mill t!;i" other. ' V,u '. I ' JS '-'i | jt . lv sWect, llioiishl J„ c I;. f ,cv.r; tlws e ~t " |!IS •••--• <.ll!v Ilia! (' MaL""'" s " He found a seat a( l!, ; . ( .|<d oi piei I. :i:ij direct lv over the ili-nc--ITIZ Wi'.H-lv "Remei'il>'eai; •••■

"Of course 1 do ! It was 011 the clife there that you told me the plot of your lirst story—l read it afterwards in the Kmpii'e Magazine." "Fancy you remembering that ! yot. had on that hat, with the- enormous liow at the hack for the lirsl time that day." "Ves, I remember that- 100, You liked it." 1 usually ilkl anything you v;orc." Maisie did not reply. "Do you know 1 nearly called you 'Alaisie' just now Maisie hesitated a moment, and then, looking bint steadily in the eyes, replied : "Well, it's still my name, you know—Maisie, I mean." A note of bitterness crept- into Jack's voice as he went on. "Y'cs—still your name; you've still kept Maisie, of course.'' Maisie's face betrayed nothing. "You must think nie very, verj sellish ; here we've been talking all this time aud I haven't once congratulated you on vour- splendid success." Jack felt lie was being pulled up. "Oh, thanks verv much , I've be "1 fairly lucky." "fairly lucky ! J think you've been mancllousiy successful , you've got everything in the world voti can de sire.' 1 I hen il was that the feelings, held 111 check for five years, broke loose. All the tiercel for stilled so long, Jack's emotions bubbled over like a river bursting a dam. "All 1 desiie. «id it now—l'd count it all well lost ior you. And you know it. I loved you ; 1 always have lined volt 1 love you now. 1 know nu s.ni.,,' this makes it impossible for" me' ever see you again. I nc\er ought to aave met you to-day, \et )m K l a ,; -you once loved me. I know vou did ! And whether you love your | husband or noi, 1 don 1 know 1 j r ;and not think wholly bail of me-1 love you."

An o\t i whelming ■ ioy had come Id WaiMf al .Jack's winds, hut al t'.w mention or lier husband's name her eyes h;v<l opciml wide in surprise. "My husband, Jack ! What do v.v.i mean 7 And tlini sufllv ; "I'm n'la.l llial neither of us liav e alleied." Jack liif/ cynic 1,',-,ui (o asscr himself. "\ciiher altered ! (; IM id Cod, We have holh altered ! I ddn't hrl a cad telling ,Maisie Hurst I 10v,.l | K r but to say tin- same thini; Francis Collier is somewhat did'erem Maisie lauglii'.l, cjuiclJy. joyouslj. "Mrs Colin r! Then you u.:j n know 7 .Jack, I was never marriul. I've I)CC|\ Imping all t!ii:-e years 11, t , you would come." •Jack's bewilderment was excusable. "Not marritil ! Hut 1 saw your baKSage at Hie (irand lai.ellid 'Mr., Krancis Collier.' " "Yon may lu\e seen Mr., Kraneis Collier's luggage. Not tiioti;.!: Aiier We parted )i\c yiais ago I rV eogllisttl what your love meant U, me. I realised that 1 should nevct vhappy without you. Mv pride Would '-'I »ie write to vou ;h m ], , v . I l| o|iid you d conic I watch.,l vo' you seem.d lo |,e ciimbiV.f; aw;.\ ! 'om me, and yel-" ' upM^cPVi-" 1 ' .' ,arti "R-" ,v'«. « we.;" sour.-' 1 U ' CW