The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7953, 17 October 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

Tllli DISOnKDIKNCT. OK LADY KUSI'KTH. Whr-r-r ! With a llash of shining silver and black mamrl tin- motor car whizzcil by up the road, vanishing- in a cloud of dust "(Hi-li-h !" saul I-Jtly Klspcth, witi a little gasp of siirpusc, and she 'icantsl breathlessly iiver the ivv covered wall tn a vain effort lo (>frtaiu a further view of the vanished wonder.

"Is is—it must be—a motor car She sat down on a small rustic bench to reflect on this gjeal and astonishing marvel. Lady filspeth was very pretty , Her hair was dark and curly, her ryes were lug and very grey ; her mouth was, also extremely kissable. She v.av in short, a very adorable little pcrsunagc.

Hei extreme astonishment at the phenomena she had just witnessed must be explained by tin' statement that she bait only two days before lift a most s r,ctly-steluded cmiiciu school. Ch; rice visitors at tin' school bail drsrtibtfl the appearance of these woi,d.rs. Soiur .of tin-other pupils, indeed, had even Ixdield Ihem, but to Kispcth th.y had I,mi a hnhirto unknown wonder. The sound of the dressing bell lo'isci her from her reflections, and sit.- v.alleil quickly back to the houstv

tinner proceeded in solemn silerc.-, and desert was on the table beu re Klsjieth di'livertil herself of het JstiiUiiding statement. ■ "I saw a motor-car to-day.'' M"A gocd many pass by here," reTuarkcil Coli*icl St,inho|ie earelessly Mrs Stanhope, hr.wevir, looked up ijuickly. "1 hope Klspeth, that you have no: been beyond the grounds ?" "Hut, no," replied Klsi>eth, surprised , "I sa* it our the wall, ne.r by the summer-house." Mr.s Stanhope looked relieud. "That's all right," she replinl "It was- very pretty," omit'imcd Klspeth , "a,ll shining black and silvi r, and a little blue." Colonel Stanhope lauglud "It was the Hake's, 1 expect.' he said Wis Stanhope's warning frown was iost upon her husband, and she rose hastily from the table. "Come, Klspeth," she said—ard ••IsjH'th regrctfuily left the mm-( ,|f. licious of Kruieh plums to follow hi her aunt's Wake. Later in the evening Mrs Sianlmpe spoke severely lo her hushaiul "My dear, Frank,'' she said, "I

wish ion would inni-iuber in s|H>ak lii>>rt- c.irciiilly when Kl.-peth is present." -Shi- would not understand," gruut fd Col.-iicl Stanhope. "Nn, but s'.,c "ill Willi.lfirepliiii l.is wile. "I w.li allow that it IS tl 111 1 ' 1 ' fill.' l ! 1' ca.Se. 1 ll 1 C itlH I wuh .1 fjii "'i lay hands who knows < m> 11:i■ rtI—or 1 —or t -vru less—liiai; a child Ot sel, 11, lUSI I-, cause hfl father left a ruliciih ;:s will to li.!* fluft tha.l she W4- '.ol in leave Hi,il absurd set-, oil u-i inil- single ilay nil sl>« W.ls s-Viatu'li ' "li i-, ,i 'ui.ou.aiid pities lhal 'Miss ltu..s«!l eaniu.l kaic home ioi a in. iii}:. hut nil sin- .trine., i" look aiM lui 1 have ioibidden Klspeth 10 gu U-y.ii.l tin- gi omuls, iii.il 1 tan iii;-.! In I liioimighly." "I wtni.lt i." -i.'-i l Klspelh in heiHili hi) tiioaglniiilii. "wli.it a l'.iKi' is, an,l *liy Am:l l.lln ia was angry." Sieip, li.iiifiii. oMi'eiaii'il 11:l"tli•I 11-1!, ''l :t -liS. Hut uil.l il'.flli. A I'r'" 'i'«' ret-iiiriJ. She toui.i mil ask Aunt Dim,i. Inc.i li would vpx hfl.anii shf St.n ll '.ll latditSS ,l\Vf Hi her f,v. . l-naluii-il unc.; 1 . She h.ul some tague no!ion lhal il was connected wnii ;iaril,'i,,ii(c , liui. ilivn, wliy was Amu i Ol.li la so angry In llu' afternoon slii- solicit \lie sum Wet-house Willi a hook. I! the (alts wt-iv kin.l, sin- might perchance set- aai.l lift hi I host' marvels. The faks, howcier, Hill not smile upon lur, and shf In-took herself to her book. All a! in.Co there came I lie delicious vvhi-r-r-r !—ami Klspeth sprang to her feet. The sound was followed by a sudden .sort of slop and a stiangc pantlug noise, and th;n—"Dash !" Klspeth, who had leached the wall, h.s.Ultti, The word had no especial sjgmficancc to her ears, but the tone conveyed an expression of annoyance. Still, il must he a motor car, and it had stopped. There might never iie another opportunity of observing ihe marvel when il was quite still. KLpcl!; looked over the wall. In the road was a motor ear—shiniii,; sihir, black inaiin-i, and a little blue. Almost under;.i alb was a man. No doiiiit this Was Ihe Kake. MS|)ctii Watch;tl liii,ithlis.lv. After a moment the man emerged and -11.*'>t uprighi. Klspelh then per#eiv«d that he was a young man. He was tall and nic,' lo iook at. 11 - nan was un,tin. ai.d Lis clothes a, ie I,ll.tin. Sii.lilei.lv he li nked in. and Klspeth. with a startled d-sii. .-.it.' iiiat his t-ii-s, too, were a "Hullo !" he -ai,l, and h.' took oil • is cap ■■.-..1,, y.i i 1,1111 asked Klsprth imidlv , "No." he replied gaily, "H.is onil- i>lie <-i tin sf t i.iili ,:l[nl- I valves I w!t:ch i'.ts wrong. l-iii never laiin.l, 1 must i-.,-w push ilns machine : home " ! "ts„ t i:." asui I i-ilMictli, "very ! heavy V" ! "|r is noi l'..ht. lie leuiai Ked, j "hi,t 1 ein manage n." j lie did not. ir'V.ci.i, s, i in iii a Veil gr.-at hmii ii..|,|uii. l.nt sum. I I looking up at the small n«iuv aflovr i him | "Do vim know." said l-iisiielh. with a sii.iden liuist o! i-i.tihdi'nve. "til.it louts the li I -. l —hut the 'very' tiist—ninlor-c.-r thai I have I fier s t-ii J "Ni.nsi Use In- ivplic'l- ' "Il i.." s!i - i: .Uie.l i ;n-.illy. "Then, in wh, ? fall I l..;i(i. may 1 I ask. hale you been .iTvetl'f.S j Klsueiii Inn mail. "It was J not a iair.Saiiii ,i: all i' was lust I a tolji ellt -t inj;>l. "Tb.n >..u h.r.e ueiii ill inn in ,i liiotorl.il hj"No.' I ,'spi :i..li (j |-"i~|).-:h . "I ii,tip j never eien T , | "Wouhl lou 111 e to ilnie in one'

he mnuirnl. "Is it," asked Elspelh, "my dangerous ?" "It depends," he said, gravely, "OR the pel soli who drives you." "Yes ?" she said interrogatively "He must he," continued the man, "very steady and very careful—not a flighty, foolish person." "Atill are you " inquired Klspelh, "very careful anil very steady, and not—not flighty or foolish ?" "I am," he assured her, "most certainly the lornier, and most certainly not Ihe latter." Klsprth hesitated. "Il must lie very nice," she said. "Perhaps, some day he a.sk«tl. "Oil ' hut they would never let

ne," she replied. "Hi sides,'' she added, as an afterthought, "it is brok-

"Hut I can men.l it," he replied. "Can ion .' That is vel'j' clever." Her tone was one oi astonished awe. "Perhaps." he suggested, "you might be here 10-moirow , then I ould show you that it Was mended.'' "I come here vcly oiun." replied I'.l.spelh, legai'dless of her lecetit ariiv.'.l in Kngland. "And to-morrow will lie one of the days '!" hi- asked. "I liiini- So," replied Klspeth demurely, She iliii not melilion motor-cars at b ssi 11 lhal evcniim. l-.lsji, iti w, ni very i,ill v jo' the 'iimmer-iiouse on the lollouing attetsl"' had a most delicious Uise 111 wickt iliiess. In iaei, Mie had neii-r hei ll quite so naught v in her iie hetoie. liut even a delightful sense oi

Wickedness \vj!l nul pit'leiit. a irrlini; i impatience when that which one on.ns h,r lines not instantly appear, mil Kls|,clli bail a Ji; Ilc an novcd dame before sliv saw a llash >l' mKit anil enamel in I In- distance. iJri itnpatiriiC" instantly j;a\'e way :n rxciti nit lit.. and l;v llie litnc tilt' motor car hail drawn up nn.lor tl.v vail it ha.l completely vanished. "It is mended. tlii'ii she cxlaimrd. 'it mended," in' replied, as lit i>k In- cap with a jjrave bow. "110 you think," ho rskul fjontly, "tlul you Would cat'c to try it '•Uh, [ flaii' not,'' she pleaded. Hi 1 yio'l.le.l Instantly, anl channel! h-' Convi rsatioß. "Do v'iii like chocolates he said. "1 adore them," she replied. Ho siwiil up on tin: scat of the ■ii'.ti r-car and handed her a packet, i h.-v Weir ipiite close together now. "For :r.c asked Klspclh. n.1h.1. 'I'll! ii they sat down farther ( ii the wall, arid she untied •he ill,l,i.ns.

ih'' hi x was left on a d.uk shell n ill.' Miinnirr-hiiiisc when she went home to tea. t I " In- fruit illUni. i