The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7959, 24 October 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

~, THE SMI«GU-.li TfcJU'.Ntll. "I will no! wait aimlher <la\.' satil Miss N'orfolk-Staiik-y—a shin! m.<Wl(Migiil la<ly with a rubicund countenance, a juvenile straw ha I pen-bed on the bridge of li-r nose. Bird many on.u luinls w.iiihl roiiir.l hir throat. —"lVwr-wow," respond.il h>-r litll. ti<.g Hijou. Xvphrw Pick, presumptive heir of the lady had -fail.il to nn-i-t her at Turin, as a-gr.nl. ami stoc -had lain ' forced to wait twA-nt\-firtir hours wilhout result. Sin- was d.vpl> ip- ! crnsnl, ns Im-ann.' « llriiish spinster t with a neat property in IN-rlij shire. " an.l fumb in .Turkish and Indian if. loans.

inst iiH-t. Miss Xorfolh-Slanl.-v ami li.-r maid npiH-ar.il i>n iln- plan.is- i the Turin IVpol ~i ■! ~'dock in the morning. X.-ph.'.v Kick would liml '.he birds flown wh-n h- s iUV |',t |„ grac, the I'i-diuontes- capital with hiS presence. Iliioll ,»ji ill\lsil,|- I,; Hi.- mo.t p.-u.-lratin- ->-. curl.,l up in Ih- bag. i ■<;i\. m.- a ladies' carriage, and aliin..-. ii i possible. ■ Miss Nor-folk-Stanley i,- a smiling ollicial Willi a persuasive exchange of franc from palm to palm. The .Mailing ollicial how.d. and so.m -Un- lady was insiall..l in a vacant carriage. "Yoirshall com. I. pet. if wo aiv l-fi al.m-.'i hli.i whisr,,.!-,,!, ui> fastening Hi- si rap nv-r the prak.-t •if 111- bag as it r.-.|„l ~n li-r km,. Dijon thrust nit -his little-black hvnd rrc.umoitcivd the premises, and discreetly withdrew iron, sight, again. " The Turin IV-pot thirty years ago was on- of th,, most an.usiiu; lields ill obsvnation in l-'.iuop-. I'h.. Ilriiish li..n m.-m-polis-d 11,- field, tis a nil-. presenting his most eccentric national aspi<:t. 11-cam- ir \'iiv ami V.-num-. via C.-noa. si iIV in gait, uiili il.i.il wliisk-is an,l haughty in-iii. follow.il liy wife ami tr..ops of ilam.lii-rs. II- cam- fro,,, In.lia. via Ilnmlisi. tall and 1-an as a can-. in (iri-.uul cap ai,.| l« It-.I iiuiic, like a very large schoolboy, anompani.il l.y sickly ami querulous nvlpmal-. whose asp-.t suggest.d loss of health ami rhil.lr.n on 111of til. imiirl.'. Kv-iv where nnsrlaiiiotir. coiiiusi. n. panic, or hast- : piles of wraps. Mill odorous of l.nig s-a vmut*. nip th- unwary pedestrian. A ini-n-ss. uitha l.ln- silk cap oi\ Ih- back oi Is-r head, ami large earrings, rlrops a pilv of iiishioiis, anil pauses io replace ilien. in a scarlet lil.:. with K ,«..1-hum.nr..l luugh-t.-r. An .-anxi. us molli-r -scorts her darling hoy. .who is collups.il over the shoulder of a panting facchino. ami demands- widely h-r coupe, engagvd for j-aris. An Ambassador of Morocco, in a crimson S „«l, and white '.url.an. |,;ius,-s with a dignified repose of manner. siirr.mmred l.y Ms suites env.-loped in snowy l.urnA group ... >.„,.,;.- sokl-Ts. |,an .Hi I heir mie-k.-ts. ami i-riii.-is- the throng : pori-rs miiit; along, and guards gesticulate : hut the quick mocking Italian -v.- has ample l-is-

Th» lrag was product.l by il,.' moid. It was a large tint; of tdaek j lealht/. jTtijon eyed it apprchcie-iv I l,v, jel with resignation. 111.' liny tcrn'or. with wi-s like shirriio; Imuls. ftl, impiisilive, nose, ami iilark 1..n1\. with a patch .if suit velvet ln-own on Itf-enst ami pans, jiinip.il into thu outside pocket <ii this Iravclliin; mansion, ami submit ml In bavins th.- strap carefully ail.iusto.-I ovr, his prison i» MK'h a manner „s allo„<-d hmitbing space. Ilijou was -mue.glecl on board trains : th.. maid was' ntfl trusted with hi-r hag in t*'r iliirU-ctnSs «.-al.,iiml it was o point. «£ economy with his mistns- 1..11 to |ny (or a dov's tic-ki-l in h.-r own rn-.st-cln.Ss> rorriagv. Miss N'ortolkStanloy to<rk the -tratf herself, ihns exciting the interest of kirn-cviil ijirtltf of prey hovering ulmiiii in sr.-nt of jewel cases and Img* carried hj 'the English,lndy traveller. At Ir.nl- - the pet was pi.pn.-il nniler hiwhile ilie nia,,l took the twg to the Custom House officrr for * inspect ion. then the initiate was siicwssfnlly restored

with hiT form - wraps, lb.- lull old ii.an lh. lo.l'liine .1.1 ladles as round a- liilll.-. 111.- l-'mliassa-. dor n. his turban. Miss N.Hi.ilk-Sliilll.v -4.1/.-.i hi. !l„- hi.rnii.i; llnon- wilii Hi.,l sol I; si, cmplac.-lirv |. -<-n!J;ir 1.. 111.- Ira teller il-hi. has aliv a .i, seemed il ~,.'1 —ill in ;i Coidiiielllal ruilwa.' , ill i hiL. ■ Si..- ilii-l nil ■ Id-fa-hion.-.l ih.-..rv ilun. .i.-pm-d ... lh.- .-.-.oil ... X..|.!i-v. luck. ,i 1.n1i.-s' <-iin-ia s .- w.i- th- -.i1.-; I'l.H.- i..:- -ii.Ts.'li Th.ii -Iw wa- .il.'"- in Uii- ..pinion was -po-dik r.A.-iiHI, 1..-. Hi.- iiii.-i ..i every ..lh. r W.-.H..H1 ill lII.' ennui 1.. r.s .i.li'ii.i.i i.ith.-I- ill.hi -nl.p.it I. i 1,.. ..,m,il ~..-i'.:;-iy ..-.-..1. ..i cliil.lr.-o fi.r lioue*.

Uii...;':. mi-tr.s- was i,i, . ;.| , ravel 1.-r ; .-\|.eri.. m -e had 1,,...!- l-.-i linii. an.l Mi.-picious. SI:.- load all lh, rol»;..-ries in Ki-li.-h an.l ion i.e-n pa pel-, and 1....k-.l d.il.i.ai-lv" .il m-.ii.-kilKl of Hi.- 1.-.liri-l s[h-<-ies. «1;.. wen He-.- n.-ii •• Uhv -did ihev *,!-- servo h.-r ■• v. Indies' c.-nnau.' f.-h.-r. if ~,11 pl.-ii- : ami n.it ou ~h.-..- ea.-h man in a r.,ni,.r ma; favonral-le oppiirtiiiiii, olf.-r- Sh. hail l.arn.iltlie w.t.l- "Help '" iir,: "ThieM's '" in six Two la-1,.- paii—il ai H-- i1....r o tli.. earring'. 'l'll- s:ii:linir olliei.ll. n-

Hijoti rttiinHMtl a.s silent ns a iimufcO in thi* pockd Tor hours, ami roslsK'd th»* m«>sl t«*mptin£ , «• -nl* tur Imrk "at Ktnrtlitt£ n<iisi>. Hit km-w full well that his mist r<t Wirtihl fak»' him out of tlit* *Jisiua! captivity when thi* hinl «U*-* scrlnl tl»i» Ih'lii. Hijou's fur smmml etnl, at tho approach «»f a Ajnnnl. i»>

rvMH'iiil>ra?nv Miss Niu inl!--St an !r\ "s l»ci I !■*■. j\ •"i t* *} ir;<ir ti rhtiT. ami ih.m »»K■ Vvln-n\ Th»\ u.-rv woin.-u (■! it: -.iiu»t; itl 1< ;ii_ vi at .-r-in . n'» Jhri h<-a-Is « hv. Ioj». <f m lih,. uhicl rnr.cr.il.il Jh' ir tar.*. Mi -s Norfolk Sianlr*. >,nv a Ni'.l; '-Ilov, hand with 'IIIII p.rulia'!v iahin-!ik.

si retched forth to turn the handle of her .loor. The tinnd belonged to '. the first woman, and she experienced a strange sense of relief when it was again withdrawn, and the owner passed mi. jW'hyi? Because ISijou could caper a-ln-in at lilicrty if sl«> ; retained the earriagvalone. S-ln- «s----sur, il herself phis was the side r-a | son for drr-ailinjr Ihv yellow hand, 1 and the shiver which crept over her her at sig<it of il. | This danger surnioiintcd, lliere reinained one more 1o he overcome before Hi ion and his mistress could lireathe freely. The surly guard iump.il,,.!! tin- slops demanding lick-j els. The surly guard gaveand received no quarter. His expression of i-oiini.-nance was saturnine, -his grey moustache curled upwards in a trulv savage manner, and his cap was prcss.if down -over a di-oply-wrinkh-d forehead, lie was always in a hurry, and 'his life was ivnder-i.-l liurd.-nsoinc l>v the '(pies-lions of nervous travellers. II.; e.ved Mis. Ni I'fnlk-Slanlcy! sharply—stile occupant of Ihe ladies' carriage, silling nilli a leather hag' carefully held ii|,- | right on her knee. I ■•You have no dog," demanded- Ihe snrlv guard. |.,-ei-iiig ahoiit, on the ; lloor suspiciously. I •Certainlv m't." said Jliss Xor- | folk-Sianley. I.lushing at the lib she uti-nd for her pel. _ | Then the surly guard liaug.il Hio ,1,,,,,-. depart, d. and th- Irain iictunllv slart.M id las!- Hiijou skipped -ail .if Ins prison. 1 si oo<l oil his himl 1.-ks «i'h greai apparent enjov- „„.,„. ale a biscuit, a.rd was n-fr-shed wilh water from live cup in his own liny travelling llask.