The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7965, 31 October 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

ALLAN MEDWAY'S WIFE The two aim laced eaeu othe-i. father and smi, suppressed passion holding the ni both silc n h.r a u.oluilit. Thin, stOI spc.-ehless, the Joung man moved to >lu- Jott. "1 have not finished with you yet, sir. Come back." Allan Medway turn.-l, his face'colourlcSß, and his words failing slowly from bis shaking lips. "Father, there is no more to he said between us. You have insulted the woman I love—the woman whom 1 swear to make my wife. Vou hau given me two alternatives—to lorsal»> her or to leave this house i have chosen." "You are mad." "I aim desperately,in earnest." '"Fool ! (<o. then. to your (V.i'ap little actress, and I say, tutse- the jane who has bewitched you with her munmiery. Curse her The door was o|K-ncd ami clim-iI heavily, and Dr. Medway sank into a chair.

"My God, what have I done ;" lie moaned aloud. "Perhaps he will Cu'i'.e back. . I will plead my »wn leve for him against that woman's . . . Will he COtue lwck '! Yes, yes, Allan has nrvrt defied iue." For half an hour tin; doctor sat there, his head bowed between Ins paluis. Then ,a patient Was anooUHctd, and, composing himseli with an efiiTt, he went to the c n.->i.Jting-ro«iin. The lady's visit was a Un. as well as important one, winch maided Dr. Medway to enter the first lit'cd name in Bis "patieni s tuok. But he felt no Mutter of ex ahatioo, for his heart was centred on his son more than on tin- progressivenws ol his practice. lir. Medway s distinguished visitor rose at last. At tin- same moment a cab drove up to the house, followed by a slight disturbance in the hall, awl lh_- opening and shutting ol' the front door. | Ins:inn compelled, him to glance towards tfie window, an;l bis parting words—"Madam, ill. cas,- you present to tr.e is a viri st i ious one, and 1 dear—" broke ofi abruptly, his ryes wandered back to ill.' window, an ashy paJior over his cheeks, and hi* niiiutli tv. itched. "What do you tear |)r. Midway • For licavin's sake don't deceive me ' His gaze ronuiwd fixed on ihecaU,roof outsidei whrreon Was a trunk aril a portmanteau. For a second Allan's face bent forward from tin hansom, tbrn the horse's head was jtr'.ed ro'Jnd.

"Whit is it you ftar," persist, d th' lady, awl he answernl hj: r liki a man dazed—"—fear—the—worst " Kitty Keith stood taefue the ha ■by mirror, suiveviug her pretty face ruefully. Mie had hern secretly crying and the traces Were slill there.

"I Wonder." she murmured—"l do Wonder if his fatlur has bren kind," "When her face was i n repose, one had a suspicicn of dimples in hei (hecks, ?nd when she -mileil oiie wa sure of them She began to smiliiotv, and tbe- firelight g|i„t,-d warmly on her (aitness which was all ( .i nature.s doings, and she laii-'-.il softly. 1

"Mother, are you awake th S " und , vcr - V ''lc a snn. fl ,, m J 1 ' 1 ' sofa, and he dropped ,nto a wearv look ol , P T sif nation.

Mrs Kcillr had niairiul ilin'm-ilv out of her profession. Wh.'i, i, nir ?M,' hail iio- ? to brtjueath to her and the chilfl but a blessing-. Tliough a s,ij>Kcri[ith,n was raised i„ |lal !sll Aur, ly ,a,W to look b, m .r ilian a d«h H' W,,h " ,ls SUI » «- batk -five

But the theatrical profession was no. m absolute i,< T n«| f"r a long rune she found lift. a struggle to maintain. When li.r ba4>y could walk and lisp intelligently.

ilrs Kenh lightlied her JflirdenS somewlnt by idling il play cliililparis, ami in lime her litlli- daughter pioved mil'.' (if an acquisition than a drag. Tims Kilty lia:l startid her career progressing slowly, anij with every phase of het progression, her mother's eiicrgits declined, reachinn a stage oi total collapse wlu-n Kitty obtained her first London engagement- It was a very small afiatr, yielding l.ci inly Ms a Week, lint mi tins -amount the two subsisted, wluie one worked for it, anil ".lie other slept anil latum;! on the indulgence i.i an imaginary disease.

"Muthtr, are yon awake Kitty asked again. "Allan will he here illicitly."

Mr., Keith turned hit head vh the slalchy antimacassar. anil then sat upright with a wide yawn.

"Won't you straightin youi gown a little, mother, anil arrange \oiu hair 7"

"Why. one wouhl think 1 was always untidy ! You're just like your tati.er, Kitty, iussy, ami parlicula''. and altogether li'oul,!esome- Vou eiill lis.uible him a little in appearance- iiisignil.cem link- hands, and fict, and a |iii.K-and-baby-\thile lace. It's a thousand pities you didn't take alter we. it's a iigure like luiiit'—"

i "<>ls, nioihei. ileal', there's the bt'H -' Kitty rushed to the couch and passed hands quickly ovei her part-iii's tumbled hair. Then a familiar knock came at the door, and she almost whispered ' come in." Allan Medway saw no one in the tile-lit room hut Kitty, and he addressed her excitedly, grasping both lu-r hands : "Darling, i wan! you to marry me soon—next week—will'you, dear '.'''

"Allan, then he has been kind to you Ui, lily hear—my dear—l am so grateiul ! I couldn't have borne to tome between vou and tour father !"

Allan turned his head away. Had lie intend,!! iii\ulge to her the seen,- at home all thought oi doing mi had left him. at her words. "Ynu t- ndi-r 111 lie thing," he said earissingly. "I: only half the women in the woi h| were as go"rt as you li. s -w much better we men might be!"

"Thill he doesn't mind the little mummer ? I'm suie he calhd me that. Come now !"

"He is prejudiced and ol<l-iashiou d. you know, dearie. liu; when >ou re my wife, 1 ho|ie—l hope——'" '•He will like me iust a li! 11.-, eh Veil, 1 can wait lor that. ?inee it

•> to he so soon. Why the hurry. Allan "Ik-cause 1 want tn li.ne tli. . iglit to work ior you, to work lurd, .«r.l, my dearest, lo relieve you ■ii the buiilen of—in fact, to relieve •ou of all liie's resuonsilnlities."

A; Hits point ilie sofa cre a kci rauiat.callv. Mrs Keith go! up. They were married. .

Allan had sought in va.n In wo his father by a Inter, but it wtlreturned to hirn un--.[je'ii; ,l. They were intensely happy, ih. :■ two, in their r.loomslntry rooms. Certainly, if marriage had l>li,lu r , his career it had enriched hi* l'iappinis.,. The small income deinerl from a legacy left him by an aunl was insufficient to Keep three pie, and ax Kitty was allowed to adorn th stage no more (anil as lie couldn't s<c his mother-in-law starve), he applied for a clerkship. He was („: tunate enough to droy into . minoi vacai.Ci-, with a fair salary." wlii<-| enahhd him to contribute t,. ji r> - Kt nil's support i.iii of, |!n. house inof id j{, (To W Cumhhi<-;1).

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