The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7990, 29 November 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

' THE MA.IOK. To this ,'lnv. wa y „ l>f K , irk "allaljj,. tncy tell !ht- iiicHicn! kliuut - thL- Majw, that i*. a a ,» ii as ,'hyj' Imiow. Ti, (.'idy,. Hcichi-r , u!<im» it (ails to alTonJ a rich liurof imagination. > 'I *a» A If Illatchi'oril nh„ rnll.il t hi. -the -Major." And the name ' Miiiiti him exactly. AH. krpl thu I'lllu post office at rtvck Wallaliv, fn.l lib.' Rock . was the dumping},rmim| nht-rv all tin- humau wrcck.l r Unlliil soom-r or later. I [ I >iio tlay AM was sorting the mail ninl pxchanjpng a Una! worrt uith [. l * "lge Mctchcr, thv drover, who was jjLst ktartiiig on his long Hoirtm trip. £ hail two virtue*, an miboiinil<i a'diniration lor go<;il hors.-fl.-sli, S an.l an uiiretniting- hairnl „i thi ira|K (poliw). with whom he. ha V I'-I'l wvcral minor I As Alf was (lugiicitising, th>-ttir«l. E *'th startling clearness. t)le.i al.in-; p' the rhythmic bound of a hnseS f, j»r;n*iiig canur. ."Hullo ! Hoi price V tne strar»gcr ?*' sakl tlidge. on ih«- • ulert at OIK.V. His e>.s tlilai,,!. his r . curiofcilv became stimulaii ii to a pitch. 11-f knew everv hoin* tin ' the Hock. | 'lhe two mvn »x-nl <|iiicki.v ..m V-, 1' Ihv-hai.l hrottn ti-aek. ami siareii £ 111 ' I*" wonder at Hie .■.piine hj, aut\ thai Ciillp- along !f) > iiurroncl paiii li'or thi* |m>x flats, at a pate ihat « i iade • In.* galahs and Hi->-Hans an ■ F-. rUiils flutter uppn li.-hsivi li. L- % norl. ivn 5 |,..- s i)n rjl . tl , " 111. ain't >hv V" said wiiirai; g u.i-tihle niovnumt .n satisi'aci nn K .n<l a worl.l , f ndmiral inn in lily F ltut Alf's e\"es \\,-re ylticl , n ih, pr d -r. who sal oi> Ih.-lmrs,, with-ai, g w-e antl a linish that was sii|»rl,. f» '*■' 'hey raine. l eant ilulli answer p iiij' each to the other with a sv. ,fi L- <■»•'>* down the dip ,ind up ih, tie. aith m, appiieation ,-.f vihij, in R spur, and n.-v, r a l.ilt ~r •, j ; ,r. f .,.\ I; ' r n lurch or a 1,1ea1.. Meter s«ing I to right or Mi i, sp.,i| th,. m , ds . If' All drew a |.,ii.,. i.r.-atli as th, | fc h. r„- n-iiietl up j,t the ml .-rthinß In-r j;i,issy »erk. an,l - h,-, B 1.-il m « Uiann.-r whi<h Istraied her i F 'Hiv rider's nh.ile hearim; too I E riling. His face w„ s K. ,n Sirens; .inhn.-s 1..-> l »nk-n- r4 v.i]. suM!,» cftticvmrar •«»,.— a B hmmimc fa<v. rhfrom unU-T tin- h.»a\* 'hunvs I m- i'JOiiiH*r has a n p..;'ii li; ! |T«* Ri* T is « Ivlft-r for rh.trh* SmKh V B 'Mi-rc it-as v 0 h-fl-r. .\h d ii-i ELa Piall.»r <•( cfcrv. hut h>> km-a th. u v was usi'l- rs. - "Ih,uik von : I win ,-.,n (I ,, vt ||Jaj: t• iVnt't ih'livif ilio l»*i irr ii. U n* one rxci-pt rnywir. Kiinll.v ad a« jnt ■ histnirtHxis J .Vow^iii,.,. n B Nn* was spok.-n hi n low K-C-iiVsritg «hts|vr. I.ui i-> :,-isf«.r.s| ill (•ititv'h iia'inori. »*ili a (Mill , H * j},, Chnrlt.s Ik Smith lunad ?h« inwards Br was swn hMf.lui hv the ' al B^t 1 iunr-oiT B ' " V '* tt l Krr ructions r \im-iin.v,i B-P-H*.''* Vfiinickul (iid-»-. \»,l | B, gu.sb Qutrn. Ik-ss has 1,. . ri ilun, ,1 B onri my lurtl hnsu'i iiio»i»h in •»«•» B :-B .s holding. JUii si'. Ati id! B 'im. My word, if sh.- a us B> l • itt\ Cbarlew \\. smith •: Uui who B.iu iroat-ion is Charles i\. Su,;ih B" ui on, turning to A I;. B- 'I hen (it was that, uithoui anr u !.•- or much constiou-i. - B ford K4f,| slowly, uinl in a loin- <>t ■ corniclion. "Charles U. Smth. wh\, ■-bo x— thu Major !"* Wh (skl S® pwiwrf<| to Start, remorking »o long, oh I ehap ! Ami 1 ■ reckun by the timv 1 see thf j{,«-k there'll 1»e soiih'thing more tu irmjor ami <2u., u a few daysMhe ICoek palpitat- ■ th th*» news of th.- Major's a.lWhere* tJid he- rorut' from W dhl he v r ° l, > tlv ov!).-r shh> -d itcniiinald«> HK b ho littK'. Vet ne\t mail da; ■itc d« up to the p.M ilKa i,;. 1 hero bus no f.„- < )iarh-s Snuth. A» 1 hj»» nn'ks wt-nt |»v WAtf Hlat-chford gnve up o°e th»y two canu*. iioth mMr.v in thi* same hand. Ii was ;J MTM'.ing writing .a M Vitu l„ cruih* ty|Kv Aim! on- of |fx-i. Ic<mtaiirt'(| another. Ji hml <\t been put in ;t ir.**»h ••uvdopiforwanlevl to thr lU.k. B h was not Ion,!; Irtfore ih.* Mhj'V up ott the diaiina: hand trembled .-liiihtiy. th.-jwii-hanhiess of his i<kv strfi. n. d. wa& it fj*yr or reliW—fWh.-d : an instant hito his ){, lt , himself *aln>*>M iinn.. dia»-• and said, "Thank >om," with U-> impirtiirabh- c.-iiiu ; Then with ih-lii ntr pi't-ision. as- ii ' was of the utmost iirportaMv. !*<• j Qu»t) lk-s<» |ms» lit,- wa-j, '1 Blis, ami soon the thun.h r',:m thu.i ] her hoofs mad** th. l.<.u-h- 1. tl 1 h\vay. ami il..> |.«u « mhii . 1 . few -days lat.-r. ».*\ ♦*? iii.c I, : the Hock, illt'l It . P p: Kletrh -f <l|-.-v« u r i*t f;» wat<>r. arid- 'A vtati.d l.y ! ftlillt whinne; ol pail. I; t an.e| the scrub liv'r.l i.-hii a |» i He lislethd with !.1»t

a groat sihmv sveiunl lo have fallen on the myriad Imislj voices : th» cheep of tha birds uii>, am-sted. a\ca the rustling leaves seemed nois»less, and the wiml had died dmvn completely. The silence was unnatural.

Then* it was a.irain—hut fainter. A prehension came o\>r f-He dashw ierd forelmding and sickening: ap »d in anions 'he spik\ network of underflowlh in th'- •;Tir?-cti*>ll of th«? soui,-d. ft was rough cuiinUv aM round. Su,!it«n!y !*■ siw. Th re in iron? of ih• lit lay <2 ( >'vn with a broken a»; -1 uiid.»rni-at h. his face <.»•! lit th«* mmest in* lin»*s. was the , Major. The mar.' had e\ id. ut ly stumhhil ;in a rabbit hurrow, ami (-«; i crop- ! per riuht on h-T 'mash-r, iVatl* 1 .Hist ha\»- 1.i.t11 «.wifl. 'li Hi.!' ptilh'd mp-fli.'r at list, and s. i»t o»Hr after chv n.-r- ---• ini>l\ »*choinir ihrou.ii the iiin ; there' was no" ah>w.n,a; s . »ml to | r. ak 11;.- >p-!l. l,i the end V..- -av« ■P »» d—pai;-. Uiih .i roii-h lend.-rn.-s hi, viuii.inu Iran K fiv. ,1 the d.\ d man fr»at i lie mar's la d.\ . while <Jim u l->— j «iiiriil'il follow.-d his | ii'• •* i in. ii* with tt.ut-• «, ! Then. i hi- ih im--*. h- di.-u i 't:> iv\ i»h< r. ,ir.d d her nJI !u.|t ::i,f_. . li.a: .U !. H- re.-.eu.- • .1 h r par.- fli.» •■ajjf« i. .1 i.i le Mi»» ; i ac : . i hut dux to th. m si olire —v.;is i; • 11!'\ t\\,- muMi'li: IUO 1 I!.' had j»ii tin. (| her i:m >) <> > In..- }-\nce. \i,.l ii- .u ii v, a, inhiii:d*?h«it A half-sou can?" if. ti, his lijTs. a wistful nasho*. * i-.-pr in JO lis e\e,. 111.- -r. >tr.vl I .en.-at it h::< ■ in d K. ali;i h. P.- w t-ii'd.-'i !< - i-., v an I- .i.l-I.i-ai itti i,i:>li <-arni>ii. I!> ■ < •O Iha i all I -(M . IJiji h>- »:i»i<-l u.-t :h.» M.i.i"t' .1. th.- v.ux ... I;:--:. \i>r il;. i;,.'ii ;!-,.>iiL'h h.- v. a*. I lil\«d ilil -Jti'iiiilh ; '.i !li.> \lal.T Uii- tall and !noad-i h -,1■■l. wiih ;iliil Ii 1 -,.- a!- a!hVi.\ • II.! \'- aii '' ti Im a- f ■ 11' aTh • \» * t '»t»• ;»j.ji'lj ?.-k Inn i} . ih. l rijid;tv 'I ih't sfi?T r. - -.1 •\. th- ~'• ii i 'iu i h i !»• •»' i< a' ■ d anii ;«L 1

-..n; Virata- P'.isat i«.i' p!;> hroiiih Into. 1;• ho d\ h's li» -li t l*a' "i'|i a t:u ' I < iirdl ilf SI l' \ d I I-..1K ih. Major sit til--.: <Ju<. a M. nk.- .•. - ni;riTiu'i.t ,-s I,j ily i;;an >. • la.-.l In as >,-ri iUi-J:'. -id- .• o.uld h-ar th-- 1 iml ~r rouiit.ai'.i i,. tl:.- ic-cv. "Kiudl; aet a-- p»-r ii 1i- t. ' N-o'.. fjn,-. (l He-b Ih- vra-'i-Mi i- .. va,.k ' lvu !\ 1--MI 11. la an. •V i|tii| the SV..-at I. ad - men li'- io'.head Twc lett.rs uoa, th*loan's a;*.| ial!i uin to ;h. • lO!:«s riirut ;it f. iI . *|h -. :«> 1 hi.*r»* uuli-. -i' d i.t 1f iI pr. j»ar, .1 for atiollnr elTori. H.- pn-ki d ih.Mi up, and was ahout to p:;t : li: :n l:ai linto till- -Major's po<-k.i. «ii.a roiupellne,: lorr»< s-t\ •- .> st •]< lor., r'nr a !V\v v.i rx'd- !'.«■ !..-!« ih. ni in Irs h:uul. w« ii'!.ii> u-i.-t hj" to do. lindane vdh .1 ali;i;d tlr< \« r- had <luil• -d his vnv ol honour Mtriifwhat. Ih- Ui.-t" was sonu'Vag: al.o-.it «h. • Mij»ii". and he *>n!.v want-;! to fin M'm ji good -turn t»id*r*• h; t -d ron..» in fur a good many ktunks in and if the Major was -down <m Ids lurk—-wi-11. h-» wouldn'i. t li.• ..ir- topu.sh him furlh--r. 1 Ti 1 l.e C«.i.tirnn d.,