Borne on the Wind.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7997, 7 December 1905, Page 4

Borne on the Wind.

When Professor Carrollton opened his wide froiit door and looked out upon the beauty ol the new white world, lie started b«k from a singular object lying upon hia dcor mat, There weie_flecks of snow upon it and a soft, festhejy wreath lay lovingly about it. Professor Cairoliton stared blanky down. " I suppose some kiiot has done it just to be funny. Oliginal idea, certainly. H'j—it must lie a—a woman's hat!" lie gazed fixedly it it, forgetful of the raie beauty spread about hiui. The roice of the narrow river at the bottom of (lie terrace was strangely hushed by the whirled and drifted snow, The dark old pints bent humbly beneath their un»outrd burden. Naked limbs blossomed into Inv-wbite Lvliness. Ti;e screaming, drifting wind had howled itself to sicep las; night in the midst of the s:io\v Menu and the last ci tbe feathery burden !md found easy resting places. The smoke fp.:;; an engine fluting its train of cars around the iiiii just acres; the narrow river tmiitd buck lil.e a mighty plume. Jlr. Cairoliton started when the engine shrieked. There setnitd to be a note of derisive laughter in the sound. V* A bat, a woman's bat here at my door!" His glance went scarehin;:ly down the terrace and up and down the road that wandered out from tbe village and around his own special hill to the lovely snow-covered country beyond. There was no track of foot or wheel or cutter anywheie. The bridge lying across the river was like unblemished marble. On the opposite hill the track of the railway showed, two glistening black lines Oil a level with Mr. Canoilton's piazza. "It—it won't t'o to leave ithere.'' Mr. Csrrollton was already beginning to feci the uneasiness of guilty possession. I! 0 piekfd the hat op gingerly and took it to h s studv table, where he ehopped it among the litter of books, papers and mounted butterflies. He regarded it seriously as it lay thorp, n jth its brim titled co*]uettUii!y ng.iinst »n inkstand. It was as softand brown and vevolty as the professor's favourite caterpillar. There were three curling plumes as rich anil brown and lustrous as the wings of the finest moth he had ever discovered. Somehow, the ihing all toft aud-brown and brnuti.'ui went straight 10 the profes-or's bevut. lie touch*) the plumes delicately with his lcn" white lingers and looked at tueai with puv.iled cjfs. 3 A subtle perfume re-? from tin d:iinly mass of plumes and velvet, it was like tbe fragrance of violets blooming smelly under brown, fallen leave.-. The [ loie.-u'r loved violets, and he began to fee! a di-ninct fondness for the pretty feminine trifle on his study table, ile had known verv liulu of women. His life had been dc.uteu'io toe real butterflies and thcii brcthien of air end sod. To be sure there had b- en i.is mother. Her devotion had Kiieil and ::r.Hlied his early life, when :i; a studious and not over strong boy he had been kept. elw.n.; in the seclusion of his stately old home. Then there hail Ineti college mid after that —lVggy. lint IVggv lia-i I'-lcl ilityngh only one blight summer- a t-uihiiici. >o t.;ias Tony Canoilton was cHice-med, u.niiiuked by llight of bee or moth ee b.itteidv. His UK'ther had he-n siio ed when she came to know t!>.n ti,,. 1 v visitor over at Die M< -o,i.■; 1,0 family of IV 1,-tins. Thoie had I,» family feud something like tony vears a';o. .Mrs, Girrollton let go <,f l,ei I■' ;i I"'i v, hen discovered her e'-lii iiiehiiatinn toward loieivciicss and r«;-one li.ua.ii. T':c ,uw!»r : r.te-n d her abroad, and Tony niu.-t, peiioive, accompany her. TI

Troiiolfs travel in pairs. With Ins mother's ik-iuli c.unc tusi:.;,l I >.-.■<s ;v ai.jVeftV that R L'frntlflU'll! t-''i r ] |]i) WOiilliil to iliiire. l{.it i: ii:r::i.d Tun's bncirfits toamjur.t. Whin tlrs h:.>l ii-on accomplished (Is lime!;,- diath ofa i::I,; liv c. ii.-in mended Tony's h.mines. came" hack to the iiiie old place half to iin,' r, gyp.fpiiisovet»li« a bin. | W tii seenlur that w.-er In..- „ :rl ,,y •ÜBiiWts sgu, »•!..!! »!». bail uj-.i a vi-:;or at the Moire's, iovt iLir. The Mooies tseie thc-,0. ol'l and .! ~f grey anO lonely w:ih th» yum;; ones««»» m nest-, of their own, but »'«, !!0 Peggy's bright tow;, !•,,„[ rw.. tU , iv:v. mnF bti!?e. 11.-.V. li.st gluu-d ». jj,, piste where the shmlo.v ..[ 0.u.0 Kent the B«ke I-JW, bit aft.T a while he ntun.c.l to the battel :li.-3. Ho hail I. . n c «:.: :i! with the things that crctp nn<l tuul ; i;*l iiy. Tlit oM wuranli I;a«i co:w: hum : hitti ::;hI he felt no J.u-k. Ti crc v.-,.* ri;iv ti,c litilc ache that I'-r.rj h*! kft i:i:.h IT.j hcnrl int-id'u!;ii!v <.>f licr r;;ir;h;f. 1 ;( * had ask-«i no qi;c--'iimi«. Si :( < J-mI t ( >a out o! his iife :!y , v... C.ipc.-J ii;.s ij; t. If i hiti Mcvc; c uvl lu j.isv.v w!.«: '.v<>n her. > .if :,;":ixj:i:hofl'l ir- : 'r.w-*, iv.vy him. Ti:i;c v\,-r.-i:f.\ 11 . ]|, txxr » :in-l hia . u this, or for t.ske, In- v.;;. n, r to C.-rtir Lil i,v :\:-i Under of hr..t, hu live.! ul:in-\ A:; ! i;* v; he remchibtic j that it tv.-is S'. Y;w ;iiii:c ! . sl-v, anil here thv !i;:«-r o: , tal'a rcp' -r.l a v;r;n.r.«r.- h his eyrs with Us n an 1 , the tojuj with the pi-.Tuajt ci hi'Hcu vjulct.e. He Rhncol ptiltily ti:.- v.im;iw:s *n;i v.itli hi* car to t!:e jT f-trJl (.h.iriff s!» j> ih iLo ls;:!l. Tl;:.ro only j:-»-;tp.- : r t!ic ttinjo '.n ;iuu ;i;c o;ily i:ui l hij'i wns Ci- '-a' if-.I in ;.tr av.ny J-;i»c!if*n. Hp d ou' ].i: h.m.l timully r.rj»l sfiyK-:) lire .oft u lvfl the plumes cuil'-tl them.- -ivcm hi; Jtu T'TS. A sun!icaiu, caiiy iiu.n.ni, !1:r.:.-jh the wiiii'.ov; itml i;cV.wl 1111:011;/ tii.j ulut lul.lf, turninx lli..ir In ,mi to S „M. The prorcssor smiled. It w.m as if the pietty tl'iiis hiid respomkil ! ir, u«:ch. •All at once Ihe el 1 hn;:sa .-.uju.'.i lo'iely alio povvrty-i tilcl-. n. in ilo „f i;, . (itiir. There came to the- imi.ii .1 fir the s*ith of feminine ;;;uinciHs, the sv r-et-ness of a prejf.-ncQ that ri'-ans t!:;in that of t!io rarest math, lie leiili-' il thut tbia house was l .;re f.-r t!ie iv-mt of ft ininine to-jchcs. He felt ?! :iv-jil.il r.i.'l oM and lonts'une. And the / ; mi, .vn o i!.!f r, dine?! gaily amm: s the phiai»s and the violet fragrance v.us m-jru pieerptible. The profes-or pi c!:cd the lint tip tenderly and turned it abmt in hii btmb, | : .oi.ing at it curiously, lie wondeinl who had v orn ii in the abstracted way that he would liw? wondered about a curious and intuiting wing that might drift to him from one uncbissifieil fipecies of moth U« -r. bcred with a little start that the incident in nnu.sual and that the thing was a jo!;e that somebody, doubtless, was even now laughing over. Still, there was about tho miss of feathers and velvet a sort of in iividual impress th.it his sensitive nr.tore f,-it. A woman had worn tile hat and her piT.-.iuility Imd infected ii. The hat meant tin; v.oin-in. The prnfcsaor fc!t ths pres-nee. Yet it must hiTe h-'en pl.iced on his door mat by some lovei o! fun. If it was a valentine there ought to be a nie'xsngc. The reasoning was logical, and a search revealed a tiny kid purse fcc'-ely pinned to the silken lining of the hat. • Tnc pro., --or unfastened the paw, and replacing the hat, opened the silver clasp, ltO"d with the bit ol kid in bis hand It was

neavy for iu size, and fastened with a si en dcr silver claip. He opened it and dropped it quickly. Two small gold coins roiled across the carpet, and nn object, small an: gray and tipped with shining silver, pre tiueled from the open purse. 3 The professor sat down and stared bln'.i ly at it. After a while he. Urak it in 1 hand. It was a tiny rabbit's foot, velvand silver-mounted. The most potent all "cunjcr charms." He smiled ami pulf his handsome moustache thoughtfully. ]' eyes turned towards the reflective , He recollected the laughing face of a lit lirown-eyeel girl who had expressed a des for a talisman like this. Ue recalled t. long night that he and Uncle Absalom hj", spent waiting for the only rabbit, accordin to Uncle Absolom's phi'o.;phy. that cou furnish the collect left, hind" foot. T> mounting must be oi a hie of silver found i tile c.os.-ing of roads This hud been s cmnplislied in a manner winked at by line Absalom and satisfactory to Tony lie hi supei vised tbe mounting j-mi ei grai ing bit self r.tter arduous toil, furnishing the i scripti 'U. He- laughed new r.nd look tl bit of fur in bis hand, Were there fait lines 011 the silver ? He adjusted his glasse and bent nearer. " Will you who owns so many charms Keep this one v.-ills the rest ?" Ami may it shield you from all harms And bring vou Fortune';, best." The professor read the faint lines with bulging eyes. "It is the lilile rabbit's foot tliilt I gave t-o I'eggy!" He laid it oil tin table and gathered up the purse of coins ana put thrill beside it. Supe'rstitions long forgotten stirred and strengthened confronted him. liy what occult path had the giue s"me little tali-nian found its way back to hioi, and why had it brought to liim a woman's dainty bat? Tony exonerated from blame the merely linuiau agency that b« bad hastily accused.

111. A moment later in the commonplace presence of Aunt Clue's dimpled cahos and steamins coffee hn hM to bdivve Mint lie had d07.nl over the library tire and dreamed n foniisli dream mid looked upon an unreal vision. list in his heait he knew that under a ua.elully spread newspaper the li.itand the Hlb!>ils foot Iny upon his t.-ble. He whs scarcely baek . i'.cr his hasty breakfast "lien there was a stamping of feet in the hali and oid Cupid, throwing wide the door, admitted Dtiumingh.v.ii. The professor always felt toward his latest book as a mother does towards her newest baby, l-'anlts may develop later, Ui.t now there was rnly ilie joy of al'ained ideals. And DemlutigYim was the profes-. ,r's publisher and te* lirit it'ie peeted. T : :r hat, (lie purse r.nd the rabbit s fwere lorg'-'toii and the professor was lost iu the 'heights of si "l'i:i in a dileiinna Cairollton. It's no! about thr hoiik lii.it I have eoiue. That: ill! :i;..!. Ihe hi'istial'e sun <e;a ; id \ulil s;» eeeens. ,\ uiiiiiant ieea' In ought 'me. My r.i»e at is manieit t> i.,0::--vv. A pa! ly of us a:e .hi the way. I.ast night, jest before we drew up at youi stfftif.it one oi the wotiien ebetcd to stem ll,'ou jh« rf.il ,tf„r:,i i;: spite of a Imw!. i ,! " s-'l • am! t.ie «-hiee <»f wiser fiiiml. The wind snatched her hat aud canied il away. " It did ?" The professor reddened. '* ICS, llli.i she revises to til'-ve ;l p< g with Out it. So u> ale stranded fur the v.'u;| e - not t> horseshoe mil, hut a m's hat.' Pemminghai.i laughed, the professor -1.: i;. - (.. I'a.uehtfnlly out of the window whe;e tw steel iinr s swept round tie' snowy hili.-Me. " The wumui arc chatting. The men a;, £..-Birf:it:g for the hat. I only haw i.eh d. Of coarse, the hat is under tin" snr.w ~r in the river. There is not a hat shop in the place. <So I have come to you. I that you could induce seme h.dv friend U> ji:u! with her buiiuet. I didn't tell the women. We arc ail strangers here. I e,!:n» straight I-. y.si, feeing l';al vuu weald iie aide " It. niniiii;.! Mil caught shht of liis fiiind't tiiiii.ii.it.i.irc. •'I If a get your an! ina thy (■ >ik (t ieoats," lie siainmeicn. " I'll see what I ean do," he said. •' 1 knew :i few women-the curate's wile and old Mis. Moore. I- I feel sure that I shall he aV.- '■> help fii." Tiierc was a twinkle in lis line i.i■:'■ eyes. Till' plibhsher wrung his hand gratefully. " l'il j.m and have yon fri e tn net upon my biiTnilit stnai. You'll drive down to tl.e hotel with tht result, won't you? Our train i= due in two-leans." ,i[r. Deinaiiughaees vehicle was banly out of si;.'!11 v.'h n the l'rofossoi gave Cupid n shaj e!i.-s- bundle In he taken at o;iee to the hot'd. It was wlien Canid was half wav to the V,ll::;re t!i :t the pmwi'n eye fell i.pin the I'll r~i- with the lal.hit's feet and ei ins l>ie- b. >i o it. lie under te.od at one. that he line ' la;! iitaiu these. Theic i'.,v i:e: sing fer il. now hill to go to DemisingI .-:; l :::id li a eleiiu bi-'a, lof the wi th' I:'. :'!« 1. lie decided to do ibis, wit!] cettain re. i i vatinns. And he lulls!, iie content tc v i.ndtr hew hit. own gift to iVggy had cent l'-;:-k !o him. There were luwujs'things that one lnu-t not know.

He waited nervously >ll Ihe liltle hold parlor. The door o]>< mil ami a brawn i:a! will'Ciiiiiii^'was thrust in. There fas a CO,if,.SI |1 vision of puffy brown hair, n lunching and solt brown drapcrUs-. Yi iiii the vision came a rush of old lufinoric." ii-1 O.e faint pcrfumo of violets. And then llfre was a low, clear voice. " i In.- your pinion. They told me that the ceiukman, will) rest;,red my hut was waiting hrrr. Mr. Dcmmiivhain .mil I were Point: to c.ill upon you. I wmtcd to know if tlx".c- wr»s any lliinu will) the I n>. I thought if you loiii us whore yon had found it"we Kiiglil recover a little l.wpsake ib.H 1 valued Ijrraily. There wa.; a little kid purse pinned to the lining of t!ie hat—my new suit hurt no po: kel s, awl the chain altachod to my -my little keepsake broke. I put if there for safckepim-." _ ? " I came to bring it lo you. I opened it nr.d—Tefrey, I somehow forgot." "Ton;! Are you really Tony?" She leaned towards him and the brown plumes quivered under his very ryo.s. " Yes. lour dear little hat came to me ol its own accord. 1 didn't quite know what to do. There's never been any woman in my l-.oire. I th;:u;'hi it was somebody's joko—a valentine, you know. AVhin I found the little chain) I knew it, but no thought of suein;; you here ever tame to me. We used almost lo believe in the charm." "Anil now we quite do," she said gently, tears in her pretty eyes. '» Hasn't the charm : 'Oii;:ht you to me, Tony ? " She held out .. I Sui-is and he took them. " They made us 1. . away from each other," she went on, " and I suppose we tried to forget. Did you manage it, Tony?" " lle K . li( ' simply, holding her hands. "Neither did I. My husband—he died mere than a year a»o—knew nlont it. Wt thought yon lived abroad. They pave me to him and he took me,'because in that way 1 could have the money that he could new", only a little while, and afterward. It was he himself who told jne that afterward when J met;,(/.) there would be no one to bothci 'bout the old feud. 'Don't you—don't yot understand, Tony ? " * And the Professor understood in the oitho dos way.