THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 30 April 1907, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER.

• THE COURAGE OF KATHIE. I!y IvKITli Fi,lii!L\(.;. "Why, it's Wiliiiot!" munmii'cd Ivt I - hie Ormsby, with a liitle ya-p of astonishment, as she quickly drew in her iieau ami dropped liacK in her seat in lue railway carriage, a rosy Hush lighting up the pretty fair face, and making it "look radiant.

"ive no right to c-all him 'Wilinoi', "she added the next moment in swift self-rebuke, "though I wish 1 had. ' \es, ir was Wihnot Hamilton, the brilliant young barrister who, a year or So previously, had entered the RnssianI Diplomatic- Service, in which ne was already winning distinction.

Kathie's home, during her father's life, had been in London. Dr. Orinsby knew Hamilton fair!, ivcll, and valued and appreciated his-"talents. lie always predicted that me young man would go far if he once got a really good start, and he seemed to be fulfilling' the doctor's prophecy. Katliie had not seen Wilmot for more than a year, not since lie had gone abroad, and she felt (pine faint with a fearful joy. She had always admired him—in fact, though her timid heart would hardly allow her |,i admit it t o herself, she had fallen deeply in love with him.

But she was much too nervous and self-tlistrustful to trj, in any way. to attract or charm the man. She was sweet, and pretty, ami lovable, but she was so ovcrpoweringly shy that the very enibarrasment of her manner communicated itself to him.

"If I were only like other girls, I think I could have made him like me, but I am such a silly, nervous coward, ' she would bemoan, and her thoughts rushed hack again now to a certain episode as the express train shrieked itself out of the Cartmf station, bound for Brigend as its next stopping-place. It was on one of the last occasions of their meeting, shortly before Dr. Ormsby developed the illness mat ran its course in a few days and left her fatherless.

She had found herself alone in the drawing-room with Wilmot Hamilton for a few moments, who had called to see Dr. Ormsby in the early forenoon. Kathie had been filling the flower vases with fresh blooms when lie came in, and continued her occupation, but her shy nervousness was so great when her mother left the room—to see if her husband had returned from his morning visit to the hospital—that unconsciously she grasped the delicate glass she held so tightly that it shivered in her clasp, and one of her lingers was badly cut.

Wilmot came at once to the rescue, and bound up the wound with his handkerchief with an air of concern, and the girl feeling almost faint, not from me pain, but from sheer delight at his apparent interest and at his touch, lay fcack in the easy chair for a moment or two with closed eyes, and on opening them suddenly she surprised a look in the dark face ibent above her —so admiring, so tender (at lea-t. so she thouglu) that it took her breath away.

The expression in t.iose brilliant dark eyes was actually a caress, she felt somewhat almost as if tehe had lieen kissed. The glance was so lingering, so penetrating, yet so soft, and the lowmurniured "poor little woman" hail such a tender cadence—then her mother came back, and the moment of romance vanished. And when next she met Wilmot she knew that from sheer nervous embarrassment, her manner was so eold anil stiff and distant (though her heart felt just the reverse), that she had disgusted and disclianted—doubtless offended — him, anil perversely killed any little warmer interest that might have been

growing. Since her father's death Kathie and her mother had been living quietly at Gloucester with the girl's grandparents, and now she was on her way to join her grandfather at Llandrindod Wells.

She had no idea that Wilmot Hamilton was in England, and so she was intensely surprised to see him on the platform at Cardiff. He was with three [Other gentlemen, one a distinguished- ! looking elderly man of almost gigantic proportions, evidently a foreigner and a person of distinction. *

Kathie remembered that she had lately read of the arrival in London on a brief visit to Royalty of one of the Russian Grand Dukes—a man whose name had been prominently, and unenviably. before the pu,lilie, connected with the Russian Revolutionary r,.ovement of 1!I0">, and especially the horrors of "Red Sunday."

She wondered eouhl this lie In'—the Russian aristocrat —ai-vi if Wilmot Ilamilton uceoinpanied him as one of his suite. They hail been obsequiously shown to a iirst-elass reserved eompartmcnt of the same carriage as that in which lvathie Grimsby travelled. Hers was for "Ladies only" (-lie had it to herself), next was a "Smokers',"—emp. v. as she imagined—and then the reserved compartment. The girl |ieered out cautiously when the train stopped at Bridgend, longing inexpressibly to get another fleeting glimpse of Wilmot, jet shrinking from observation, she was so shy. She saw two porters in the act of putting a footwarmer into the great man's compartment; she supposed that it iuul been forgotten at Cardiff, and the day was deeidedlv chilly.

Then she sat down again, and in another moment she was prone on hands and knees on the floor of the comparttnVrt;—'her little luncheon basket had toppled out of the netting, and its modest contents were scattered broadcast.

As she thus groped and grubbed for the fragments, rather ruefully reflecting that there would not lie much left to sustain her until she arrived at her destination, she heard foreign voices just beneath her window talking excitedly, vet softly.

They spoke in very mull'led accents, and in a language that Kathie did nflt understand, but somehow the tones sounded fierce and threatening; then an English voice speaking German interposed. Kathie kuew the latter tongue well, having been educated at Dtisseldorf, and the first words gained her horrified attention. Then there was more of the" rapid, unknown speech (Polish thought the girl), with an occasional German word. Then another thoroughly British voic; broke in, speaking truculently in his native vernacular:

"Look here, Jaeksoii, I don't know what the blazes them annged furriners are jabbering about; why don t them Nihilists do their own dirty work? That's what I say—but ye need have no fear, the blooming plot's planned out all right so far. lie nil' Bill there has just shoved it in. Oh, it's a rare joke, ain't it!"—with the sound of a smothered evil laugh in the yoic<—"for a foot! warmer to do the trick V Whod suspect a foot-warmer?" "Whist, ye fool, do you want to lie heard!" from the other English voice. "What about Bill, as ye call him? Is he square? Is he one of us?' "He jest knows nutliin', big gaby. He thou«ht it a bit odd ! wanted help lo put in the blamed tiling. Lord, it was mortal heavy, an' I was feercd o'_my life. If put. down with a crash it migiit, go oIT sooner nor we wanted, so 1 jes sez. see I. 'that I wisned to slip in the thing smooth and easvlike, out of resnee'"to the gentlemen, more speeul the <»rand old toll', an' he swallered the gammon line. It w»7. a gran- dodge the extra porter sent on from (aruil! tor fear tliere'd be a niMi to see the .lohni,i<- It's all in the uniform, ye scot no ijuesiions asked. And now. Ihe fiooner we all sprint the bettei. For a few moment- KaHiie wa* transfixed with horror—incapable of thought. But soon her brain was ;iW and working with extraordinary vigour and clearness. , How to circumvent murderou* wretches, How lo avert the unpending catastrophe. How to save "SYilmot! as the irain wa* beginning to glide into motion again, she heard the easrer whisper:

"But when's the fuse timed for?" "This side o' Xeatli. unless she makes a fast run; at any rale before Swansea.'' Kuthie raised herself, and Mood for a moment or two wildly plain;; out wit.i unseeing eyes; she was a transformed ert-aiure—brave— intense— determined strongstrong to do—to dare, every nerve strung to tension point, her pulses hammering with fieree resolve to defy those fiendish assassins—to thwart their plans —to save the man she loved. Action must lie swif: ami decisive. There was 110 time to lose: the train was gathering speed. She had turned for a moment at fir>t to the communicator. looking at it irresolutely. Should shi* alarm the guar,) anil try to stop the train? The next instant she reject".! the idea. If the train came to a sud - den stop the jar might only precipitate the hideous catastrophe.

| Tlw next in-tant sue had 'lipped oil | luir little, high-heek\l shoes, which might have inserted her, ami Waning over, opened the carnage door, holding tightly to the window-strap as :Ik' did

On to the narrow, treacherous, slippery footboard stepped the girl, clinging desperately to the swinging door, trying not to look down. If she did fc!ie was undone—the sense of giddinc-s was so overwhelming. How grimly and steadfastly weaki-Jookinj" liUfk 1 white hands elung, each following the other, us she glided on step l>y step in hur stoekingeil-feet. What a storm hat: suddenly ari-en, thought poor Katliie. as her hat was almost wrenched from tier head, ill spite [ of its securing pins, anil the wind seemjed to whistle ferociously about her ears, jThe day in reality was calm as ever; it i was the speed of the train that en used | the wind.

She thought nothing of this. Iler mind was concentrated on the one great end—to save—to save wilmot! lie was in danger—his life in jeopardy, and she must save liim, even at the risk of her

She clutched wildly at Hie handle of the next compartment, and cant-ma->ly moved along the footboard. 1o 'U -he paused for breath (jiefore neaiii ' ll! 'l ru-li of air almost t0... v her oil' her feel, but she managed to emig on, ami in another moment had grasped wi'.'i on the window of the nrst-ela-s compartment. which was p.ivtly open: There was a hasty astonished exclamation from within, and just as the other hand joined its fellow a handsome, hatless head was thrust out, and almost came into violent contact with Katliie s wild, dishevelled one. it was Wilmot Hamilton himself. , With instant presence of mind he grasped those strained, clinging lingers in his strong, reassuring clasp, and in a trice had the girl in safety. "Why, it's Katliie Ormsby!'' he exclaimed in astonished accents. And even ia_that moment oi hideous danger Katliie felt, a sting oi -delirious jov at Wihnot's remembrance and use ot her Christian name. His immediate thought, as also that ot the other men, who had all risen to thenfeet in startled surpr.se, was—that she had met some terrible 1 right, or Insult, and had thus risked her life to find refuge in another carriage. But before a word could he spoken save the first confused exclamations of astonishment, this instant and natural impression was speed.ty routed from these four men's minds, and they one and all-even Wilmot—were inclined to think that it was with a madwoman they had to deal. Poor, pretty, heroic lvalue! Iter wild, distracted aspect, with bright hair lioating on the breeze, her hat at a rakish angle Oil the haclt of her head—the "l'eat grey eyes burning with feverish j^tre— the palid cheeks, coinprest-cd lips, shoeless feet, all contributed to give colour' to this delusion. i'.Jie girl's first act, after pantiug for aa instant in an eltort to speak that failed, was to swoop down on the apparently harmless footwanneK Slic made a huge vain effort to lift it the men looking on in consternation. ••Oh, I can't!" she moaned ill despair. '•Throw it out—at once!—at once!' She then gasped in quick vehemence. "Do you hear2" in imperative yet sobbing notes of appeal, looking straight at Hamilton.

'•Dear Miss Ormsby, what is it Y cried Wilmot in quick response. Pray compose yourself. You have gone 'through a teribly trying oideal, nut you are quite safe now. We will let nothing harm you, so " "It must go out, at once —at once, 1 eay|!" she almost screamed in agony of aghast desperation. "Uh, God! they wont do what I ask, and I can't lift it! 6he wailed.

They tried to sootli and temporarise as with an unreasoning creature. "You seem to know the lady," said an elderly man to Hamilton, who seemed to be the Grand Duke's chief friend and travelling companion, speaking in a low voice and in excellent English, as is the way of cultivated Russians. What is the nature of her insanity, and how is she permitted to travel alone—or lias she escaped from her attendant.?" "The girl is no more insane than we are—at least she wasn't'' replied Wilmot. "Some fright or shock must have Unhinged her mind temporarily." Tim, as she again stooped io the thing, trying to drag it along the lloor of the carriage, lie said softly, "Kathie. dear, Won't you tell us nil about it'; We're ell your friends here. wiiai's alarmed you'; Leave that beastly old thin* alone—don't tire and hurt yourself witu it, it's all right."

Then, her breath a trillc calmer, and Sier mind clearer, she raised her-elf, and swept a despairing glance round at the four men.

"I've come to save you,'' she cried in frenzied appeal. "1 prayed to be in time! If you'll only throw it out—now—this minute! Oh, I am not mad!"

Perhaps she saw something in their looks as they gazed at her in a pi vying helpless silencj. "1 heard the wicked men's plot, and i thought if I got here before it burst all would be well, and you won't even help me. Oh, for the love of Heaven," sutltlenly laying lier trembling hand on Wilmot's arm, "hurl it out before it is too late! They want to kill him!" pointing a shaking finger at the large and distinguished-looking loreigner. who, she felt instinctively, was the objective of this dastardly outings.

"It's the Nihilists! I heard it all higher up the line." "Poor, pretty little soul! Best humour her and lling the tVng out,'' murmured the great man. "\V# can explain to the railway people, Hamilton. Bo what she asks, toss it out!" "Oh, thank God! 'ihank God!" sobbed Kalhie, whose hand still clutched Wilmot's arm, while the others spoke, and be looking into her eyes at ill is close range saw 'therein sanity and frantic distress.

"There's something in her story, your Highness, T feel eonvii.\«(f," he exclaimed excitedly. Then his strong, sinewy hands seized on that sinister foot-warmer.

"By -Tove, the thing's a 1011 weight, fjcud a hand, Rouloii," addressing a young man, the fourth member of tiie party and apparently !\e Grand Duke's secretary, while Kathie implored them to be careful not to snake or jolt it till the moment they were ready to burl it out.

Having got the door again open, lhe two young men >tood poising the heavy projectile. The line here was running close to a hedge; a en field lay beyond. Then there was a simultaneous, well-balanced swing of the two pairs of muscular arms, and the thing was gone, shot out like a sionc rrom a catapault. right over 'the hedge. The train was going at great speed with all the rush and clatter uf an express, hut the next moment a terribie roar filled their ears, drowning all other Bounds; the train seemed to sway, as if the car ill were snaken or renL—th" other passengers afterwards declared that they had been terror-fcliuck, blie.ving that ail oarth<|uake had taken place—half the guard's van was blown away, though fortmia;ely the man himself escayed injury. And Kathie, Irr nohje work done, fell in a dead faint inio the arms of the man whom she had risked her li/e to save, lie staggered back in horror when that awful concussion rent the air.

lie carried li'T to 11n' waiting-room lit Xeath, where sill l soon revived. 'I hey were alone, those two, the (Jraiid Duke ami the rest of his suite having gone mi In Swansea—tlioir destination. Ami when Kiithie opened her eye-, and looked np ifrom Unit shabby horsehair lounge 011 which she 1 ;iy. in tliat. bleak, bare waiting-room, into the dark, earnest face bent above hei -a face not alone filled with the nro-t vivid concern, the profoundest gratitude, but in which the love-light dwelt so unmistakably—she felt that she had awakened in Paradise! The next instant Wilniot s lips Here pressed io hers in a kiss so long, so fervent, that it took her breath away. 11 is arms went round her in a strung, < ense clasp.

"Killhie. my darling, my own, yon have caved mv life, and that life is yours tor ever! liow did you vlo it, and why did y.,11 do it ? Yoiir heroism was grand bevond words. You have saved many lives, from a ghastly death—Hint, oh, if I could onlv think you did it specially for me? r loved yon. dear, more than a vear a«o, and thought you guessed il, but you repelled me. Kathie, and it seemed. to me, purposely, no '' "nil. W'ihnot!" she sobbed, hilling her burning faee in his breast, "it was only my horrid, awkward shyness. I't-c loved you, dear, all the time, and 1 fell to-day that I must either die—or—save

And again she was gathered closely in his arms, ami their lips met as if never more to part,