THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 24 August 1907, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER.

THB WAY OF THE WIDOW. "Lore," laid Mrs Hilary Burlash, "it the great •elfiahneaß that passes as ua» fdfialuien." She put down her tea-cup with a (light rattle, and the Infant stroked his alight moustache and flushed uncomfortably.

"There are many kinds of love," he foggeated. True," replied the widow, ''hut all proceeding from the parental selfishness, jwhen Barlash married me he loved me, hut h© didn't marry me to make me happy. That, probably, was included In the programme, but it was not the chief (hug. He wanted me because he thought I was essential to hi# happiness. That's selfishness, isn't it: Yet ninety■ine out of a hundred love matches are of th» description." But there is unselfish love," argued the Infant who bore the name of Viscount Hardslade.

a long experience I have never iwl ft " said thp pretty young widow of thirty, and Tor & moment her eyes cheeks were crimson. He ; (paocod nervously round the large draw- - «g-room; they Jttd the big bav window to ttemaetoa. v -He pulled his chair nearer. "3 ***£ y°» were not such a cynic." ■The widow elevated her evebrows. ' * "My dear Hards lade, I am not a cynic; ft cynic ia a fool; one who acts ike cynic U counted clever." "I wvt, n said "the Infant slowly. "I'm : &0t a Wt clever, ilra Burlaah; every- j bpdy .tells pe I'm an awful ass. I operf you'll think me one when I have told you what I am — conies Lady Murchison," said (he, widow sharply. The young man's totee had riaen, and two or three people had turned their beadq. "I want to hare fe little chat with her,.just between two old Womett, you know," then added with ft (mile aa the Infant rose to his feet HwMng furiously with a mate appeal in ik eyea.' "Come and aee me to-morrow RfUmeoa."

The boy's face lighted np joyously, Ud holding her hind for * few moraenti more than necessary he darted off to another part of the room, and soon tftfrwards left Lady Murchison's house and betook himself Pieadillywarda in a arMriwtad of excitement and suspense. lidj corpulent lady with ft Idadface and the homely manner of * farmer's wife, seated herself beside the young widow. "Wasn't that young Hardlade!" she mCwL "Yea," nid His Hilary quietly. I«dy was silent for a few Moments, then she blurted out suddenJy: "Do you care for him, Phyllis!" The widow fenced the question. "Bt'i a nice boy," she said non-com-nitbDy.

"He"* a young Idot," burst out the rider woman warmly. Then she laid her had OB the widow's shoulder. "Now don't be offended at what I am say, Phil; we are old frifnds, to lam going to-speak my mind Reins you arrived from India a few weeks ago young Hardslade made violent love to Psggy Loriaton, everyone thought the engagement would be announced in due (eoone. Now poor Peggy, who b head cm heeb in love with him, is brokenhearted. I saw her yesterday, and she looked a mere shadow of herself, poor Now, If you are only playing With this boy, abandon the fame; you in making a worse idiot of him than mature already made him, and you're breaking the heart of one of the best Stile girls that ever breathed." It was about the longest speech that I*dy Murchison had ever delivered, and •t the conclusion she sat gasping fur breath, her shrewd, kindly eyes fixed on her friend's face.

The widow's careless, half-cynical lafle had vanished, and the blue eyes troubled. ■%Hly girl! she said at length, with MOre pity than scorn. "No man is worth It." "Ton haven't answered my question," insisted her hostess who, having screwed 19 bsr courage to make the attack, jni deterained not to retreat. Mrs Burlash did not answer directly, the white, well-shaped fingers were beat&a noiseless tattoo on the small teae. "Wdl, Mabel," she said, "jou ham teen frank with me. with your brutal that is so refreshing, and i will he frank with you. I rather like rag Hardslade; he has a title and bis money, both of which commodities are an attraction to a young, and, ■hall we say, pretty widow with the begftrly pittance of three hundred a year. Without egotism I think I may say he Is desperately in love with me, and Is ■aing to propose to-morrow afternoon, f haven't decided my answer yet; of Bourse he is very young and"—after a •light pause—"there are other considerfj&M I'm going to think about it, but rU promise you I won't flirt to break people's hearts." **• • • •

The Infant was staring dazedly at a fetter regardless of the fact that his ] . tnakbat wsa growing cold. c "What the deuce does she mean?" be MUlßil ""Go and see Captain Chamber >t tV> Alhany. If, after hearing what - , ]tt has to say about ma you wish to f- (MUM our interrupt?'! conversation you ■;' r*j come and Me me here this afterIt'' X thought yon ought to know/ T * ' Tie Infant threw the letter across the F-j" UUe cad gulped down some half-coid loAe. I- • "K*>w what?" he asked irritably, f "(Wat's she driving att Anyone would tttadc that she " T* He broke off mddenly, hia face growfe- fgm Ted then vltht. "By Jo*e! m go and see this Cham- ■ keza Johnny at once—this is rotten!" it B* rang the bell furiously, and, when Jfg TsJft appeared, cursed him for not tefbg bronpit his boots with him. '**' Inhls rooms in the Albany, Captain *" Mm Chambers, of the 101st Hussars, ■V" in) regarding a little perfumed letter, jgf and makingvery much the same comc- ants a> young Hardstade. t • "What in the name of all that's mys- > • larioss does she want me to blacken her riharacter for!" he gasped, reading the latter lor the third time. k Dear Jack,—l expect you will receive ft Hit from Lord Hardelado very soon E* after T~*'"g this. I want you to act *--- yooj put in a little oomedy, hint delithat yon 3o not care to say all r > you know about me—hell draw his if own conclusions. Don'f spare me, he h <mite a nice boy and won't talk. Even U ha does it will probably assist my ®J- aoeM ambitions in these degenerate <c <••• T hope tou won't mind. I harci t noTJOT for ages. Why is UT- Surc.v * J flmild'i frand should be the friend of W Qanld's lonely widow!— Yours very tin- ? MTrfy, JfilHcent Hilary Burlash. f- Chambers pulled thoughtfully at his Imtj Mack moustache. r * " suppose she's got some reason for P —me to bluff this young Hardslade. hime if I think what it is! She s , " Maood a little woman as ever l.reath §» ad* her one vice Is a delight in cheap jf. cnidam that she doesn't underhand. » "lord Hardslade to see you, fir. ~»'d R ■ th servant at the door, and m a few .Smants the Infant stepped nervously Into the room. . . „„ *l—l fcfl afl awful ais, coming to .-ee F JM like this," he jerked out. 'But a f 2£r friend of mine, for some unaccountable reason, has ashed me to do so." jje stopped and looked awkward,* it F Ehe t)«r man in the chair, t- . »Y«,-' said the gentleman encourag[j - Hilary Burlash," jerked out thr I-.- In'ant, his face crimson. Tfcs eaptaiu gravely inclined hia head, K' feat mid nothing. He had resolved to !•- j silence on his part his strong card r fa the Interview. St "She said." pursued the Infant nervv" Onsly, after a long pause, "that you E-*' ; wonM tell me »m« thing about her." W I would rather not/*,said Chambers C\ wravely. bX The bnyMi Yivount started. Br ' "Tea don't mean—r-" »[ a»r.*t m«Mii_anyt_hipg."_sa : l Ctv

Ife frff«in «h"rtlr. Tlie wk>le affair jarred | J." frim. Burlasli was ont in Ind'-i P when I waj out. there, with her hitsI bend'e regiment. K-; wasn't a bad chap, f" bat he drank aril Jrack, and the climate t'- Sd»*t agrie, *o he died young. M:* t. Horinb was extremely popular in. B..rn-1 Chambers pansed, and then, with an jßßeamfortable feeling that he had not 8* «b*yed the widow's request, he added: 3? "More Ido not care to say." Si, - The Infant was oileot for •nme time, E* Am elder man was eyeing him k- enh . K''-. "I s<«," he said slowly; then, wipin'* pV'ib perspiration from his brow: 'Hv K' Old. T*e had a narrow escape!" P** With great difficulty Clumbers refty- frained from kicking him, and allowed W» to depart in peace.

"893 Belgrave Square" waß the Infant's command to the cabby he hailed at Piccadilly Circus. 893 Bclgrave Square was the residence of broken-hearted Peggy Loriston. As Boon aa the boy liad departed Captain Chamber* went for a long stroll in the park, dropped into his club for half an' hour or so, and then hurried back to the Albany; he lunched quietly by himself, and his servant by sending Mm out to buy a buttonhole.

| At half-past three, arrayed in a grey frock coat, with a deep red carnation ! flied to the lapel, a glossy silk hat, and highly-polished patent boots, he shamefacedly presented himself at Mrs Hilary Burlash's flat.

Immediately the greeting was over, and he had carefully placed his huge form in a particularly tiny chair, he demanded an explanation of the strange letter, and related what had occurred that morning. The pretty young widow flushed. "It was in the nature of a test," she rsaid quietly, keeping her eyes lowered. "I wanted to find out if the Infant's love for me was as great as it appeared on the surface. If he haul really loved me there would have been a scene with you, and he would have been here half an hour later, and—and I heard a poor little girl was heartbroken because he had deserted her."

There was a pause. "That," said the Captain gravely, "proves the falsity of oue of your pet cvnirisius." "Which r '"That love is selfish."

"Oh, no," replied Mrs Burlash, with a little rippling laugh, "it is because I wasn't in love that I was unselfish—l sacrificed a title for a fortune because I wasn't sufficientlv in love."

"Oh," said the captain. His bronzed face had taken a deeper hue; he looked up at the ceiling, and then fixed his keen, grev eyes upon the widow's face. "Supposing." he said, rather hoarsley, "supposing a man came to you and owned he was selfish, he was lonely, and he wanted yoti to make his dreary life worth living. Supposing he told you he had tried to kill that love because be was rapidly becoming an old man, with a strong dislike to Society—Society as it is to-day—and would not ask a girl to tie herself to a crusty old bachelor? Would you laugh and dismiss him whh a cynicism, Millicent?"

Chambers had crossed over, and was bending over the woman's chair trying to see her faoe. "I—lt would depend on the man," she said softly. "I am the man." By a peculiar coincidence on the day that Oiptaln Chambers and Mrs Hilary Buriash were quietly married at a Registry Office off the Strand, the engagement was announced of Viscount Hardsi ade to Miss Margaret (Peggy) Loriston, and rumor had it that the young couple were head over heels in love with each other. So everyone was pleased.