THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 23 November 1907, Page 3

THE STORYTELLER.

THE PANSY GIHL o By Maud Churton and Horace Wyndham. "It was a sensation —or a new experience, which is much the same thing," remarked John Charteris to himself as he was wandering disconsolately down Fleet* Street one dingy afternoon in February. "We're always hearing about the 'wonderful romance of London' now that this gloomy old mctroelis has become the subject of an acowledged cult; but when a poor devil of the hard-worked editor feels the need of a little change, not a scrap of romance can he find within the four-mile

radius! The editor of the New Centurion was on his way to a little restaurant known to his brother journalists as "The Inkpot," from the eminently journalistic nature of its customers. Here, from four to five in the afternoon, almost all the pressmen in Fleet Street were wont to congregate. But to-day Charteris thought he would take his tea elsewhere; he was so tired of constantly meeting the same fellows, and hearing day after day the same time-worn anecdotes, the Ul-conceivcd jests, and eternal "shop" conversation. As he crossed Ludgatc Circus the enamelled sign of a tea-shop caught his eye, and he remembered that it was here he had been wont to corr.e in the old days when he was a lesser personage than the Editor of the New Centurion—when proofs were few and far between, and the cost of each meal had to be carefully counted in advance. It was half-past four in the afternoon, and as he passed through the swinging door he noted that the place was crowded to its utmost capacity. Making his way with difficulty down the room, Charteris sought in vain for a vacant seat. "Confound it! I shal have to go somewhere else, after all," he exclaimed unde" his breath. "Why the deuce SnTthcy put up 'House full', boards fo? Oie benefit of a confiding innocent public? Must make a note of this in »e» month's number. lust then he caught sight of a tab e occupied by but a single person It somewhat apart from the others, being placed under the staircase leading to the room upstairs lhere was in empty chair beside it, but then the Site-was really so small that there itemed scarcely room for even one customer. As he stood hesitating, the girl sitting there looked up, and thinking, apparently, that he wanted a scat, half JSie as if to make room for him to

you want to sit down?" she said. "There is room here, I think. Hehadn't intended doing anything; of but the girl's voice sounded » invitig-the sweetest he had heard for many days, it seemed to. him-that Charteris altered his mind immediate-,T'"Er-thanks. I think I will. But «eTon sure there's room?" he added Su/tfuUy. "I'm afraid I shall crowd 7 °"U you don't take the seat someone else will," she answered quietly, raising her eyes for an instant as she spoke. That momentary glance decided him. "Byjove! what lovely eyes. They're Bki wo pansies-just the same shade asthose in her hat," he thought, as he *V moved her cup a little nearer to herself, in order to allow him room. He thanked her for the courtesy, but ahe made no acknowledgement of his voids beyond a slight inclination of ""I*™* she would say something," thought Charteris. "I want to he«.r whose dusty h«ir was padded with an enormous S£»J " the back of her head came to to take his order. He asked for Soached eggs and coffee, with a fleetSimile at the remembrance of those fa offdayswhen poached eggs for tea had been his method of celebrating he receipt of a proof. A biscuit was the mmt he mnerally got, and sometimes *& Übee" that tea of any sort became a luxury to be dispensed '"charteris 'was engaged in observing hk rompanion out of the extreme corner of tos eye, at the same time apparently engrossed in studying a fat.niiaSon at the table opposite, when the meal he had ordered was set down in front of him. The peculiar look that immediately flashed across his companion's face impressed him with a grange notion. The expression that he had momentarily caught was something like that which h<-/had once seen totne eyes of a dog of his-who had been tied up and left unattended for three days. It was a puzzling look on Oman's face, though, and the man toned back in his seat, rather wandering what it meant. '•Of course, she must be hungrj . he thought suddenly. "Hungry-good Heaves!" And then, as he noticed he? A*ap little straw hat-a tiny bunch of pansies its chief ornamentthe carefully mended gloves, the thin dress, so unsuited to such a day, and above all, the pallor of her face- I don't believe she gets half enough to eat," Charteris told himself. He then stole a glance furtively at hj« plate. ( She had onlv had a buisiSt\ai a small cup of tea,, and the Sumb or two which she was picking up so carefully convinced him that his conjecture was correct. ''What a pig she must think me. he thought, Poor girl! it must be torture to her to see me gorging myselt like this. I expect I spent more over mv luncheon to-day than she has spent for a week." He reflected guiltily, too -of-what his dinner at the club would cost him that night. Then his thoughts nTrurned again ToHis -awmbly. sttßfc. ales and the bitter, heart-breaking Hays' he had gone through, wnen tor weeks and months at a time he had bombarded editors with manuscripts that were only destined to come back again and again. Thank Heaven! that ils all over now, and to-day he had a comfortable post, a four-figured income, and a ready market for practically as much as he liked to sign his ,—tEnme to. But as yet success had not srioilt him, and his heart was tender tohisless fortunate comrades. Especially he would have liked to have been able to help this girl, but he did not know how. The obvious idea of monetary assistance occurred to him, but he dismissed it again, at once as being impossible. dash it"all!" he reflected, as he watched his neighbour critically. ~ , , "Only a bounder would do such a thing. The girl's a lady, evidentlythoroughbred, too, every inch of her. If she wasn't it wouldn't be quite so difficult to give her a helping hand. I wonder what she does, though? TypeWriters, probably"—as he noticed her fingers drumming mechanically on the surface of the marble-topped table. "Scribbles a bit, too, I expect, he added, perceiving, with practised eyes, that the envelope lying beside her teacup contained a manuscript. Perhaps I could put something in her way, only v I don't know how to set about it. -,. "Will you give me my check, The sound of her voice, breaking upon his ear, aroused Charteris from his reverie. He looked up quickly, and saw that she was speaking to the waitress. It was a common-place remark, but the weariness of her tone did not escape him. She took the paper, looked at it tor a moment, and then put it down again with a little cry- of dismay. "Isn't it right, miss: asked the attendant. , , "Why, it's fivepence'. she said slowly staring at the check, and the man noticed a curious gasp in her voice. "Yes I know it is," replied the waitress, sharply. Ten hours a day m the stuffy atmosphere of a crowded shop are not condudve to any woman s good temper. "Tea's threepence and the biscuits twopence; your cnecK s I suppose it is," assented the girl blanklv. "I didn't notice it at the time, but I thought this was a shop where they only charged a Id for a biscuit." "Well, it's twopence here," snapped the attendant, as she moved away. She bad plenty of other things to dn, without arguing ovpr a penny. If people j made silly mistakes, it wasn't her place to put them right. She was too much harassed for that sort of thing. The Pansy Girl, as Charteris named her in his thoughts, took out her purse —such a shabbv little thing—and open. Ed it with a sigh. The man couldn't help watching her, and he saw- the startled look that came into her rye. and what little colour there was seemed to fade out of her face, and her deathly pallor frightened him. He watched and saw her lay her purse down beside her and was Staring blankly at the wall- There was a strained look in her eyes, and he almost thought he saw a tear there. A threepenny piece "and two half-pen nies were lying on her plate. She looked carefully through her purse again, and then at the coins she had taken from it, with an expression of consternation. It would have been ludicrous, he thought, if it hadn t been so intensely pathetic. Charteris instantly divined the cause of her dismav. "I beg your pardon, but will you permit me' to be your banker—to the

extent of a penny?" he asked quietly, 1 leaning across the table as he spoke. The piteous eyes of the Pansv Girl turned to him at the question. ''Please let me accommodate vou in so small a matter," he continued'. "It's so awkward to find oneself suddenly run short. I know that from my own experience." "You are very kind," she said, "but I won't trouble you, thanks-. 1 shall have to explain to the cashier, and leave my name and address. I thought I had enough monev with mc, but am afraid must have "dropped a shilling somewhere," she added, with a little catch in her voice. "You'd much better let me help you," urged Charteris. "It's unpleasant having to explain an accident of this sort in these places." He took a penny out of his pocket as he spoke. "Besides I have an idea you write." he went on, seeing she still hesitated. "If that's the case, you certainly ought not to deny a brother journalist the opportunity of doing you this little service.

This last plea seemed to decide ! r. and she glanced back at him - ; •, a smile of gratitude. "Thank vou vcrv much, she replied, taking -he coin he held out to her. "It's verv good of you. I certainly did have a shilling, but it s departed. Will you let mc know to whom I am indebted?" "Oh! I shall probably come across you in some newspaper office," he answered lightly.

"I'm afraid I haven't much acquainta"ce , witl ) lh c inside of a newspaper ottice, she said, with a little laughnot a very happy one. it seemed to him. 1 have to content mvself with admiring them externally, and that's not a wry stimulating pastime." "Don't you writo for anv in particular then.-" he asked, struck bv her noplessness.

I m not so fortunate," she answered. I have to content mvself with writing to them instead. It's a distinction with a considerable difference." . "Ah! I know what that is," he rejoined sympathetically. "Rather a dreary experience, isn't it?" "Dire," she replied; "especially. when they send your stuff back to you over and over again, f daresay it's hard enough for a man to make his wav but I m sure it's ten thousand times harder for a girl. This storv for instance—holding up the long envelope— has been returned so often that I hate the sight of it. I suppose the nre will be its eventual haven," she added a little bitterly.

Oh don't say that. Perhaps you haven t sent to the right quarter vet. Will you let me look at it for a moment? Perhaps I can give you a hint that may be useful."

She handed the manuscript to him silently.

He smoothed the pages and glanced through it with interest. The neat handwriting made it as casv to read as print. A brief examination of .the storv convinced him that it contained a vein of originality that ought to make it marketable. Indeed, this fact, taken into consideration with her eyes and voice, made him half decide that he might even use it in his own magazine.

As Chartcns handed it back to her he noticed the anxious air with which she evidently awaited his verdict. He scarcely liked to commit himself tocf far and so hesitated in his choice of words.

Well?" she demanded interrogative- < w it «o«h anything or not?" ~,, Er f~ >' C5 ' ' tnin k it is," he ventured, lou ve given it a very striking title, A Woman's Hell,' and that's half the battle. The story is rather well worked out, too, as far as I can judge from a cursory examination. Where have you offered it?"

Oh, it s been to half-a-dozen editors in vain, ' she replied, counting off the names of sundry periodicals on her fingers "No wonder I begin to think the fire is the best place for it." "Don't make a burnt offering of it just yet " he said quietly. 'I am not surprised at its coming back to you—you've evidently been casting vour pearls in the wrong quarters. W'hv don t you send it to a different class o'f magazine altogether? You might trv The New Centurion,' for instance." ' "'The New Centurion?'" Why, it simply wouldn't have the ghost of a chance."

"Don't be too sure about that," he said, encouragingly. "Take mv advice and send it there to-night." A thought struck her, and she looked at him more intently than she had yet done.

Have you anything to do with 'The Centurion'?" she asked eagcrlv, "or do you happen to know the editor at all ?"

"Yes, that's it," he replied, availing himself of the loop-hole her suggestion offered, "I <to know the editor, and so I shall possibly be able to speak for you."

"I shall be so much obliged if you would," she said, a smile brightening her face. "If you can onlv ensure its being at least read, I should be ever so grateful. Now I must sav 'Good afternoon,' " she added, getting up to go "Oh! but I was forgetting. Mv debt—what am I to do about repaying it to you?"

"Put a stamp inside your MS. when you send it to 'The Centurion,' and I'll get it next time I see the editor." "I'll remember," she said, giving him a glance which he felt was ample reward. "Good-bye, and many thanks." "Au revoir," answered Charteris, looking at her steadily: and then, as he watched her disappearing into the gloom beyond the swing-door, "A Woman's Hell,' " he repeated to himself. Poor little Pansy Girl, you looked as if you had experienced it. Won't those eyes of hers shine, though," he added, "when she sees it billed on the placards of 'The New Centurion.'"