THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 181, 4 September 1909, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER.

THE 'ADVENTURES OF HUSSELI HOWARD. THS TWO WAX CANDLES. Although- Russell Howanl broug most of bis problems to a thougtt-o conclusion, there were, without doul bouhj the success of which depend* cither entirely or to a great extent up< chance. In the case of Lord Ponderry, for i stance, the result depended to a vei great degree on chance. No one, n* even Russell Howard himself, could ha' foreseen how that would turn out. Po sibly lie would have found a way t himself, hut when he found the Godde of Luck 'was 'helping him he was contei to follow her directions and merely tal a hand when necessary. So also with the commission ghjen hi by Graystone Parker. When he found Mr. Alexander Brow and brought him to London there is i doubt that he did all that Graystoi Parker ever intended that he Should d The. consummation of the remaiiui part of his commission -was a matti entirely out of his control, although it possible, of course, that he might Inn brought it about m some other way. When Mr. Parker came to him at h rooms one afternoon early in Dcceiirbe on a dull, void day, when it was go<i to draw the curtains closer an I sit o>; a fire with an interesting book, an I OITI llhi a commission, he at first refused. Mr. Parker's daughter, twelve monlli before, had married a man repretoutin himself as a wealthy Amerkan. Th Parkers were people of moderate me2n= and the father and daughter, betai .;li only representatives of the family -.li'-i were very much attached to each ot!i" Tlr-v managed each year to take -a hnl day aivay together, and on one of the* (Tips-, when staying in the: Lake districl for a few weeks.they first met Mr. Alw ander Brawn, He appeared from the start to be muc attracted by Miss Parker, and was cot et&nt in his attentions. Possibly he ma have contracted a wrong idea as to M 1 Parker's financial position. Anyhow wherever they went he managed to fo! low, and before they returned home h had proposed and been accepted. He a): peered to know a number of people o good standing in England, and neith? Mr. or Miss Parker had any misgiving as to his character. As Jie had to return to America witliii three months, he pressed for an earl; marriage, and within that time he hai taken his bride to the States. At first, according to Mrs. Brown' letters, she seemed happy enough. Tie husband appeared to have a good bus: resß in New York, but beyond the fac that it was something in the brokcrn line she did hot seem to know exactli ' what it was. Money was fairlv plenti ful, howevcT. and for the first six month she wanted for nothing. After that time things took a tun for the worse. She often had difficult' in obtaining money for her immediati needs, and the- household bills mostl; remained Unpaid. Her 'husband, whei he returned home of an evening, ha< frequently been'drinking; not great!; to excess, perhaps, but still more thai was ?ond for him. He would hold fort] bitterly about his bad luck over monei matters, and us often as not would re l-roaoh her with being a dra.? upon Ihim Although matters 'were in this stdte fo: some months, Mr. 'Parker gathered n< hint from hie daughter's letters of he trouble until these letters ceased. His anxiety was great, for his daugh ter lad been a regular correspondent never failing; and when three weeks hai passed without news, he determined 01 going to New York. He arrived just in time to save he: life. On going to their address he founc i'he place closed and empty, and on making enquiries found that Alexandei Brown had failed nearly a month pre viously. He had lost evervtbin», an< had disappeared completely. No oni knew where Tie had gone. Mr. Parker immediately employed dc te'tives. and after some days' searcbin; discovered hU dansliter end hpr linli: l v in« ill in a "rret-rlied shantv in one i. Hie Tioorp«t nnrlt! of Xpw York. the smash came pvcrvthine lmi been soldj and they moved into cheai lodgings- Here her bn«.l>and had col leeted almost all of their personal ef fects. except her clothes, im \riiich an; monev could be raised, aw! deserted h<>r Slip w too ill to move, am en'iV >mt believe that he had Kt be rl'nn-.-'V,. wifinnt nnv "intention of n> tif-n-'nT for s'o'"p t'nip past hi had seemed absolutely iniifferent to her Tl-e <l--s went nast. however, and hi did not rome back, nnd. bcin? nniWe *• i::r- f»r' h-r boa '* tv loniev. the lad"

ji2-lio<"P keener h-i turned lb»ir nut. « Phc Vd tniK-n' from one quarter to s»nntli«rlonkin7 f"- •>«»?. ,111,-1 „> i.,,t found it, wret'lied n.s it vas. in a poverty-stricken corner, in return far li»r nnJ" rlinnjro of ilres?. *\" P-irkc'r '.—m"''!'.te!'- lind her rcjnovpd to comfort"'>!i> qiMr*"n«. and „f l c- V.TO nr tVrco vvr"ks' n , "' c 'n?' s!ic . wt">Mc f-Jtiid the trip tn Kn-rlonsi. Although He hid spend a amount of time and mono - in "rdnnvnrin? to Alexander I'ro'.'ii. 'lie was unsuccessful, nm! that •rcn'lcVuin appt"i:'cd to have "omplctrlv vanished. Xow he iind come -to Ktwell Howaid to make liira an, offer. Ho w-* willing tn pav him bo much inonthiv for three months if Mr. Howard would devote his time to finding him and 'bringim him to England. Tie was not a wealthy man. 1 , and could not -afford to spend beyond a certain sum; bul up to that point li! , - was willing to go, aad would pay for his time whether successful or not. Howard at first refused. The business possessed no attractions. It was merely , a matter qf tracking a man down, and appear ed -to present none of those problems winch it delighted him to attack. Seeing that foe ■was not interested, his visitor cunningly made a further proposal. "Women," he said, "were peculiar beings. Kb one could tell how to take them." Although he considered his daughter well rid of her scoundrel of a husband, She appeared to have a certain amount of pity for Km, and would like to be satisfied as to what had become of him. " ■ also believed that if fie would come ■ k to her and ask for (forgiveness she would give it and take Irim back. He could see that she was wretched and orftappy, ana as he 'wished (or nothing but his daughter',? happiness he would j>-k Mr. Howard to try and bring her husband back, with a promise of reparation. He knew he was setting Mr Howard, a difficult task, 'but he Jiad over, .come so many difficulties that perhaps It- could see his way to do this. Now, just this added touch made all the difference to Howard. To trace tail man down might he hard, 'but stilt hf had no doubt as to being able to do U; ! but to make a man of this kind foe sorry for what he had done and to brinj him "back to plead forgiveness from hi. wife was another matter, and the verj difficulty of it attracted him. It took little more persuasion to ob tain Airs consent to undertake the work «iti(l Mr. Piirker •departed, seeming wel pleased. The first part of Howard's undcrtakin; .proved not «o difficult. From New Yorl he traced Brown to California, then t< Chicago, then back to New YorK an finally ran him to earth in Manchestei There he struck up an acquaintance wit' him, and employed him in one or tw small matters of business. He foun him to he very impulsive, acting at time without reasoning. Although he hor traces of recent hard living, he appeare anxious to remain steady, and was at lenitive to, whatever business was give l:Un.. He did not appear to be altogethc had,'and Bussell Howard was in hope of Waging 'him to realise the despi< ahleness of his 'behaviour to hm wif lateT on- At present, though, he hardl knew how to go about it, as this kin of missionary work was new to bin Brown seemed grateful, bowever.'for tl herp thatjhad already been given hin nnd Howard hoped, when he had settle him more securely in the way «f oairnin a living, to work on his gratitude i-.ii bring husband and wife together agaii Personally, his own opinion would ha\ "- been that the wife was better off wRI out the husband, l bHt as she desired . reconciliation, and 'he had undertake '„ the commission, he intended to do h . he*t to bring it about. From Manchester he had forought hii "• to I/ondon on promise of employmen and had settled him in « room at a hot close by. So far he had not told M Barker of his success. That gentlema Jrad taken to/dropping in on him fr * ■ <nientlT and unexpectedly, and late' <>-... Howard had hardly liked the expTessii >'"., *n his face as he enquired ahout Brow ?- \ He stSIl held to the story that his dang V ter de»lred his return, but there was *j' shifty look in his eyes as he spoke, ar * Hussell Howard's instinct seemed 1 r\ 1 worn Km again* telling Mm that Brow Is,', W* JD the same city.. ?. Parker had seemed so unsettled on 01 Si ' <n* tn» occasions that he bud had ' p.. calm him down, and suggested that i W"" should go away for a change and lea S>\ tt» matter entirely to hint.

He had Jwu i.u'ctciiL'il i'mxii, and sa lie felt anxious for -his daughter's sii? and could not rest tilt something li been don?, and that afterwards he won go away for a holiday. One afternoon lie* called, a7id tt shown into Howard's room when th gw/ieniun was away. • As aUo Imppcacd, lirown had rung i about a quarter of an hour previou, to ask if he luijjht call round, as I wisfted to sec him. The servant ha taken thg. oiiess.ige, and, not kuowii whether he Wis known to Howard, hi asked him where he -was speaking froi She had thi«n written the message on slip of paper and placed i't ou his table V :cn L'lrkcr came in lie wn.ked res lef i\y about the room for a few minute *n.l presently came to a stop in fro! of Hie tahlc. The telephoue niessaf laid conspicuously on top of the papei caught his eye, and he picked it up e; citedly as he read the name and addrei —"Brown, Torrcy's Hotel." He thrust the slip into his pocket an left hurriedly. Outside he hailed a cal and had himself driven home, and thci was a smile of trium|fli on his face as h let himself in at the door. His daughter was away staying wit friends, and there were only himself an a servant in the place. He went to the telephone and rang u "Torrcy's Hotel." On being told tha Mr. .Alexander Hr-nvn was in lie save message for hi"- to call at ,Xo. I'.'. Can den-terrace, l.ewi.-1-.am, to sec Ml Howard, who wi'.iod him to go into matter of I)iH ; :i! ,; there as sunn ■'. po.= siblo. Then he ran: ■■■'■• !he servant, 'id toll her he was joins 'o do some work in thcellar for a while, and if a gentlcmai culled and asked to see Mr. Howard, ti tell him he was i n the eelfcir working and «isk if he would -mind joining hin there. If anyone else called he was 01 no account to be disturbed. After giving these instructions am making sure she understood tlieni, h< went :o make Irs f'n-il preparations. Tn half an hour's time Mr. Browi called, and asked to see Mr. Howard who. he said, expected him. "Mr. Howard's busy in the cellar," suit the girl. "He said you were to see hin there if you didn't mind. Come along and ['ll show you where it is." She took him to tin- door. It waj thick gloom inside, and he could distin gnish nothing, but When someone callec "Come in" he went in, and the dooi closed gently behind him. The girl waited a couple of minutes but, hearing nothing, went off upstairs He stood there in the darkness ex pecting someone to speak, 'but as n< sound came. "Are you there, Mr. How ard?" he asked. There was no replv, and the darkness and silence were making him nervous. "Anvone there?'' he asked again in a s-lishtlv husky voice. Still no answer, nut he fancied he heard i creeping, rustling sound coming towards him. He turned and felt for the dooi bundle. When- ho found it he discovered that the door had linen locked, or else fastened with a catch, for it would not open. He began' to feel frightened, and his fingers trembled as he fumbled for n match. At list he foinrl one. and scraped it -alone the sole ••! h : .s lioot, but it failed to light—oniv crackled. Hffore he could lijht it he felt a noose slipped 6veT his h?ad and a rope pulled ti'j'htj drawing his arms close in to his sides., The match fell from his fingers, rati ho jumped on one side, tugging and straining. His eyes -were becoming more accustomed to the darkness, and he could dimly discern a dark form moving bv Iks side. His struggles only 'tightclod the rone, and presently he was jerked backwards nearly off his feet, and the rope was whipped round his legs. It tripned him up. and he fell with a crash to the floor. He was veiling now at the top of his voice, lint the rone was being wound round and round his body and knotted, till presently ho was quite unable to'move. 'Hisniou'Mi'was then foiccd Dpen and a soft pad of cloth thrust in »nd held there by a scarf tied round his iend and fastened at the back. His assailant left him, and presently be could hear the scratch of a match, >nd then saw a spurt of light. He strained his head over on one side In watch, and saw a man- carefully light i candle. The latter waited until it waa fairlv alight, and then, shading it with his hand, carried it over to him. Then for rbe first time lie saw ivilh whom hj? had to del Parker, with a l.r ! iimnV."vr f cxr>re= ion . on 'his face, ■wmed to tower above .him, and looked down neon him. "Yon hirdh- cvwtM to sec me." he said. "I took this Inuse Mieci-illv ti have the honor of entertaining ■•on. 1 don't simrose T ilnnld have had the ;iIM-«iire of a vis : t from you at th» old -!ace. ard T don't siipno=e von would hive come to see uie l'ad vou known but it was different comin? see Mr

'•wrfl. Now. -we ore iroine; lo lmve a !'••' liltln tilk tniolhi'r. yo"\ ami li!' Cret r mu*t iiv von a scat so that r-" 'v-;i be comfortable." Tli= victim wriicrlcd on the ffior. 'tnd i= /"*ps .itnro'l 'Tinulyli- at his cantor. There wore two chairs at a small iblc, one on either side, anil to one nf lese Parkr>r clraprw' liim. lwn'inrr him p oil to it and litffiimr him finrlv to he 'hark, fimsliin<r up by tying liis lc»» a the lower rung. Tlierc were two smalt mctnl cnndleKcks on t'he' Hide, c-ich containing bout one inch of wax candle carefully at, with the wick jiroj«U7ic. P'irker t both of these >ind placed them in the entre of the tabic. Then too blew out he other light, and fiat down opposite i irown. I "These are nil the candles T 'an' pare." lie said, "and while lUey last I in joins to tilk 'to you. "First of all notice the candles. j "They are both the same =izr. I cut, hem as exactly as I could, and they j hould burn for almost exactly the same ime. | "Now, look again. One of them is, earer m«—I'll pull it a little closer; ] nd the other is Hearer you—just a little loser to you. Now, there can be no ; aistnke, can there? "Well, the one near you is yours, and he one near one is rain*. "How does that affect you? You wonler. Well, to these I add a loaded rerolver. "Now, let me explain. Should your sandle go out first I am going to shoot rou; but siou'ld jnilne go first I sWall let ?ou go. I am giving you a chance, you Kioiradrcl, that you don't deserve; but 1 am leaving H to a higher Power to judge you. "When you left mv daughter and your vife in Xew York did you have any pity for her? Did you think how she was to ive, she and her baby? Did you know how I found her after days of searching? She was living in a wretched hovel with only a few rags to cover her. For two days she had been without food, and before that had sold her last dress to share the miserable meals of the people she was living with. Her baby was almost gone. Why, man! if you had sent word to me I should have come to her: but without a thought foT any one but yourself you abandoned her to starvation. "When I found her and thought for some time that nothing could hare her I registered a vow that I would hunt you down and kill you, like the dog that you are. Then she recovered, and, womanlike, tried, to excuse you, saying that your mind must have given way with worry; and then I thought to get you into my power and leave it to a higher Power to say whether you should lire or die. "To do this I planned for some time and carefully. I left the house in which 1 had been living, and took this one which you would not know. The dctec tives I employed could not find you, s< I called in the services of Bussell How ard, who soon discovered you, and, whal is more, enticed you to London. "He had kept from me, however, thi fact that he had found you. Whethci he was suspicious of my motives or noi I do not taiow, hut it -was through you: own message I found you; for when '. called to see him this evening your mes sage and address were lying on his table This was enough for me. My arrange ments were simple and ready, as yo\ see, and I enticed you here, suspectinj Hothing." Brown had been sitting staring wit] straining eyes at his captor, and fron one candle to another, and every won seemed to burn into his brain. The two candles were burning dowi evenly—slowly, but surely. The gag in his mouth. prevented hin from sneaking, and although once o twice lie tried, only choking, inartictfat sounds came. He strained forward and struggle madlv,> tat he was too tightly tied fo his efforts to 'have any effect, and Parke looked on unconcernedly. There •were appeal and anguish 5 | Brown's eyes hs" he realised that th I other man was in deadly earnest, an there was but little time left before i I would be decoded whether he should liv j or die. I He gazed earnestly at Jris candle, me* surifig it in his mind, and then com'pai ins it with the other. s\ow he woiil ' think that tit was burning faster, an ! then at times he fancied it was slowci 1 Ho cosceaitrotd ail his ai»d upon i j

id and tried to will that H should bun e, slower and slower, until a mint seemec id to gather before his eyes through whicl Id a gigantic dame appeared to loom. They sat there for some time in sil t» raw, each watching —a silence hardei it to bear than the reproaches Parker hat been heaping upon, luira. Now and again p he woulu try to move his feet or r.tv,un y with his 'hands and body against the ■0 cords that bound him, but without red suit.

Park«r sat now apathetically waitin for the decision, a far-away look in hi eyes. He was thinking of his daughtc: and had forgotten her husband, until choking sound brought him buck to th present, and he reached out his Ivan tor the revolver lying on the table hi fore him. The two pieces of candle were set 01 a solid stand, and not slipped into th' tup of the candlestick, and they had nov burned down so far that the wicks wer wavering. Brown was staring for all lie wai worth, and the strain was causing grea' drops of perspiration to trickle dowi I his face. It looked as if the 'wicks could stanc no longer, and presently he gave anothfi choking gasp as his wick fell sideways The melted wax remaining nearly ex tmguished it, but it flickered, and stil staged alight, and now it was a raci : which would the sooner lick up the small 1 ortiou of wax remaining and burn itseli out. When Russell Howard returned to his looms with his friend Grierson the servant told him that a man had called to see him. She described what he was like, and Russell Howard recognised him from the description to he Parker. "A telephone message came for you too," she said—"from a Mr. Brown ".t Torrey's Hotel. I wrote it down and put it on your ta.ble." "All right, thanks," he said, and they went on into his rooms. Howard turned up the light, toswd Ims friend the evening papers, opened a couple of envelopes, and then glaiuad round for the telephone message. He lifted one or two papers, and then looked on the floor to see if it had dropped down. There was'no sign of it, although he searched everywhere. Then he rang for the servant. "Where did you say you put that message for me?" he said, when she arrived. "On top of the papers on your table," she answered. "Can't you find it?" "No. It 6«ems to have gone,'' he said. "You are quite sure you put it there ?" "Oh, yes, sir," she replied. "Right on the top. You couldn't miss it." "All right," he said. "It showed that it was from Mr. Brown at Torrey's Hotel, I think you said?" "Yes, sir. I asked lim where he w.is, in case you didn't know." The girl went, leaving Howard thinking. He turned to Grierson. "I'm going round to Torrey's Hotel for a few minutes," he said. "Will you stay here or come along?" Grierson saw he looked rather serious. "What's the matter?" he said. "Likely to be any trouble? I'll come along if there is." "All right," said Howard. "Get your hat and come along." They went round to the hotel nnd enquired for Brown, and were informed thnt ho had gone out some time befo.'e. Further enquiries elicited the fact that lie had gone in response to a telephone message, but the boy who pave it to him could not remember the address. "Come along," said Russell Howard. "I may he wrong, but I'm going to try Parker's place." They got a cab outside, and drove there as fast as tlhe horse could go. When they rang the bell a girl appeared. "Mr. Parker's not at home," she sa ! d with an air of canvincinc: finality in response to Russell Howard's request. "But he expects me," he said. "You're not the gentleman he expected," she said. "It was a Mr. Brown, and he called." "But he exjiects lie as well as Mr. Brown," said Russell Howard. The girl scorned to ponder for a while, then she shook her head. "No; he's hout!" sire said, and tried to shut the door. ' Howard pushed in before she could I close it, Grierson following. Thev shut the door behind them, and th- girl facd them in the hall, looking frightened, but determined. j "Get hout," she said, "or I'll 'nil the police. Mr. Parker's not at 'ome, nnd j yon cflnU sec 'him. | "It's all right, mr j'rl." said Fow.ird. as he tried to slip half-a-crown into her hand. • • I "Yon can keep yom monev," she said. "Mr. Parker said 'e wasn't to be disturbed, and you nin't goin' to see bin:." "Then ho is nt home!" sa ; d Howard. "It wi'l save a lot of trouble if von tike ,u« to him now. It's something verv important." "\ T n. -,, mi nin't rrnvn' tn «<-/> him " enn

■clurncd. "'?. sail not to M anv«n»l Vefiir') '"m. and 'e 'is a gentleman with im -noM-, and 'c ain't gnin 1 to he dis.urbod." ''Yon hear that. f!rior=t"r" slid "Rik sell Howard. "The n T «iin»n«<- thciv'--lothincfor it Imt to make a «tnvt-. \«n itrniil bv t!ir- front door an'! don'l li't • ];■" lirl out." | Oiersnn f-iok u n h's nccitiori nenr the! 'nor. qnd "oward nicked up .1 r.okcr j '■• mi Hi" Pn-vlsiec in Hi* front room.' mil. intertill" the noint mi'it the lid] if i locknl desk, ilippraTi lcvcrin'* it u n . The lock he?an to give, the wood! Tii-kin? as .it was boins wrenched u;>. i 'Dip '.rirl looked anxiously from one to] lie 'Other. She darted forward as if mi | 'top Russell Howard, and then to the! rank door; but flrierson 'held her off here. Then she turned and ran down ho hall. "Come on. flrierson!" shouted Howard. 'She'H sVeiv us where they are now." They ran out at the liaek, down some itoDR. and found the girl knocking and • •ailing for help at the cellar door. Russell Howvrd brushed her on one ddc and tried the handle. The door was oeked, and he threw his whole weight. it it. He could sec it was too strong o open in that wav, aill looked round' ■or something to force it. Gricrson Iraggcd out from underneath some rub>ish a pointed iron tor. "Trv this." he said. "Force the hinges; Jiev'll come easier." Howard forced the point in and levered j ind wrenched 'with all his might. The girl stood on one side now. nnen- ] nouthed, but aware that something icrious was the matter. | The door gave at the top, and Cricr-on j thrust in a stout piece of worn' and tigged, while Russell Howard attacked ' he lower part. ' With a rending and a cradling that ;nvc also, and they pushed the door lown and rushed in. I With the rush of air caused by the 'filling door two little points of flame in front of them flickered up and "vent nut. it the. same instant there wis a ,liun ;rack from a. revolver, and tin" whiz. n l ' i bullet, sounded irneomfortahlv near. Ho'vaH bounded over to where a man was risin" 'Mil holding a =mnking ivPoiveT in I)''- out.-trctclicd lvi-id. He caught at his wrist, and with a rnick wrench dragged it behind his hack. Another wrench and he held the revolver in his own 'hand, and the man he ivas holding collapsed with a meaningless laugh to the floor. The onened door let in sufficient light to enable them to see another mail sittini upright on a chair in front. Howard stTiielc a match and Jit a 'andlc on the tahle; then they saw that ho was wound round and round with topes and tied to the chair. At first thev thought him dead. Imt presently found that he had only fainted, and they soon brought him round. He recovered 'enough to be ahle to te'l them what had happened, and then they turned their attention to Parker. The strain of the lasrt'fcV months bad been too much for him, and lie had broken down completely. The idea of avenging his d'aue'htcr had taken complete possession of him until it. amounted to nothing less than madness, and Russell Howard could see that he was in for a bad illness. They took him to a hospital, where he lay for some time with a serious attack of brain fever. Btowu thev took back to the hotel. wTictc they left him to his own thoughts. A few days afterwards lirown callei! on Howard. He looked so shaken am ill that Howard was sorry for him. Hi told him fully all that had happened since he married Miss Parker, and "it the end said: "Ihad time, Mr. Howard, while p-Hli'is watching for that infernal candle l< hum out to think what it cad I luu' been. My only excuse is that T mus Iravc l*en mad. I do not believe I eve: really cared for anv one but myself, am had no thought for any one else. 1 know I have been a scoundrel and < blackguard, touit don't yon think I couli ehange now? I don't suppose my wifi will have anything to do with me, bu r want to work for her all the same am do something for her. T hive made : promise to myself that T will do every thing I can for her. Not that I ea: wipe out all the imrm that has beei done—tat do you think she would be Hove jn6 if I told her I was a changei man?" , Russell HoWd loofeed steadily a.

i him, and there was no mistaking the I earnestness in his fa««. | "I think," lie said, "thai you will iinJ| | she is very forgiving* 1 don't suppj; ' ■ you will find slio can -forget all that ha happened to her through you, hut t!i best thing you can do is to go to he and itelil her what you have told inert nd perhaps she will furgive."—liy A. I I Jobson.