THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 336, 11 March 1910, Page 6

THE STORYTELLER.

A MILD FLIRTATION, ' Rex, you must not lall in love with my pretty secretary. You know I have certain plans for you, and you must not let a pretty face spoil them." Rex Vernon was a handsome young >fello w of 25, with a pair of beautiful, dark-blue eyes, and a heavy, goldenbrown moustache.

He laughed carelessly at his mother's words, and blowing a cloud of eigarsmolte into the air, replied: '"Do you object to my having a little ■amusement t Vernon Place is rather dull after the gaiety of Paris, or would 'be if it were for my mild flirtation with. Miss Winston. My heart is altogether too much under my own control lor me to lose it. so you need not be uneasy, mother mine."

. '"] feel relieved to hear that it is only a matter of amusement, only do n*fc carry it too far. She is a favorite of mine, and 1 vvll not have her trifled with." Mrs. Vernon's handsome features set.tlsd back into their usual expression of high-bred calm, and silence fell between the two.

They were in the sitting-room. Two long windows, that commanded a view of a boautifil bay, overlooked by steep, wooded hills were open, the lilac-scent-ed May -breeze stirring the curtains. And directly beneath one of them, a young g : rl wa= standing, one hand crushing unheedingly a bunch 01 lilac that she had gathered, a crimson flush on the fair face, and the hazel eyes full of angry fire.

"So I serve as an amusement for this young aristocrat," she muttered. "He dares to call the few civilities I have accepted feom him a flirtation. I (thought him so courteous, and I liked and admired him, but now I hate him." She flung the poor, bruised lilacs away, and with quick steps entered the house, and went upstairs to her room.

Pausing before the little mirror over her dressing-table, she pushed back her broad-leafed sun hat, and studied her reflection with coolly critical eyes. A winsome face it was, with a delineate, wild-rose bloom on the round cheeks, "oronze-brown hair curling carllessly across the fair brow, and deep, hazel eyes, just as brilliant as stars. A little, satisfied smile curved her lips. "And madam had the grace to ask him to deal leniently with me. I suppose she thought I would not foe able to perform my duties ot secretary as well if he hrolce my heart. You may keep up your mild flirtation with me, Mr. Rex Vernon, and time will show which of us will suffer the more from it. ,;

Atyont an hour after, when Mr. Rex Vernon strolled into the library, he found Miss Winston in her usual place at a small writing-table by the window.

ITe surveyed her a moment with eyes that showed how much he appreciated the change, then said: "Miss Winston, will you come for a Sail on the hay? The day is too beautiful to spend in the house."

She frc-.fpd him to her brightest snii'.e, then putting her writing materials away, nrpse to accompany him. Xothing could be pleasanter than scuddincr over the sun-lit waters of the bar, the land they passed being a constantly changing picture. And thep to have Doris besides to amuse and interest, him with her bright, original ta'k. When they landed two hours later, and Doris hurried toward tit" house, his eves followed her with an expression that would not have exactly plea-ed his mother had she seen it.

A night in June. The warm air perfurny with Hie breath of roses, a lull moon chininj above the hills on the eastern shore of the bay, making a path of pearly li-jht across its waters. On a oniony outside of the parlor windows stood Doris, her eve-: fixed dreamilv on the fair scene before her. A thin, white dress fell in graceful folds around her, and in the dark hail' nestled a rosebud: she loolced like a picture with the moonlight falling on he v lovely face.

There was a toot fall in the room behind Tier. , and Rex stepped lightly 'through th<> window and came to her .side.

"Yon loo 1 ; like 'Tuliet' in that white dress." lie said, takfng her hands.

An expression of surprise »am» over her face. TJpx had cone away with his mother thnt afternoon, intending to cline with some friends in the village and afterwii'd-i take a train for Washington. 4P"What are von doing; here?" she asked: ''l thons'.t von were going away." "So T am. but T left Eastbroofc's very early; it is an hour and a-half vet before the train leaves, and so T came back here: ou know. T did not bid von good-bve, and I am to be gone tritce weeks."

"You came back to bid me good-bve: I ought to feel flattered," she said, laughing. "And T >i:.ve something to tell von. too. Something I want you to know before 1 go aw;>y. Can you guess what it is?" She did nit answer him. and suddenly he stretched out his arms and drew her to his breast. "I want to tell you that I love you, Doris." For an instant' she remained quite still, a feeing o'i triumph sending the .blood in waim thrills through her veins. The time had come when she could mal<e him >epent slighting words that had so aroused her- anger against liim.

Then she freed herself, and facing him. said coldly:

"Are you not carrying your flirtation too far, Mr. Vernon. "Mv flirtation! What do you mean?"

"I mean that, unintentionally, I played eavesdropper one day some weeks ago, and 1 heard you tell your mother that because you found Vernon Place duU, you intended to carry on a mild ifiirtation with me, although your heart was too much under control for you to lose it. So you need not try to carry matters further, for you see 1 understand you."

A dark flush mounted to his cheeks as he looked into her indignant eyes. Then he exclaimed:

'"You think I am nofe telling you the truth; you think I am trying to amuse myself at your expense. They were idle words, Doris. The very day I uttered them, I found how dear you were to me. I swear to you that I love you deeply and truly Will you be my wife ?"

He held our his arms again, but she drew back.

» "I do riot believe you, and even ii I did, it would make no difference, for I do not like you, and I would not marry you."

His arms dropped to his side, and his face looked white and pained. "You are cruel. Will you rob my whole life cf happiness for }he sake of those thoughtless words? Forgive them, dear, and let me begin from now, and try to win your heart."

! "It would be time wasted if you, tried to win me, for I really and truly dislike you very much. I have only tolerated so much of your society that I might show you in the end that you could afford amusement as well as b£ amused." :

There wa< silence for a time, then he said in a low strange voice: j 'Good-bye for ever. It is not likely that you will ever see me again, lor now l shall not return to Vernon PI act;."

He turned, and the next moment Doris was standing alone, and mingled with her triumph was a strange, desolate feeling.

"Oh, Doris. Doris! his name is injthe list of the killed!" ;

The voice died away in a Availing cry. and Mrs. Vernon sank back in her ejiair with a face ashen-wliite. ■ Doris spr ing to her side, and with trembling feands took the newspaper from her lap. L, It was tiie night after Rex's departure, and ti lings had reached them that the train lie went on had fun off the track rear a high precipice, ■than iialf the passengers were killed. Doris looked over the long list as Mrs. Vernon had done. Yes, there was "Reginald Vernon," near the end of the column. The r>api»r fell from her fingers, and ior a moment the two women looked .it each other in speechless anguish. Then Mrs. Vernon sprang up. ' "T must go there." she cried, "to the place where it happened—l must go and have him brought home." She hurrkd from the room, and in half an hour a carriage rolled awav from the door of Vernon Place, bearing her in it.

Doris was left alone. She .paced up and down the floor of the dimly-lighted library, her hands pressed to £er head, her eyes wiup and tearless. . i

Ilex was dead—killed! Sjie would never look into his eyes again, or hear Mis voice, and she loved hin| so well. Yes, now in that hour of sorrow she understood her own heart; she always had loved him. '

The passed slowly;! gradually all sounds of life died out oft,the houseand a deen silence reigned.

One! ehi'i.eu out the bronzs- clock on the mantel, and at that moment there was tile sound of footsteps along the hall.

Doris paused in her walk and stood looking at the door, hex - heart beating almost to suffocation,. j "She has come back," she' murmured.

At last the door swung ojien and Rex stepped across the threshold, dusty, tr.ivel-stainrd, pale, but alive. A cry or joy that rang thro ugh tHo kouse, and Doris flew across the room and clung, sobbing and laughing, to his arm.

He watched her in silence for a mo ment, then said softly: "Are you so glad, little one?"

"Glad?" The look on the face raised to his own made his heart thrill, for it told her secret. "Then you do not dislike me as much as you said last night?" He bent his head low to hear her answer.

"I did not; tell the trutli last night. I—l—do not dislike you at all." Then Rev took her in his arms, and ner head rc.sted on his breast while he to' .1 he;- about his narrow escape. He ha i been struck on the temple, and the doctor in his hasty examination had taken his deep swoon for death; that was how his name came on the "killed" list.

When Mrs. Vernon returned the next day she was so hapov fyo find her darling alive, that she said nothing when she heard tnnt her plan to marry him to a wealthy cousin was spoiled.

"Laxo-Tonic," wrote one who was ill, "Is a health-giving, nourishing pill; I've never felt better; So excus'e this short .letter, From your ever affectionate Bill." LAXO-TONIC PILLS, 10% d and Is 6d Obtainable at Bullock and Johnston's, agents, Devon-street. New Plymouth. YOUNG NEW PLYMOUTH.—Now is your chance to secure a smar looking, tailor-finished, boxed suit for yourself. Most of fha' well-dressed youths yon ser> in No.y Plymouth set . their be<t suits from The'K;wh • We've iust finished a lot of youths' suits in plain knickers, buckle and strap knickers,and button-kneed Knicker ; made from tile most fashionable clothe and finished in tin-ton style. wit,h well-fittini paddejl shoulders and srobd-fitting suits. We have ibem from 29s t... <n)s fid—THE KASH.