The Storyteller.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 411, 18 March 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Storyteller.

THE CHANCELLOR'S WARD. - I. One really ought to write, She married hiin, not, He married her. *The simple question is, my dear Tommy, are you going to take me ' or lenve me V This was in Hyde Park. They were seated on one of those seats which are in front of the police station. Neither of them ought to have been there. Which of course was one of the reasons why they were. Mr Ssanham turned his eyeglass full upon Miss Cullen. Perhaps he thought that was uuflicient answer. Anyhow, she went on — ' In other words ate you going to marry me or are you not V ' 1 am ; Gad, I should rather hope so. I say, don't bo too hard upon a fellow, Frank.' 'Call me Fanny, don't call me Frank ? Don't you know that mv name is Frances, sir, which has absolutely no connection with Frank!' ' That's all right, old man.'

'That's what Mr Stanham murmured. Extraordinary how some men do talk to women nowadays, even to the women whom thdy love !

'Then, if you intend to marry me, Mr Thomas Stonham, you'll be so good as to do so on Thursday morning next before noon.' 1 Mr Stanham began to scratch the gravel with his stick. ' And get seven years' penal.' ' Stuff ! They don't give you penal servitude for marrying wards in Chancery. It,s contempt of Court.' 'Yes, I know. Have you to wash out your cell at Holloway, and stand at attention with your hat off, while the governor cuts you dead.'

1 Then perhaps you will be so good as to tell me what it is that you propose to do. Do you imagine that you are the sort of poison the court of Chancery will ever allow to marry rue,' ' Haven't so much imagination, my dear Frank.' 1 Call mo Fanny, not Frank! You are not to call me Frank. Then do you suppose that I'm the sort of girl who's willing to wait and not marry her sweatheart, until she's twenty five ? Because if you suppose anything of that kind, we malt be perfect strangers. ' It's very good for you, I'm sure.' « Oh, I daresay. You don't love me that much," Mi*s Cullen flicked her parasol. ' Becauee a horrid old uncle chooses to say that I'm to be a ward of the court until I'm five and twenty, and I to be a spinster all my life 1 If you loved me the least little bi<-, you'd invite the Lord Chancellor to come and see you marry me in tha middle of Hyde Park, even if, directly the deed was done, he had your head cut off on Tower Hill.' ' Thanks, dear boy.' Of course he married her. On the morning of the specified Thursday she went out for a stroll, and he went out for a stroll, and they met at the registrar's, and, as she put it, the deed was done. And when the deed was done, she went home to lunch, and he went, not home to lunch but to a private place, where he could swear. Now here they were, both of them at Tuttenham. They encountered each other on the door step. She said, ' How do you do, Mr Stanham T And he said,' How do you do, Miss Cullen V ' Nice way in whieh to have to greet your own wife,' he told himself, having reached the comparatively safe solitude of his own apartment. Then the Duke got him into his own particular smoking-room. The Duke was in an armchair. Mr Stanham stood before the fireplace with his hands in his pocket. The talk wandered from Dan to Beersheba. Then, a good deal a propos des bottles, the Duke dropped what he evidently intended to be taken as a hint. ( If you take my advice, young man, you'll keep clear of Frances Cullen. She's here.' Mr Stanham winced. 'ls she 1 Yes. I know. I met met her on the steps.' 1 Did you !' The Duke eyed him. He, not improbably, had observed the wince. • Warnings arc issued all along that coast. Steer clear. , What do you think they'd do to a man if he were to marry her V ' Do to him ! Tommy ! I hope you'ro not meditating such a crime. She's not an ordinary ward of the court, any more than she's an ordinary millionaire.' 1 So 1 supposo.' ' You had a little run with her in town. Evorybody had their eyes on you, as you're aware. And when the Dutchess told me she was coming, I'd half a mind to write and put you off—fact! This is not a house in which even tacit encouragement can be offered to a dalliance crime. Not' —the Duke puffed at his pipe—' not that she's half a bad sort of girl. She's clever. Very pretty. And she's got a way about her which plays havoc with a man.' 'Much obliged to you, I'm sure.' 'What do you mean ? ' For saying a good word for my wife.' 'Your wife T

'Mrs Thcmas Stanham— nee ; Cullen.' : 'Tommy !—You don t mean it !' ' You can bet your pile I do—and then safely go on better. I've got a copy of the marriage certificate in my pocket, and I rather fancy that she's got the original document in her's. ' You—young blackguard !' ' Sort of cousin of yours, ain't I Datchut 1 It's all in the family you know. Blackguard rcnd all. ' How did you do it 1— And when? and who knows !' ' Only you and me, and the laly. That's what's weighing on my mind. What's the good of having a wife, if she ain't your wife—or, at any rate, if you daren't say that she's your wife for the life, of you V The Duke suddenly rose from his seat. He seemed to be in a state of actu 1 i ,nation. Tommy, do you know that the Chancellor is coming here t\ <Who?' ' The Lord Chancellor. The carriage went to meet him an hour ago. I expect him every moment.' Mr Stanhim looked a trifle blank. ' I didn't know the ministry was formed. 'lt's formed, but it's not announced ; Triggs is to lie th> Chancellor.' ' And what Sort of gentleman may Triggs be, when he's at home's' •"Sir Tristram 1 Well!' The Duke was walking up and down the room. He appeared to be reflecting. 'He's been a bit of a wildish character in his time—and they do say that his time's not long gone, lie has a i temper of his own —a nasty one.' ! Pausing, the Duke fixedly regarded j Mr Stanham. ( I should say that ; when Triggs learns what you have ( done, he will clap you into gaol, ) and keep you there, at any rate 1 until Miss Cullen ceases to be a . ward of the court. Mr Stanham's countenance wore | a look of dire consternation. i

•No! She's to be a ward until &he's twenty-five, and she's not yet twenty-two. 'Then, in that case, I should say that, at the very least, you are in for three gooil years of prison. My advice to you is ' The Dukh's advice remained unuttered. Just ac that moment the door was opened. A servant ushered in a new-comer. ' Sir Tristram Triggs.' ' The Duke, striding forward, h«ld out both his hands. ' Sir Tristram—And how long is it to be Sir Tristram ?' The other shrugged his shoulders. ' For a fow hours, more or less, I suppose. I don't know much of this Kind of thing. I daresay I shall know more about it when I've done,' » When you'vedone 1 May that not be for many and many a year! Allow me to introduce to you a friend of mine—Mr Thomas Stanham.' Sir Tristram turned. For the first time, he appeared to notice Mr Stanham. Physically, the new, great man was short, was inclined to ponderosity. The entire absence of hair upon his face served to accentuate its peculiar characteristics. It was a square face—and, in, particular, the jaw was square. His big eyes looked from under a penthouse formed by his overhanging brows. As one looked at him, one instinctively felt that this was a man whom it would be safer ta havo as a friend than an enemy. As he turned, a faint smile seeemed to be struggling into existence about the corners of his groat mouth. But, directly his glance alighted upon Mr Stanham, that smile vanished into the ewigkeit. He looked at him very much as a bull-terrier might look at a rat. And he said, in a tone of voice which seemed fraught with curious significance—- ' I have had the pleasure of meet-

ing ibis gentleman before.' On part, Mr Stanham regarded Sir Tristram with a supercilious air which perhaps unconsciously to himself, was only too frequently seen upon hia face—as if Sir Tristram wore an inferior thing. ' I'd no idea that your name was Triggs.' The Duke, standing behind Sir Tristram, clenched his fist, and glared at Mr Stanhara as if he would like to have knocked him down. It happened, shortly afterward*, that Miss Cullen left her bedroom to come downstairs, As she went along the corridor she met a gentleman who was being conducted by a servant, probably, to his own apartment. The gentleman was Sir Tristram Triggs. When Sir Tristram saw Miss Cullen, and Miss Cullen saw Sir Tristram, they both of them stopped short. The great man's complexion was, normally, of a ruddy hue. At sight ol the lady he turned the colour of beetroot, boiled. She drew herself up to the full capacity of her inches. And she uttered a single monosyl-ible. ' You !' That was all she said—then went sweeping on. That horrid man !—He here ! To think of it!—lf I'd onlj known that he was coming, I do believe, in spite of Tommy, -that I'd have stayed away.' At the foot of the stairs Miss Cullen encountered Mr Stanhara. That gentleman had, as he was wont to have, his hands in his pockets, Also, as he was not wont to have, he had a face as long as his arm.

' I say, Frank, o'd nun, isn t there somewhere where I can have a word or two with you on the strict ' Q.T.' r ' Certainly—the library. There's never a soul in there. One would not like to libel Tuttenham so far as to say, with ' Miss Cullen, that the only tenants the library ever hi 1 wore the books. But, on that occasion, it ilid chance that the pair had the whol-J ibme to thems-lvea. Mr Stenham perched himself on a corner of the table, still wi.h his hands in his pockets. ' There's going to be a pretty kettle of fish, deir boy.' That was what the gentleman ohsirveil. 'My dear child, what do you mean 1 Wlnt is the, matter V ' The Lord Chancellor's here.'

<N O t —How do you know V ' Datchet just introduced me to him.' 'Oil, Toiiuny, f say, whit fun ! : With a little laugh, the lady clapped her hands, She appeared to lie g'fted with a keener eye for comedy than Mr Stanham. ' I don't know what you call fun. It happens that the new Lord Chancellor is a man who, I have good reason to believe, would give a tidy trifle for a chance of getting his knife iuto me.' 'Whatever for V 'l'll tell you the story. Last year, when I was at Canterstone for the shooting, I was placed next to a man whom I had never seen in my life, and whom 1 never wanted to see in my life again. What Charlie asked him for, beats me. I bslieve, if be knew one end of the gun from the other, it was as much ashedid know. I doubt if there was ever his ditto as a shot. I wiped his eye over and over again. I kept on doing it. I couldn't help it —I had to. He never hit a bird. But he didn't like it, any the more for that. We had something like a row before the day was over. I fancy that I said something about a barber's clerk. Anyhow, I know I walked off there and then.' ' You nice, agreeable girl ! I'ts my opinion that all you men are, the same when you are shooting—missing links. And pray, what has this pleasant little sidelight on thp sweetness of your disposition got to do with the new Lord Chancellor V Only this—the new Lord Chancellor's the man I called a barber's clerk,'

1 Tommy ! How horrible !' 'lt dors seem pretty lively. You should have se-m how he looked at me when Dachet justnow introduced us. Unless I am mistaken in the gentleman, when this lit'le affair of our's leaks out, and I'm brought up in front of him, and he sees who I am, he'll straightway consign me to the deepest dungeon, and keep me there, ac any rate as long as he's Lord Chancellor. It's only a cheerful little prophecy of mine. But you mark my words, and sec' 'My poor, dear boy ! .Whatever shall we do ?' 'There's one th.ncr 1 should like to do, and chance it—l should like to kick Sir Tristram Triggs!' • Kick who V Sir Tristram Triggs! Tommy ! Why would you like to kick Sir Tristram Triggs V ' That the beggar's name.' 1 The beggar's name 1 Can it be that Sir Tristram Triggs is the new Lord Cmmsellor?' She threw out her arms, wiah a gesture of burlesque melodrama. ' Tommy ! Kiss me ! Quick. Before L faint!' ' I never saw a chap like you for kissing,' ' That's a pretty thing thing to 3ay ! Although we may be married, sir, we have not yet been upon outhoneymoon.' 1 I'll kiss you, if you like.' < Thank you kindly, gentle sir !' She favoured bim with a sweeping curtsey. ' Tommy, even you have, no idea of the ramifications and complications of our peculiar situation. Mr Stanham had removed his hand from his pockets. They occupied a more agreeable position round the lady's waist. ' See if I don't snatch you from the lion's jaws.' ' Does that mean that you will help me to escape from Holloway?' 'Am 1 to die upon the road, thou V 'Don't talk dike that, don't? You don't know what a wife you've got! You don't know how she loves you, worthless creature that you are ' Tommy do say that you love me, just a little bit! There, you needn't squeeze me quite so tight. I can explain to you all about it. I will some day ! There's going to be a duel, perhaps to the death! between the L>rd Chancellor and yours to command ; and if that august personage, in the figure anyhow, of Sir Tristram Triggs, is not worsted and overthrown, 1 will give you leave, sir, to say thai, you do not admire my taste in dress.—Tommy, don't.' 11. After dinner, Miss Cullen, strolling about the great glasshouse all alone, came upon Sir Tristram, also all alone. Although not, probably, more than half an inch taller than the gentleman, she looked, yes, down at him, as if, comparatively, he were but an insect at her feet. ' Well, Sir Tristram, what amends do you propose to make .fco me V ' Miss Cullen V ' Sir J' She looked at him ; and this famous lawyer, who had been more

(liana match for the. olla p-.drida of 'the law courts, and the champions of the political ring, quailed before a young girl's eyes. ' I feu-, Miss Cullen, that I fail to apprehend your meaning.'

'ls it possible that you are an habitual desecrator of that law which you have sworn to uphold, and that, therefore, the details of your crimes are apt to escape your memory 1 More than three months have elapsed since you committed your crime. So far as I know, you have,not sought as yet to take advantage of any oecision to offer me atonement'

Sir Tristram faced round to her with something of the bull-dog look which bad come upon his face when he had found himself in front of Mr Stanham.

' May I inquire, Miss Cullen, why you go out of your way to use language of such extravagant exaggeration ? It would be gross absurdity, amounting almost to prostitution of language, to call the offence a crime.'

' Pet hips it is because you are a lawy r that you ate una war.- tint not so very long ago a man was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for exactly the same thing.' SirTiistram fidgeted. Ho seemed not to have complete control over his tongue. ' Miss Cullen, I trust that I may never be found lacking in respect to a lady. If I have been so unfortunate as to have offended you, I proffer you my most sincere apologies, and I humbly entreat your forgiveness.' Miss Cullen remained, obviously, wholly unmoved. ' When a criminal expresses his contrition, is he held, by so doing, to have sufficiently purged himself of his offence V

'What is it that you require of me V

' I am told that you are to be the new Lord Chancellor. lam a ward in chancery.' ' I learn the fact with the greatest pleasure.' 'Do you 1 Then your pleasure bears a strong resemblance to my pain. lam to remain a ward till I am twenty-five.'

' Indeed V Sir Tristram began to rub his hands.

'Yes—indeed ! I hid an objectionable uncle who was so foolish as to suppose that I could not be a better judge of my own life's happiness than—a number of elderly gentlemen.' ' Hem !' Sir Tristram coughed.

'lf I was willing to overlook your offence—' Sir Tristram smiled —' I should require, a quid pro

quo.' 1 I should want you to consent to my marrying.' 'To consent to your marrying? Ah !—I see !—lf the matter is laid before me in due and proper form —it is possible that you have a certain individual in your mind's eye whom you are willing to make the happiest of men—and I was satisfied that he was a fH, and a proper, person and every care was taken to safeguard your interests—then, my clear Miss Cullen, noth ng would give me greater pleasure than to give my consent to your being happily launched on what, I fear is, too often, the troubled sea of marriage.' ' That's not the sort of tiling I want at all.' 'No 1 Then what is the sort of things you want, may I inquire V The young lady tapped her foot against the floor. For the first lime she seemed to be not entirely at her ease. 'The fact is, I'm married already.' ' Married already I —With the consent of the Court V ' Bother the court I' 1 Young lady ! —Aro you aware to whom you are speaking ?' 'I am perfect aware. lam speaking to the person who kissed me against my will.' ' Miss Culler. I am the Chancellor !' ' That for the Chancellor !'

She actually snapped her fingers in his face. lie seemed to be speechless ; though, perhaps, he only seemed to. When he did speak, it was as if he was suffering positive pain. 'I find myself unable to believe that you arc capable of realising the position in which I stand, the position in which you stand, too. Personal misusage I might endure. But in this matter, I am impersonal. Take care. I represent, in my poor person, the majesty of English law.' He turned as if to go. If he supposed lie had crushed her, he was very much mistaken. 'ls that your last word, Sir Tristram V ' Miss Culien, it is my last.' 'Then, now, be so good as to listen to my last word. The Duke of Dateline is a magistrate. I will go straight to him, and demand from him a warrant for your arrest. 'A warrant for my arrest 1 ? Girl.' ' 1 presume that it is because lam a girl, that you are enough of a nun first to assault and (hen to bully me.' Taking out his handkerchief, Sir Tristram applied it to his brosv. l Am I mad, or you 1 Are you utterly impervious to any sort of reason V ' Not more than you are. I have yet to learn that, because you are Lord Chancellor, you cannot be

made to answer for your crimes, exactly like any other criminal. Forgive my husband, forgive me, whose only crime has been that we love each other, and who have not offended in the sight either of heaven or of earth, and I will forgive you, who have offended in the sight of both. Decline to do so, and, unless there is one law for the great and another for the small, in which case the world shall hear of it, I promise that you shall learn, from personal experience, what it means to go to gaol.' .Sir Tristram looked about him, as if he wondered why the earth did not open to swallow her. He seemed to gasp for breath. 'Miss Cullen, I be% that you will not suppose, that, under any possible circumstances, I could listen, even for a single instant, to what, to me, are your hideous insinuations. But one possible solution I do see to the painful situation in which you stand. If tho person whom you have illicitly and improperly married—' • Not improperly married, hew dare you !' 'ln the eyes of the court, Miss Cullen certainly, in the eyes of the court. Hear me now. If this person should prove to be a fit and proper person, of good character, of due position, aud so forth, then taking all the circumstances into consideration, I might be moved to leniency. What is the person's name V

' lie is of the highest lineage.' ' So far, so good.' 1 He is a gentleman of the highest character.' ' Still better.' ' He would be showing honour to any lady in the land if he made of her bis wife. ' Hera ! Precisely ! I asked you of his norue.' 'Thomas Stanham.' ' Thomas Stanham !' Sir Tristram contenance went as black as a thunder-cloud. ' Thomas Stanham !' He turned to her with a look of fury on her face which took even Miss Cullen by surprise. 'That vagabond.' ' How dare you speak so of my husband, sir V ' Your husband 1 Girl, you are a fool. You, the owner of prospective millions, have thown them, even before they are in your actual possession, into the lap of that pitiful adventurer. You ask me to show him leniency 1 I will be lenient to you at least. I protect you from him, in spite of yourself.' He spoke with a degree of dramatic intensity which threw a lurid light upon the cause of his success in life. Miss Cullen was silenced after all. She stood and watched him as he strode away, with a degree of dignity in his bearing which seened to have suddenly made him taller. ' Tommy must have wiped his eye.' This was what she said to herself when she was alone. ' Well, old mau, have you had it out with Triggs V Turning, Miss Cullen found that Mr Stanham had aproached from behind. He stood in the doorway —as usual, with his hands in his pockets. 'Yes, young man, I've had it out with Triggs.' Miss Cullen had a little Hush on her cheeks, and an added light in her eyes, which superfluities, it might be said, unjustifiably heightened her attractions. 1 Softened his adamantine breast V ' Well, hardly. Not what you might call quite. In fact, I should say that, if he remains in his present frame of mind, he will send you, for a certainty, to something much worse than penal servitude for life.' 'ls that so? Very kind of you, I'm sure. I knew you'd make a mess of it, my love.' ' AVait till the play is over. There i." always a muddle in the middle. The third act has not begun.' ('To be continued.)