THE STORY-TELLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3166, 8 October 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STORY-TELLER.

DELPHIC ORACLE,

I have iiovor believed much in fortune-telling 1 , <■"' palmistry, or anything of that kind ; but when my two dear cousins, Amy and T>ol]y, who vre.ro devout believers, urged me to go with them to Fatima — Fatima was the last now prophetess—l could not refuse them I felt that they, or one of them, had a right to know what there was to be known about my future, because I was going to marry one of them. Both wero delightful girls—Am} , was a lovely blonde, Dolly a sparkling brunette. Each had ten thousand pounds, and each, I think I may say, was quite ready to marry me. I only hesitated between them because I could not bear to gratify one at the expense of the other ; and, in spito of their amiability, I had seen unmistakable signs of a little rivalry between them.

Wo went all together to Fatima's, and I took my stand beforo her exactly equidistant from a cousin on either hand ; I was not going to give Fatima a lead if I could help it. The prophetess was a plain woman of about 00, and she looked rather sour when I insisted on both the young ladies being present. However, she went to work and droned ouc some details of my past life, giving special attention to my smoking habits —I knew I smelt of Trichinopoly cigars—and my debts: which latter information she might just as well have kept to herself, At last she could not shirk the question of my matrimonial future an}' longer. She cast puzzled glances, first to Amy, then at Dolly; both were looking at me with sweet affection. She turned to me; I gently took a hand of each and pressed it affectionately. Fatima sighed and gave it up. ' You are loved,' she said in deep tones, 'by two beautiful women [the girls looked pleased] ; ono is fair [Amy blushed], the other dark [Dolly coloured]. You love both in a measure [I pressed the two hands], and'—Fatima paused. •Well, which is it to be?' I asked. She bent over my hand ' I see a double line, once broken. I soo a wedding, and a death, and a wedding ; and the time for all this is short. You will wed one; but lot the other endure ; the joy of the ono will be destroyed with her lifo in a little space, and tho other shall be satisfied. I have spoken. Thank you. Another shilling, please; the charge is one guinea.' ' But wait a bit,' I cried, ' Which is to marry me first ?'

' The lines say naught as to that. One you will marry, and she must die ; and the other follows.'

' Good grocious ! How very awkward. The Deceased AVife's Sister Bill isn't passed yet.'

' Though thej r bo sisters, ' said Fatima, picking up the clue with agility, ' yet the lines cannot lie. ' ' But hang it! is there no way out of this mess ? '

She knitted her brows and looked again. ' Ay, if you will; but that way lies a red hand—a hand dyed as though in blood. Ah, 'tis a woman causes it.'

The girls shivered: and I hastily flung down the other shilling and ■went out considerably impressed, in spite of iny scepticism, with the sombre prophecy. My cousins were rather silent on the way home, o.nd met all my somewhat forced attempts at making fun of Fatima with coldness : both were distant in thoir manner to me and not over .cordial to one another. I dare say this behaviour was natural enough ; for, if Fatima spoke true, one of them was doomed to early death, leaving her rival triumphant; and this doom was only to be averted if I committed a murder. "Was Ito murder one of them ? Horrid thought! Before many days were over I wished heartily that we had never been to I'atima's. No more pleasant talks tete-a-tete, now with Amy, now with Dolly ! The} , both avoided me sedulously. On the other hand they began to show almost exaggerated affection for ono another; the}' were never apart, aud treated one another with the most loving almost anxious friendship. In fact, I should have found my stay in the house very dull had not Mrs. Gridlestouo, a pretty little widow with groat hasel eyes and a mass of auburn curls, cousulted me a little.

I soon fouud out tho meaning of the girls' changed behaviour.

I was smoking in the study one morning when I heard them talking in the verandah outside.

'My darling,' Amy was saying, ' why think any more of such nonsense ? I know you love him. Accept my willing sacrifice, and be happy with him ; he loves you.' 1 My sweet Dolly, you aro too, too generous. I think Fatima's story all nonsense, and, just for that reason, I cannot, will not, purchase happiness at the cost of your misery. I resign him—but what do I say ? It is vou he loves.'

' I'm sure it's you, Dolly,' resumed Amy. ' He's always looking 1 at you. I wouldn't say so if I didn't believe it; and how you can pay any attention to that stuff, I don't know, ' ' You're quite wrong, Amy. He all but told mo it was you. It's absurd of you to pretend not to know it. ' Soaiotlting- followed I did not hear; then the tone of tho voices changed, and Amy said, with the sound of a choked sob. ' You're a horrid girl; you want mo to dio, and then you'll marry B-B-Bob, if the B-B-Bill's through.

' I thought you loved me,' sobbed Dolly, in reply; arid now you're planning my death. I hate you, Amy.'

Lunch was a sombre meal that da} , . Tho girls would speak neither to me nor to ono another ; only Mrs Gridlestone tried to keep up the conversation. It was just as bad all da 3"; they snapped at ono another and they snapped at tho little widow, and, worst of all, they snapped at. me. until really tho horrid thought that had struck me before would have seemed less horrid if only I couid have relied on the inefficiency of the bloodhounds of justice; but the police happened to arrest a murderer about then—he walked into the station—and that stayod all my fell imaginings. Be;-i les I should not have known which to murder any more than I had known which to m.irr}'.

In very low spirits I started on a solitary walk next afternoon, thinking I would come to a definite conclusion. I arrived at no such thing. I knew they would both refuse me as matters stood, and, although justly incensed, I knew I .should not have the nerve to take the alternative fate offered. The rain was pouring down, and, being well wet through, I turned to go home. To my surprise I met, just where the roads crossed, Mrs Girdlostone. " Why have you ventured out such a day as this f "Oh, I had some shopping to do." " Could not I have done ic for you ?" " Indeed, no," she answered, with a laugh and a blush. " Or one of the servants 1" " No ; servants chatter so." " It's a secret, then ?" " Well, yes, it is—-from you, anyhow, Mr Thompson." " Did you get what you wanted?" " Yes ; I have it here." 1 noticed she was carrying a fairsized parcel, wrapped in tissue paper. " Oh let me take that for you ?" " Will you be very careful 1 I don't know what I should do if it came to grief." I promised to guard it like my life, and we walked on. Presently the rain stopped, the sun came out, and we lengthened our walk. She was very kind and sympathetic, and at last I told her the whole story. Nothing could be nicer than the way she spoke, and I became quite engrossed in our conversition. It lusted up to the very door, and we paused in front of the house, while she stopped to say a last word, pressing my hand, and telling me " how grieverl, how very " At this point a butcher-boy came along, carrying a wooden tray with meat. One handle of the tray hit me in the chest, the other came with great force for the boy was running, against Mrs Girdlestone's parcel. There was a sound of breaking glass. I dropped the thing, but not before my hand was covered with blood —as I thought. " Oh, oh, oh !" I cried; my hand's cut to bits." The widow looked at it. " I must staunch the blood !" I cried. "Nonsense, Mr Thompson. It's not blood ; it's—it's —well, it's my hair wash !" and she blushed very becomingly. " Hairvvash ?" "Yes," she murmured, -'my hair is " ' Woman, don't hesitate at such a moment!" " Well, pale red—and that dries a lovely auburn. Her hair might have been blue for all I cared. She was a charming woman, and had rescued me from a fearful temptation—and one of my cousins from an early death. I proposed to her on the spot. Then I went in and told my cousins. They leapt up and rushed into one another's arms, exclaiming in furious tones, " The cat !" We were married in a month. I have no word to say against my wife ; only it is a fact that she had nothing but £200 a year, which ceased on re-marriage. Each of the girls had, as I said/£IO,OOO. So my visit to Fatima cost me exactly £10,001 Is. I think the law should be impartially administered, and all such people put in prison,—St James' Budget.