THE STORYTELLER

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5475, 21 February 1910, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER

POACHING FOR A HEART. (Continued.) I do not know myself why she vvent. hha may have .kept the apon account of Tom's s.fiter, feel.ng thtit she oufctot not to disappoint her. She may hay« planned a plaasunt surprise for tho old people, intending to »)riug< her htrme with 'her, lotting Tom fio where he 'wished. If. this wias the cas^ htwover, sh© was riisal>i>ointed. Torn came; his sister did not. She was vory. i>i>gry. v Where is your sister ■?" she demanded. "She is at home with a sprained ankle," The fence was -between them ;j he rested his ell>ows ulid chin on the top stone. "You are making fun of me !" she exclaimed vehenumtly. He stared at her like a simpleton as she turned abruptly. "One moment, I beg,!- sister" met with a serious accident. Besides the sprained ankle,, she is bruised and scarcely able to be up. She was very sorry she couldn't come." She paused, flashing upon him. a look 'of severity and distrust. He had pushed his cap back from his (brow. His face was perfectly frank, and honest, and strikingly h ami some ;. ahe had not had r. good view of nis. features before. Tho.oasy pose of hi.s sfralioly neatfl and the composure of his features weres sjrijving. "My sister sent y«u a letter. V He drew a letter from his ■pocket, and held it towards her. She hefcitated, and asked : "Why didn't you giro it to me at' once ?" "I ought to have done so. Sistor says lam always doing the wrong th'nig* Won't you please t*i,ko it now ?'■' . She still kuns kack, though) relenting a littler '"Lottie Could hardly • write, hor arm was so "painful," he added. She took th 2 letter and "broke the seal, drawing out a daiuty. perfumed sheet, written all over, with four postscripts. Helen smiled while reading it ; then she gJanccd at fiiru with a smile,, but frowned ly"Tell your sister I shall bo very glad to see her, and hopo she may soon bo abl'j to come.'' She was going. "One word, please !"■ "1 have stayed too long already. 1 did wrong to meet you here, to speak to you, or ha.vu anything -£o do with a sbrangvr. Good duy, sir." "May I come with my sister?" {?ho paused to say : "I— l do not know you." "1 shall conio -with, my sister!" he said. "1 think it belter you should not." She was gone. Yesterday she would have asked any number of questions about Tom Ingluhart, or any member of tho family ; asked a. little slyly, 'perhaps, because she has 'been imprudent, yet she would have asked them. But foi tho accident to the horse, and a lack of subsequent opportunity, ehe woulr have gone to ted on th.es previouf night, knowing all about the 1 Ingle harts. , To-day her cheeks burnt, her hearl palpitated ;. she started when she saw her aunt in the carriage drive ; pal ed when tho kindly old uncle cross qd tho lawn. She ran up to her room, locked herself in>, lay dowr on the lied, and cried. Soycral days went by, ,but no wore came' from tho Ingleharts. Helen noyer mentioned thelnglehart name Her moods were fitful ; she started when she heard tramp of horses or sudden footsteps. She wondorod how bisj sister ldokied ; whether the sister had got well; she did not come ; whether she would como ivt all, or had gone away. Sometimes Helen hoped she had gone, or woul>l go without coming 1 ; again she felt an unaccountable desire to see- her, yet droadod her coining 1 . One cfoi'y his sister came. How liko him she was ! The same s)niling mouth, turning up at tha corners ; his broad, low brow, his deep, lender, eyes ; tall, dark, beautiful i A bronzed, broad-shouldered man, clad in a riding suit, stood beside her, bowing and smiling. He was a young man, self-possessed and han-i---some. Mrs Wayne introduced his sister to Helen as Lady Jnglehart, who said: "MiSs Blake, my brother Tom." Did her eyes deceive her. Her hood went round. What were they saying The next day he called again : sh kad gone to the village. He went there too, but missed her. During tha next three days ho tramped. the woods and fields, entered the *» nyne inclosurea,, invaded the orchar t shadowed the liouse and premises, hoping tp get a glimpse of her To "detail the state of his mind, | his «3(Torts (to seq Helen durin.2 i lie next ten <luys would unduly lengthen this sttory. He persevered, howuwr, and one day he stood before her sn suddenly, that he might hnvj dr •,[>• ped from the sky. "You have beon unkind »" he stam- ( mered. * ":You derived me !" J-he sui-1. She was all ice and dignity. ''Can't you forgive me V" "1 ought not even to speak to you. 1 thought you were a plai countryman. 1 took you for- another person, and you did r.-;t undeceive me. ' Now go, if you pleJS't !' "I told you I was .Vir In^lch u't's nephew,'" he said. "TV.it I «ii>l not tell? fany\ falsehood. Had I tola you who 1 was, you would have gono away* I loved you then -I love you now"!, Ah, ifj-ou knew how well, you ■would not have the heart to frown on me. I ask but little of you —a very, little now ; your smile and your forgiveness.!" fjbe ought to- have startled and angry at this? tiol-d, -and -B-asty. aMowfcl. She was neither ; but, if she softened within, -there was no -betray al In herwianner. "I do : not think I shall ever lilc you,' 1 shosaM slowly. "Let oie> and this- irvterview." She was goring 1 , but he caught her hands. '••■Put me on' probation !" the rude fellow- cried. The reader sees how this sbory must end. Why should Igo on ? (The end.)

Sewn thousand separation orders are granted by the magistrates of England every year. Exclusive of the Royal and Sovereign Duchie"s, our dnhes own over 4,000,000 acres of land. The respective Governors of Australia and Canada each receive a salary of £10,000 a year. Sleeping sickness has been known nWest Africa for 100 years, and is ;aid to be always fatal. With a population of about 300, ►00,000 the Indian Empire is gofcrned by some 1000 Englishmen. Over twenty in every thousand of the population of the United Kinglom are permanent paupers.

A resident of Mildura (Victoria) had an experience, unpleasant hut happily rare, recently. When returning from a picnic in company with others he drank from a water bag. itoon afterwards he was seized with severe internal paiii9, ft - lowed shortly after arrivul at hid home by convulsions A doctor was called in, and for three hours he tried to give the sufferer relief from his agonising pains. Finally he administered a powerful emetic, and then ifc was found tbat the young man had swallowed a wasp, which had stung his threat and stomach. The patient is now progressing favourably., It is considered tJhat the prospects of refloating- the Waikaro are good. MrR. M. Brodrick, Lloyd's ugent. informs tJhc* Southland News that> a salvor has offered to raise hep fnr £2000 reatlj- for t. o ,wagC f,O 'any IS'eW 23ealand port.