SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914, Page 4

SHORT STORY.

A COMEDY OF SECRETS.

BI HUGS WOOD. (Copyright.)

"I'll toil her about it to-night," said Dick, as he stood befoto the glass jagging his tie, "when wo met back. It will bo,a good opportunity. Bless the little woman, she'll be delighted, and just a tiny bit put out becpgo I'yo held it so long." Ho laughed to himself at the thought of it, then whistled gaily. "And we'll tako Fir Dene, on a lease," he wont on, "just as we said we would do some (jay, when first, wo were married- That'll delight her." Ho broke out whistling .again. The notes penetrated through the door, and reached the ears "of his wife, engaged in .putting thp last touches to her hair. She smiled as she heard them. " Tho dear I boy is quite gay," she said. "I'm glad. I'll tell him to-night when Wp coin# back. It'll bo a splendid opportunity. Ho will bo so pleased, Perhaps he will pretend to bo a bit cross because I've held it a secret so long, but I'll tell to tha 1 , pow fe c a « take Fir Dene, just as W9 Jwo go long wished to do, and that \vill ploaso him right down to tho ground. There was a knock at the door. "4? you ready, Dorrie?'' wied her husband, looking in. "I told the taxi people to ho hers punctually. I don't want to miss a single note. Besides, I hate disturbing ojther folk when once the opera to (Started." In one moment." A last poke at the fluffy hair, then she swept round, radiant. "There, how do you like mo?" " Charming. Prettier ' than " ever. fie strode forward and made to catch tho vision of white and roso pink in his arms, but she hold Wm'flff ttguffly- ' " ... *' You great silly hoy. You will spoil: all my finery. Besides,' therms Mary-" j Another knock and the door opened to 1 admit the one servant maid, in opeh-Jyed j and undisguised admiration at the of her mistress. " The sab is hero, mm. My!" porrie laughed. The tribute pleased her. Sho throw a wrap about her shoulders. " Corns along, Dick. Just keep an par open for baby, Mary, in cm he wakens. We shall bo back by eleven o'clock at the latest. Don't forget him, now." They ran light-heartedly down the stairs. Mowed By $9 girl, who with' interested gaze watched them enter the tap. ■' Just like two children they are, she confided $ itio girl ' next door who ( had come ifl fa fcaop her company. "She's s6 bright and light, liko a fliiSy bundle of feathers I sometimes thinks, and him alius so cheerful. He's allies either laughing or whistling. No wonder that little rnito upstairs is so bonny. What could you expect with such a father and mother?"?/ Dick's cheerfulness bad Jjpen noted in pother place, and it had proved » fin? ABSef'to }ijn£ yeafi ago he had come to' the' big 'northern city with his newlyferine to take up a post as departmental manager in" a largo machine-making concern. He Ka<T soon established himself a labourite .life thg men, and theso relations had stood mm in good stead on a very recent occasion. Treble had broken put among the mechanics, and they had pollected,'a sullen mass,"" in yard, re-" fusing to wi, $jpd awaiting the ajriyal of thp heads to lay their grievances before them in a body. Owing to" mishandling by 'somo ojf the thfiy '""^ ripe for jwschief when' Dip: frrxved. He grasped tho'situation, and'promptly went $pwa "p)/»ng itaiji. lhe.fh|6f StWong $ that" moment, s.aw '$}' unresting j sight' from the window of his room. Dick tal&d straight ifltb |h| crowji, took the two leaders, by the aim. said something brought b,r§ad grips to' tjbeiy and then marched them of into the works; ! lie lift' allowing at their*" heels' like so I wwy"Bh§tor''l%q 1% £'"j|# ] hum' told thjit the yam ?erfr nmniijß is nraal."' It jtti W^at K the tad sajij fa iiiOy 'ml had ddtfei (di; hwi, hatt-an-hour later, which was now In' 'Dlco mind. ? Yes/ "•hr , hims#f, , as"again , tho risiqn of a delightful old house, set in its own ' grounds?'tosT be'for6'his Sd&ittil vision, "Itesy* I'll' tell' tho' 'UttliT girl' tonight Yes,-we'll have fir Dene." He glanced down at her. In tho light ot the street lamps' cfiuld W that ah» was smiling to herself. He thought it was the coming pleasures of tfio opera which ptpafgd Jber. He tpd up£ ~||at she, tqo>'Wis' joyfully hugging ft $a;et of Mr

It was a Supremely happy pair of lover; i that later were whirled Ijomeyjards. Thoj had enjoyed'the nrasw -to the full, but the , most blisafu} pcmwt all, was te M, Bee, was to tell bis, fey 'and the thought ol it @Uq<| tlipii mimja as they faced each $>jtbfe)r bvgr the cleared suppei The moment had come, Dick cleared his throat. ""HT felt ridiculously nervous, ifo got up and selected a cigar, then put it back and took up his pipe. The situation required a steadying sound smoke. _ She, also nervous, watched him, eyes fltog, «tjiig, k him to sottlo ilown. He thr^w'himself hack jnto a deep chair, and sent the "smoke clouds circling above his nea3l ' ' "~ r> '•* '* ' " I say, Dome," abruptly. "Yes?" - ""Er—a jolly night, eh?" "Was that yJjia| I°U were going to say?" she owaro of a lameness in ms tone. ' ~ " ' He' jjfilTod / kiWS6lf togetEer. Really, it f«3 that ho,?ould not broach }Jiq matter hetw m Tphf $'«&.' * • ' ""No,' 1 ' hp said-, {wing tie- piungo. "I was going "to-say that' FirDeiio"f,s empty M & jjhat we *$?„ it." - . " ghe hall rose, airpoat palo with ojpciteineril' and &yraxo of a pp suspicion" thst he' lcidioiirjied somefchifig. ' ' . Wit know? You know that We (An liow aft6i;d it.^. vr ' iiiEhat's .#at fpiMn,',' pried, in triumph,' and relieved to find,' as ho thought, (/hat she'todeVstcied so' quicfcly. '" Oh, holt loijg have you krioynf' " Well,".' shamefacedly, "I know I ought to hive mentioned 'it''before, I've known three months." "Three jnojiths.- Oh, Ijick. Who told you? Are you sure?" '' ' <: Sure," he cried, -in surpjise. I'l'in dead sure. Haven't I been' Rawing it for three months"? ' That's" solid' corififtaation pfwlmFlsaj." "TJrJtwiwr' if- You can't touch it. It's absolitefy miilfl." 1 ' v ■- • " I can't touch it," he repeated in blank amazement. " Well, that- heats mo. I sajr, Dgrm what mo tou taJijjg ftl?^t?" "X,'donS JcnW, jjolplgsay,- "Thtn'gs have got dreadfully mlied lip/ ancj I' 3ont understand a "bft,-? a^<| things 'don't se&ri jialf so nice as I was wanting them to be Jf'Lght," - %6jng' sWfed?" be cried, ' perplexity ' than evpr.' -'- Had she 'somehow gfiesso'd 46"hi» luck, or hid hfe' Jei"tf bint slip. "To-night.' uid'y#knßw?" r '""' 1 *' Know 'what? ■ V-tOb?* Dick,"' desperately,-" fee .plain." '' Qh, da# -it- all! See tore, Jittl.o woman. Id's* great irtvs. "It's a iseeret." JJ> A ■ secret, "in toffs'. " She looked at him, eyes tfl'Wjien, lfpa parf&l in eagerness and sotnemnxiety. " DotlTJoot' at 'inFliVe'that," he protested* - *"• « •

"It's nothing really dreadful. Listen. I'vo .promnt&d . to ho foil .works, marker, and thevVe put up ay salary.double, fo'i# o ]n*i6t," yfterVnow." '* ' , r! ■•'■■ • " Oh-tM>h.""lt wui a long-drawn-out exclamation once of $2spiep&, and • mentr?f3he stared at" fifti cu'riouSlyi 'a deep'' introspective .look in her eyed: Then silcjdefify Wt' blieeki'^he^'^d'paled' M quickly.- '{Her lips'- trembled, to. hi? dikiriay she" slid'down "ihi'd'bofoi?®' ho"knew flraa jobbing -with Oil-Bis knee}' ' ' "'I sayi'V ]&q"cried, 't<iifeen'wjiqlly'aback at $jB.T"I Bay ( 't)orrie',''6we«t}ieart, doftH go oii' like that.' ll's'all Tremendous good luck for us,"eh?"l ought to have told you-soonw, I know. I'm sorry. He 'stooped 4rid'lifted Kir on to bis knees a' Th6KTWa'B''a expttfision on Wf features' p : ibc' ttujbod her ;

T -i; w . .... —' \im.m tfiiiil- If I'd been wfo jparttier I suppose you'd, hare fainted right .away." ■ ™' : " 1 . V"*** "" "1 The little jest served. Sho looked up, trying to J8B)ile. "TjSn. Jiei: arms went about his'ngcjfe.' "It isn't"that," gho half whispered. " I—l thopght ,you had guessed my secret. I was going .to" toll it you" to-night. It .seemed just tho time when wo were both . filing go happy- Apd "I W awfully % appointed. ' Then I felt so—so' foolishly funny wen I'found you didn't know it after all." " ''What, you a secret to tell? Out with it. A ;fau: pjphjinge, know." His tone brought back tho colour to her cheeks. ''You 'CO Jlfln't ' guess it," she said, more brightly no®, "but Fvo a good mind to jtiakq you ' try, Did J ever tell you of Uncle Jim?' He shook This'head. " I .thought not. You see, I haven't seen him since I was a child. It's like a romance. He wonf to Australia,' and recently 'died tlies. lie left me some money."' "Very sensible of him," said Dick. " How much?"

" You jporcenary man. Well, if you will know," slowly and deliberately. " It's £600 a year. Dick whistled. His amazement was ajl that she oould have wished. " Lucky ljttle woman," lie cripd. " It's a splendid secret. And 'you were going to tell trio to-night, you said. Ah', flow" I see Why you looked so radiant as we went out.'' " Flatterer." A gpft hand slid over his mouth. ''But when did yours" happen, j This week?"

"Ui\ Veil. That's the point. To be candid, "it was three months ago. Hullo,-" a? she nearly slid pff his kt\oo in laughter. "Steady." Hp rescued her and set her firm again. "What, now, Any more secrets?" '

" Throe months. Oh, Dick. Why, it's just threo months since I got my legacy." " Well, l'm—l say, why didn't you tell mo before, madam?" ' •

" Why didn't yoh tell mo before, sir?" "Urn, well, I thought of Fir Dene L and reckoned that if we had another hundred pounds or so "towards furnishing it—" "And," her eyeq dancing, "I thought if I could put a hundred pounds or so towards the furnishing of Fir Dene, which; I had decided we would take—"

"You dear little' woman." He caught her up in his arms. Sho released herself, Jlyshed, dishevelled, but wholly happy again. "But, Dick, suppose it's taken. And we've waited for it so long." " I've the key in my pocket," was tho triumphant answer. '"We'll look over' it to-morrow. I say," lie went on, big visions dawning, "we might run a car, eh?" Oh, splehdid. But,'" gravely, "wo ought to save something for baby." ( Dear heart, drawing her closer again. "Bj? the tinjo lie's grown up I sjialf bo partner, and 111 promiso him a start as office T>oy.""