Something Interesting.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14238, 2 July 1910, Page 1 (Supplement)

Something Interesting.

(By C- B. Kedfern, in

"Oh if something interesting would only happen:.Wliy doesn't something interesting happen. J " "Aren't you going to London for the day—isn't that interesting? By the way, you had better be getting .ip, the train goes early." Th 3 occupants of the two little white beds looked at each other across the v.ide, bare room, ilarton's dark hair showed streaks of grey against the white pillow—she was the elder by ten years. Jessie's fair head bobbed up to look at her watch. '■- - of time, Marion " "Yes?" ' "i-.i : it horrible being so poor? I can only think of one way of improviug matters, and that is for one of us to marry."

"It s a case of 'earn some money I cannot, and to propose I am ashamed."' murmured Marion. "and, anyhow, there's no one to propose to that 1 can' see. Since I've lived here I have only been able to discover ono eligible man in AYoodenham and the outlying districts, and I'm afraid he's no good. I mean Captain I/Lozrange Travers, of Arch dene., whoso passion for motoring is only equalled by his utter indifference towards the fair sex. No, I'm afraid, Jessie, siy child, there's not much hope for us here."

"Captain Travers might do," murmured Jessie reflectively; "only, as you say his is a heart that would have* to be taken by storm. I've met- him about, three times, and he still looks at aie as if I were a most uninteresting and, in fact, rather repulsive beetle, humbly crawling the earth; and, as for distinguishing between us, I doubt very much if he so much as remembers our name. Vv e're too insignificant, my dear—that's what's the matter with us."

"It's rather a pity, because I had designed him for you, besides having 'an e>e on a permanent seat in his motorcar. Perhaps your new coat and skirt may stir the sluggish nature of his affections."

"Dear Tom"—this in tribute to the hard-working brother in India whose cheque was sending his little sister up to town to the tailor's—"my kind of beauty/' she continued rather irrelevantly, 'beating a taiioo on the counterpane, "my kind of beauty requires a luxurious setting. I'm ilo good in cheap clothes. If I had lovely, expensive things like Captain Travers' sister, for instance, I might lay the warrior low. Oh, Marion, again I repeat, if something interesting, something out of the way, would only happen!" "The interesting thing will be that you will miss your train. Get up, you, lazy thing!"

TYlien one lives all the year round in ! the country, and deadly dull country at that, when a short and narrow income has to be stretched to bursting point to make its ends meet, when there is all the difference in the world between sixpence and a shilling, and a tip to a servant becomes a. matter to be threshed out in all its bearings, then journeys to town, even on cheap days, are not lightly undertaken. The Gibsons' brother Tom, the sun of the system round which liis two devoted satellites revolved, had decreed that Jessie was to go to a Bond street tailor for the costume she badly needed, and Jessie, whose pleasures were few and far between, was nothing loth. She started off, her spirits raised by the first keen edge of frost, her shabby purse containing just enough for the various purchases which a visit to town entailed, and the sort of feeling that, after all, while one had youth and health, in the words of the immortal Micnwber, something was sure to "turn up." Jessie's little nose, a decidedly

piquant feature, had set, the example. | .Her face was really charming, with liair that curled seductively round the temples, but the hard, unbecoming hat, nnd the badly-fitting blue serge coat and skirt disposed of a great deal of her I prettiness. i On the station, as she stepped into the third-class carriage, Jessie caught sight of the very persons she and her" sister had been discussing, Captain Travcrs and his widowed sister, Mrs. Tx>vell. and at Paddington, in spite of her efforts to avoid them, the latter caught sight of her and bowed j pleasantly. i '"How do you do. Miss Gibson, you know my brother, T think. We have I both come up on different errands. I am staying a week in town for shopping, and Harry is taking back a new motor which has just been made for him. Is your sister quite well?" "Yes.* quite, thanks," replied Jessie.' The tall man standing beside his sifter, after taking off his hat, barely glanced nt Jessie, and, as she moved on towjfeds the exit, she felt once more a certain bitterness of heart. Sho had never had a chance like other girls, had never been anywhere or seen anything. "I shall go on and on and on, gettig older and dryer and duller; in a few years I shall think and talk of nothing but mothers' meetings, tea iinhts, and the small gossip of a small village." AYith such aids to progress as tubes and 'busses afford, Jessie completed her shopping and turned her attention to the really pleasant 'part of the day, tho walk down the more fashionable thoroughfares to the tailor's and the delights of her new costume. It was a fresh, sparkling day, and the sunshine ; glinted on the Regent street shops and •..the .cold, wind-swept pavements. The .crowds delighted Jessie, she ' loved to "feel herself in the midst of the worfi?/ tho world where things w'ere happening all the time,. where me\i and women wero playing out the dramas of love and marriage, were facing adventure, risk, hardship, any- . thing in fact, but the stagnation which iell to her lot. " Sho crossed the road presently, and mw« her way to the tailors. Tix* interior of filankson's was quite a new for Jessie. A line of beautifi?Uy-appointed fitting-rooms, each with two Irloors, opened, on the one side, on to the cdsridor and staircase, and ou the other, into • a waiting room provided with easy .chairs, a sofa and a table covered with illustrated magazines and fashion papers." Smart Frenchlooking girls in black dresses, with welldeveloped figures and a sort of roll and glide in their walk, passed at intervals , across the spacious floor, while worried, K pale-faced fitters with necklaces of tape | \neasures flitted from room to room. •J By the entrance a messenger-boy J wik't-ed, while a. laughing assistant, with deft, fingers',..knotted the string round a en*, ton evidently -urgently needed at its destination. ■ Jessie. removed\her coat and hat in one of V'o fitting 1 and then, finding sxiv* was to kept. waiting, slipped onci\ mors into waiting-room until her tu\n cam© to be\chalked and ■pinned. HerVyes fell on dressed on the sofa. She was nursing whai\ appeared at first to be Va large muff, button further inspection turned out to be a ; Pomeranian. This liM.v was wearing a long coat of Russian saMe, her head was adorned by a sweeping leathered hast, whos« birthplace was obvi.vusly Paris;' great bunch of Parmu voilets waS»pushed in among the laces s£ her neck. . This ladv looked \up at Jessie and smiled. As she did tV the girl noticed round the dark, sad lines that mdicate the tale of years, the face I was beautiful, nevertheless,- will its i. jvory ■ complexion and the general air ! of distinction which is rarely Sgheld in \denizens of our own country. \ ■ "Is it not a scandal that they Xnako ttakto wait like this, and I—l have appointment of the most important'. Ah \ mademoiselle, nvay I ask of vou a • gre'a^■ favourP .Yes?. It is to bold for

one moment tins Bttle'-aoimal yMIe f sjvak myself with the taQor, - 'Cest ca, " a? she placed the woolley Tiundle in Jessie's arms. "Do not cry,' mon ance. I return irnmrxiiatflv.

And she placed a kiss somewhere in the dirpr-tion of the Winking, indiscriminate face of the dog. Jcssip watched h?r as shn walked away, a graoeftil. slender, figure, then, picking up a fshion pa per, was £oon immersed in its contents, occasionally stroking the little creature curled up ia lier lap. People came and went, the little fitting-room doors opened and shut. Quito a long time passed, and Jessie was astonished, on looking up at the clock, to find she had been there mere than half an hour.

Iresenily she saw the tailor approaching her, holding her oostuxne in his hand. All else was for the moment rorgctten. She spring to her feet, placed the dog on the sofa, where it seemed just as much inclined for sleep as on her lap and stepped, at the tailor's request, into the fitting-room once more.

j hen the operation was over and the tailor had bowed himself out of •| the room, she looked round for her : thiiics. They were nowhere to be seen, j a it occurred to her that, as all the : little rooms were alike, she must have j st-epT?ed into the wrong one by mistake. i "VVhy, yes, of course, for there on the j chair lav the French lady's garments— I the Enble coat and the hat with lons • feathers.

Then ensured a search. Down the line of little doors she passed; several of these were closed, and these that stood open wer9 empty—quite empty; not a sign of her own garments could she see. A passing assistant was called and helped in the sear-h. This girl looked at, her at last incredulouslv.

"But these are madam's things, ar® they net?—pointing to the exquisite garments she so envied.

"Oh, no," rephed Jessie; "those belong to someone who was here just now —a French lady. Look! That is her little dog on the sofa." "A. French lady? There is no French, ladv being fitted to-day. madam. I'll just inquire, if you will wait a minute." A search of the most exhaustive kin* followed. No French lady was forth coming, no blue serge cent or straw hat,, and she paused at length tq find tht eyes or the various assistants upon her, fixed in a stare of ever-increasing surprise. Did they think she was mad or liad lost her memory, as neonle were supposed to do sometimes?

Meanwhile the time was getting on, and she had her train to c-atofc. If sha missed the o.SO there was none till quite late, and Marion would be so anxious. Obviously , she could not no out into the London streets with no protection sgainsx the east wind on a chilly winter' day. At last the matter was settled for her by someone in authority, aa awe-inspiring being with a wide smi!® and a rustling silk dress. It was very uufcrtunate, of course, but there was only one thing for madam to do. She must wear the clothes that the other lady had left behind. They had madam's address, and if word reached then! during the dav, they would communicate with.her directly. Indeed there seemed no other eours* open to Jessie. As she slipped her arms into the luscious fur coat which, retained a distinct odour of violets, and pinned on the graceful hat, she had a. feeling of being almost criminal, and this was _ heightened by the respectful manner in which she was bowed towards the door.

The dog, forgotten by all, remained peacefully sleeping on the waiting-room sofa. As she stepped into the street Jessie caught sight of her reflection in a full-length mirror, and almost gasped with surprise. Could that be Jessie Gibson!—how, how awfully nice sh» looked. But the instinctive pleasure she felt in these lovely clothes was soon changed to consternation, and even terror. When she had proceeded soma ten yards along the pavement-she heard a voice accosting her. A quietly-dress-ed man stood before her raising his hat. "Madame do Chassis, I believe." "No. Oh, no." '"Pardon me, I do not think I am mistaken. I have a cab waiting, and shall be glad if you will accompany to the station as quietly as possible." "To the station! What station?"

"Come madamo, it is quite useless to pretend ignorance. You know very ■well what you ara wanted for, and it will save time "

'•What in the world do you mean?" cried Jessie, now thoroughly frightened. ''You must he mistaking me for someone else. My name is Miss Jessica Gibson, and I live at "Woodenham, in Berkshire."

A slight smile appeared on the stern face of her persecutor. ''lt's no use, Madame de Chassis, no use at all really." Ho put his hand, as he spoke, inside his coat, and brought out a long piece of paper. "I hold a warrant for your arrest, on the charge of receiving stolen jewellery to the value of two thousand pounds, said to He in your P-Tssession. We linvc been following you since yon left your house, early in the afternoon. When you went into the tfi'lor's we wailed, knowing there was onlv one exit." . Jessie frit as if all the blood in her body had Sown to her head and then retreated, leaving her pale and gasping for breath. What on earth was she to do?

A cab had drawn up close to th« pavement, and the man —a detective, she supposed—was edging nearer, wit! the intention, no doubt, of taking hei arm. She glanced wildly round her, ai the people on the pavement, moving leisurely along as if nothing had hap-

pened. She noticed a laughing couple—* young maii alia a very pretty girl—iufit passing through the swing doors of a tea-shop on tlia opposite side, a beggar holding out a box of matches, and a tall man coming towards her and walking rapidly. Suddenly she darted forward and grasped the arm of the tall man as He passed. "Oh. Captain Traversl" slio cried—"Captain Travers!" The tall man stopped _ and looked down in unmitigated astonishment. What he saw was a little soft, flushed face with grey eyes swimming in teara» aiid bearing a vague likeness to somebody—he cculd not think whom —tha| he bad recently seen. Evidently sh« kn=w him, however. "Oh, Captain Travers, you" do know me, you must know me. I am Jessie Gibson. I saw you with your sister the platform at Paddington this mora ing." "Xo. I'm afraid"—and then —

"Miss Gibson, of course." Now lie understood that faint rfv semblance, and remcmbt-red the ver; uninteresting youna i.v.nian tJiey had met at the station. But hcra - , why—this girl was beautiful. Turning to the plainclrith"-'". mail, ha spoko sharply, deoidedlv. "You imi't be tonkins s- ".re very foolish mistake. This vnwj Irid- 'S ■M'SS Jessie Gibson ; she lire' ' '\\~vdenham. th~ee nile~ 'rom r:y otv~i T can easily satisfy yru a? to laei identity. slv •i:'--"' i= T>-a Tr.ivers. R.H.A. Hf- -s mv w l. ? The det«"Otiv« b: t held his prniind. The v--p r 'V. - ed in exactly the sa—e =•<' ' v ? person they were ieekiTisr. r.u.'i hrd emerged from the very riln-e ' - 1 been seen to en + °r n-i h«v - He and l'is rrcn hat l bec-ii foil, w:--"' 5 - all the afternoon. wrs sirrv tconvenience them. b'-i be ir~ =t T " ; " 1 » tbeu to accopionny h : -u**i the where inouir : cs 'VoiiH H» * ' 1 ■. -- 1 wh--'"". i>" whrU ihov 'aid was t — iV -~ ' .wou'd bp iv> u< -i -nily in e "taTil's-brr t th«" laiH's identity. finding there was nctb-'nt' --'sr. ,+ t ' done. +bey afconn)an"«d + b" incredible as it .wv« - was easily verged. 'M~<' —e : Chassis, it apTVT- "1, wrs • " rI * of French jewel thieves. She had beta

"Watiirtl" before. and would he again, { for, by a clever (.rick, (lie woman, sum- | petting,f no doubt, that she was being! followed, had otnre mot-p, winded the i police. • By this tithe *h« *imM Tiavp j got .8-way. if not abroad, at-least j into hiditig. Before vtirp tong, »Tessie and her cavalier wore di>'.misfw>d with polite apologiea for their unavoidable detention. "Whatever nhnll I do?" erifed Jessie., catching sight of a clock as .she stood once more upon the wind-swept pave-1 merit, "I have missed my train." I She nestled her little chin, as she J ■poke, into ythe downy I'iiC of the coat, ■; and glanced shyly at the tall man who ) was regarding her with a twinkle of I an.inseinent in his eyes. - j "Let me take you hack in the new • oar." ; " 0,l! " . . i "Don't you like motoring?" ; "Yes—no—l don't know; I have'nfc; flono any." ■ "Never boon 'in a motor? "What a 1 piece of luck; you .arc the victim 1 have ! ficeo seeking for in any a. long day. ; C'o.iw 'llong, littln lircly of the borrowed ; plu.r.es." ■\r. "no tucked the run round her. a £ew minute.-- biter, before taking hisplace at her side, he looked at ln'r t grnvi-y, and meeting her smiling gia.riec, hui.ghed softly, happily. "J.i van tb& first time," she told him'; long after, "that yoi', looked at me as; if von knew who. I rcitlly was." • "It was the first tiaio I knew that! you were "veil." he answofed; which , 'utterance, if Somewhat cryptic in form, ■ ~lt least conveyed it si ms-aning to w .ts : hearer, which is, after all. the chief ; merit i.ii a. remark of any kind. I