Complete Story.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue II, 11 January 1902, Page 53

Complete Story.

“Heavens above! What in the name of all that is wonderful is happening now?” John Mercer’s heart sank into his boots as he watched the performance which was going on outside. The village fly stood at the wicketgate of the little rose-covered cottage next door to the one in which he had settled himself for two months' hard slogging. Someone within the fly was engaged in handing out —one by one—a whole menagerie of animals and birds. Mrs Higgins took each one separately in her motherly arms, marched with it into the cottage, and returned yet again to the charge.

Three black cats, one white kitten, two pug dogs, two canaries and one green parrot! “Great Scott!” gasped John. His whole figure seemed to unknit and come to pieces with horror. He mopped his eye and glared at the door of the fly. Out tripped the mistress of the menagerie—a quaint looking elderly lady of the spinster persuasion.

He rang the bell. “Mrs Sparkes,” he said, “I'm sorry, but I must go—must go this very evening. Three black eats, one white kitten, two pug dogs, two canaries, cue green parrot, and one old maid have come to live next door!”

Mrs Sparkes looked startled, then the tears began to trickle down her nose. Wouldn’t Mr Mercer try and stay on? He had taken the room definitely for two months. She had written her other people off. The few months of summer were her only harvest; at.J so on. So on, till John felt like pitching something at her head to relieve the intensity of his over-charged nervous system. “My good woman," he said, “did I not tell you I was coming here to work? Work is my bread and butter. I’ll pay you—” He was going to say the two months’ board in full. But, alackaday! like so many rising young geniuses, his pockets were empty.

Befoie he had time to make any further remark Mrs Sparkes’ thirteen year old daughter came bounding into the room.

“Please, mother, Mrs Higgins sends her love and says don’t get frightened. The old lady with the eats and birds and things has only taken the rooms for a week.” John breathed for the first time.

“A week! Thank Heaven! Suppose I’ll have to put up with it that long. But keep out of my way, Mrs Sparkes. 1 shall most likely want to murder someone before the seven days are up.” Long before he had got through his simple meal that evening the concert was in full swing next door. John ordered all the doors and windows to be shut and barred, and sat stewing at his work for an hour. No baker’s oven was ever hotter than the 1 ose-covered cottage for those awful sixty minutes. Then he threw open the window to let in the full blast of the chorus again. The old lady was daintily tripping about the garden, minutely examining each rose leaf with her lorgnette. John dashed out of the house and went for a good sharp five mile stretch. He felt very much better when he returned and the concert had ceased.

During ‘those five railes he had thought only of his work and his little girl. He had left her in London with her people, enjoying all the mad gaieties of her first season. For Dollie’s people were rich, and she was their heiress. John was a struggling genius without two farthings in the world, therefore he had left his love unspoken. But he would win her. He was at the present moment engaged upon a great play, which would make his name at once and send him to Dollie to lay his love and his fame at her dear little feet.

He rose early next morning, partook of a hasty breakfast, and settled himself down in his favourite corner of the garden and began to work. When at last he paused and looked up, it was to discover a great, solemnlooking black cat sitting staring at him. A white kitten jumped down off the back of his chair, perched on his shoulder, gambolled across his paper, and finally spilt his ink.

He collared the two imps and threw I hem over the garden wall. For his lunch he had a note, which ran in this wise: —

"1 would thank you to treat my poor dear pussies with kindness and respect. I will not have them roughlv handled.”

For tea the elderly spinster had her

"Madam, —Have you ever seen a man kill a cat? Look out, for there will be slaughter done among yours. (Signed) JOHN MERCER.

Every time the garden gate was opened the two pugs entered and disported themselves on the flower-beds. John slapped them the first time; but they yelled so loudly and so long he did not indulge in that particular form of spite again.

At the end of three days he resigned himself to his fate, gave up all idea of work, and took to fishing. The relaxation would do him good, he decided. He would be able to settle down with renewed vigour after the departure of the menagerie at the end of the week.

He became every bit as intent on fishing as he had been on play-writ-ing. On the second afternoon, just as he was engaged with an unusually large pike, he heard a plaintive voice saying: —

Come away, pussie, dear. Young men are a delusion and a snare of the l-.\il One. They ill-use sweet little pussies like you. Come back, dear, to tke protection of your auntie.” Away went the' pike, and John's fishing tackle with it. On an old tree trunk, right under his very nose, sat the elderly spinster, her three black cats, white kitten, and two pugs bearing her company. "Why the dickens didn't you bring the birds as well!" demanded Johtp in tones of murderous intensity.

She glanced up at him appealingly through her thick black lace veil. " Something in her expression touched a curious chord in his memory. Iler voice. also, was not entirely unfamiliar. Where in the name of conscience had he struck this evil genius of his before? “Madam," he continued, stern-

ly. “you have put a stop to my work. I*o you also wish to put a stop to my fishing?” She smiled peculiarly. “I like vou to fish, voung man,” sh* said. "Then take those animals away before I tie stones to their neAs and pitch them into the wate' "That is an amusement for bad. naughty schoolboys.- she answered. John banged his things into the fishing bag and strode angrily off in the direction of the cottage. "Dear me. what a very nice young man!” sighed Miss Norman sarcastically. “If I were young and pretty, pussie. would he have marched off like that, I wonder?” John packed a portmanteau and proceeded to town by the first train that would take him there. He remained for the rest of Miss Norman’s week. When he returned he sought Mrs Sparkes. "She's gone, of course?” said he. Mrs Sparkes shook her head. "Not vet. sir. She’s caught a cold and cannot travel to-day.” John only groaned. He had reached the final heights of grim despair. He walked till his legs nearly dropped off. When he got back he found two black cats lolling in a leisurely manner on the scattered pages of his play, and through his window came the screechings of the parrot. He didn’t shy anything at the cats. A man who has reached John’s state of mind is past shying things. He gently took the creatures by the skin of their necks, and threw them over the garden wall. As they alighted on the other side, he was quite sure he heard a merry, girlish laugh somewhere. Mrs Sparkes’s little daughter was the only young thing for two miles round, and the laugh did not belong to her. AH next day he watched for the departure which did not take place. Evening found him trying to make friends with the white kitten. "I see her game perfectly. Mrs Sparkes." he said, when she came in to lay his dinner. "She's staving on to spite me because I pitched her blessed cats over the wall. She thinks she’ll force me to leave first. But she won't. Mrs Sparkes. I’ve never been bested by an elderly spinster in my life: I swear I’m not going to be bested now. If she stays in there six months. I’ll stay in here six months. I’ll never budge to give her the laugh. Mark you, Mrs Sparkes, I shall most likely have to rob a church to pay you. but you shall have your money.” Mrs Sparkes closed the door somewhat sharply behind her. Next time she entered she was singing a hymn. John, irreverent brute, noticed nothing! "Hang work, Mrs Sparkes!" was all he said. "I’ll show her if she can drive me away in a hurry!” He put his precious piay under lock and key, and settled down to enjoy the tussle. He ate well, slept well, lazied well, and grew as fat as a hog. He lost his over-wrought, lantern-jawed appearance completely, turning out to be quite a deeentlooking chap. He led the cats and dogs an awful life of it. When he fancied all was safe, he even shied things at the parrot as he hung on his nail in the latticed window. How that parrot talked! One evening there was a note from Miss Norman asking him why he still persisted in behaving like a bad. wicked schoolboy. John laughed heartily, and wrote back to know if he might have the extreme felicity of taking her on the river. Heavens! She took him seriously. Yes. She would be most pleased to go with her bold, bad neighbour. Would Mr. Mercer please let her know what time? John had put his foot in it nicely. To his surprise he found his companion rather fascinating than otherwise. She had only brought one of her pugs. This told greatly in her favour. “I fear you do not like my pussies. Mr. Mercer.” site said, as she watched him lazily sculling. “I fear I do not, madam,” he an-

swered, tru.v'-V “You see I came here t«- ,je quiet and to work. • xJear. dear!” she sighed. “And have I prevented your working?” “No. madam: your menagerie has. But pray don’t let it distress you. Doesn't matter in the least. I can assure you. The holiday has done me a world of good: though, of course, it means that I shall have to starve for a time later on to make up.” Miss Norman’s voice literally thrilled with horror and concern. Evidently she was ignorant of the woes of struggling young geniuses. "Starve!” she repeated. “But food is so frightfully cheap. Mr. Mercer!” "Doubtless it was. madam. Everything has gone up now. you know." She was pensive for the rest of the excursion, merely sighing in answer when he addressed her. She was so struck with the idea of his starving, perhaps she’d move out next day. Not so. however. On the contrary, she ceased to make excuses for remaining on. John never knew how it happened, but another boating trip was arranged. This time he asked her whv she always wore such a thick black veil. He thought he would like to see her face. “Ah. young man,” she answered, sadly. "the lines about my poor, withered old countenance would make you wish you had never brought me here. And it is so pleasant —so. so pleasant!” "Your voice is not old.’’ he suggested. "Oh. isn’t it!” she replied, queerly. "It ought to be." "No. it’s rather young. That is why I thought I should like to see your face more plainly." Next evening they went again, and she led him on to talk of Dollie. This suited John perfectly. He had grown tired of breathing her name and her sweetness to the roses. "tVhat a niee motherly interest you seem to take in her,” he remarked. "Do I?" she said, quizzically. “Are vou verv much in love?” “Madly!” “How charming! And she loves you ?" “I cannot say. I dared not tel! her of my passion, for she is rich and 1 am poor. My play—when it is finished—will give her to me. But. then, it can never be finished while you stay here.” Miss Norman actually giggled. "How naughty I am!” she murmured. "I suppose I shall really have to run away. You have been idle three whole weeks, haven’t you. And how very much better you look for the holiday! You must return a vote of thanks to my menagerie. Mr Mercer, or I shall feel very disappointed in you.” He said. "Oh. hang it!" under his breath. Somehow, without intending to be. she was very awkwaro that evening in landing; so awkwaru. in fact, that she fell into the river. John dived in and brought her out safely. He laid her carefully on the ground before he had time to notice that the water had washed away her veil, and also —her grey, curly wig. John was a strong man—plenty of grip and nerve and muscle; out some how this experience knocked everything out of him. The elderly spinster with the cats and dogs—his evil genius—the niee old lady who took a motherly interest in Dollie—was Doll.e! "Heavens!" was ail he managed to get out. for Dollie opened his eyes. "Aren’t I dead?" she asked, miserably. "Oh. John, take me to the cottage. I feel so cold and shaken! 1 thought I was dead!” In silence the wet man carried his wet burden to Mrs Higgins. "When you have been properly attended to. I shall return to know the meaning of this masquerading." ne said, severely. Two of Dollie’s black eats were on his desk as usual. He did not seize them and throw them over the wall. He gave them a pint of milk between them, and laugned heartily when the two little wretches fought for the cream which was on the top. Anyway. he thought they were fighting for it. He did not know where Dollie had got her cats, but

he would like to punch the man who said they were not clever. Eater in the evening DoHie infomed him that he was not to be cross. She had done it all for nis own good. "Dear old silly!” she said, sweetly. “You went away without telling me you loved me, but I knew it because I love you. Well, John, you were overworked when you le.. town, and you came here to kill yourself altogether. Now, I can't spare you. so I made up my mind that you were to have a holiday. "Indeed! How the deuce did you think it all out?” "Oh. it was perfectly easy, John. 1 knew you could not work if there was the least noise, therefore 1 just provided a little. It acted like magic. You did everything 1 knew you would. But, oh. John, fancy taking an elderly spinster on the river. You wicked, wicked flirt I ” John volleyed forth a hundredand fifty questions. Dollie would answer none of tnem. The only’ thing she condescended, to explain was the fact that as Mrs Higgins fiau been her nurse, she easily persuaded her people to let uer run down into the country. "You’ve had your holiday, John, she concluded. "Thanks to my menagerie. I may tell you. dear, that 1 do not mind marrying a man who writes plays; but 1 oraw the line at a cadaverous, lantern-jawed specimen. You look as fat as can be now; and, whatever you may think to the contrary, I consider my pian has turned out a brilliant sue-

John kissed her.