The Storyteller.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 1, 4 January 1923, Page 3

The Storyteller.

(By Mrs. J. Sadlier.)

Alice Riordan

CHAPTER XIII. "When Alice had gone a little way down the street she suddenly turned on her heel and walked .back to Mrs. Dempsey’s house. Opening the door (as she well knew how), she popped her head into the little parlor where the mother and daughter were still sitting. “Ellen,” said she, with a bright smile, “I forgot to ask you one question ay I tell my father now?” “Oh! certainly, Alice, certainly,” exclaimed Ellen; “if no one was to know it hut you and your father I mightn’t be much afraid. Oh, yes! to be sure, you can tell him.” “Very well,” said Alice, “that is all I wanted. Goodbye once more.” “Remember your promise, Alice,” said Mrs. ' Dempsey, to which Alice answered by a nod of assent, and then her fair, smiling face vanished, and the door closed again. Cormac Riordan was sitting winding off some worsted which he had stretched over two chairs, when his daughter came in. “Father !” cried Alice, as she threw herself down on a seat beside him. “Father, I can tell you the secret now.” “Well, my daughter, what is it?” “Why, Ellen Dempsey was going to be married to a Protestant unknown to her mother, and I begged of her to let mo consult Father Smith about it. Well, she consented, for she wanted Him to marry her, and what do you think but it turned out that the man was already married, for his poor wife had written to. Father Smith inquiring after him.” •“The Lord be good to us!” cried Cormac, holding up his two hands in astonishment. “Why, what will the world turn to at all? Oh, then, but that was the narrow escape I But sure the Lord wouldn’t desert poor Mrs. Dempsey that way, even though her daughter*?.? disobedient, and deceitful, and self-willed.” “But, father, dear, don’t say that of poor Ellen. Indeed, indeed, she’s sorry for the past, and humbles herself like a little child before God and her good mother. Now that she has escaped so well, her mother says that it happened for th better, because it will be a lesson to Ellen for the time to come.” Well, thanks be to God, at any rate, that the danger is past, said Cormac, “as I hope it is. - But aren’t we going to confession this evening, Alice?” “Yes, father. I’ll just go to my work now, and do as much as I can till about nightfall, and then we’ll go. Of course, you .remember what day this is?” Indeed I do, Alice,’’ replied her father. in low voice. “This is Hallow Eve. Oh! God be with' them?that’s far away! poof old Ireland! Many a merry Hallow Eve we spent there! But it seems they don’t much mind it here, Alice. Well, well,” he .added, with a sigh, “there’s no .cure for spilt milk, and time once past can never, never he recalled.” " j: ' .■ “No, nor there’s no use fretting about it,” said Alice, in as cheerful a tone as she could command; “let us think and talk of the present and the future, rather than the past, which is a mournful theme for most people. When we’re coming home from church we’ll go round by Mrs. Dempsey’s and stay a little while, if you have no objection. To this Cormac agreed, and then both relapsed into silence, Alice plying her needle-as though for life* or death, while her father, pulled out his pipe and began’ to smoke, which he always did when haunted by'old saddening Memories of days gone by. 1 •; ' .-•? When the first shades of twilight were falling on the city, Alice and her father directed their course to the Recollet church, and both went to confession to Father Smith. The following day, being the feast of. All Saints, they received the Holy Communion side by side, and it was, a. beautiful sight to see the watchful care with which the young girl led her sightless parent to the altar, and

back again to. their seat. Tho tender affection, the profound resspect, with which she regarded him could not fail to attract attention, and more than parent heaved a , heavy sigh at the remembrance of tho different treatment they received from their children. s Having remained some time in the church., returning * thanks to God for this greatest of all favors, Alice and her father returned to their humble home, and had barely time to get their breakfast, when a.message was brought from 1 . Harry Malone, requesting his niece to go over to his house as soon as she possibly could after Mass. v “Why, what in the world, does uncle want with me in such a hurry?” - # x“Well, I’m sure I don’t know,” said Tommy—little no longer; “he bids me tell you that lie’ll take no excuse, for he wants you on very particular business.” - . “Oh, very well, Tommy, I’ll go as soon as I can.” Tommy made his exit. * > ~ “Father, will you come?” said Alice. “The walk will / do you good.” ••*. “I b’lieve I will, Alice,” replied her father “for I’d be frettin’ all the time you’d be away to know what Harry wanted with you. Are we just goin’ now?” “As soon as I have these vessels washed, father. You can bo putting on your outside —here it is.” When the father and daughter reached Malone’s domicile they found its owner waiting anxiously for their appearance. “Come in here quickly,” said he, as he led them . through the parlor into the larger room beyond. Now, just get yourselves in there behind that screen, and don’t make the least noise, no matter what happens, unless I call to you.” f , “Why, what in the world are you about, Uncle Harry?” cried Alice, in amazement. “Never you mind that, girl, but do as I bid you, and I’ll warrant you’ll have some fun before long. Go in at 1 once — Comae, give mo your hand—in with you, Alice. Woman alive why do you stand staring at me as if I had two heads on me? Why, as sure as I am here, - you’ll spoil all.” “Well, uncle, anything to please you,” said Alice, taking her place beside her .father, “though I protest I can’t understand this.” For a few minutes all was silence in the room, but on a sudden the parlor door was thrown open, and Harry was heard showing a stranger in. “Sit down, sir,” said ho, sit down. I’m not used to have such visitors as you. Sit down, sir!” 1 The person addressed cleared his throat two or threetimes before ho replied: “I received an* anonymous note this morning informing me that there is a young girl in this house of the naftie of Alice Giordan. Is it so?” Alice started, and laid her hand on her father’s arm. “0 father,” she whispered in his ear, “it’s Captain Reynolds himself. Indeed it is!” Her father only answered by a sign, and then both renewed their attention, anxious for Harry’s reply. “Ahem!” said Harry, “so that’s your business here? * Well, sir, before I answer your question, I'll take the lib- . erty of asking yon another. Now, what do you want with Alice Riordan?” “What do I Avant with her?” repeated the captain, in a mocking tone “why, what do you suppose I Avant with her “Well, I’m sure I can’t guess,” said Harry, with affected simplicity; “perhaps to get some shirts made, ox-pocket-handkerchiefs hemmed, for I know she’s a good .seamstress.” ■ : V Reynolds laughed, “Very well, put it on that footing if you like; anything at all; only let me see the girl. I’ll tell her what I Avant.” \ “Couldn’t you leave your message with me. sir?” said i Harry; “I’ll deliver it as straight as a rush; 1 declare I will.” ; he captain laughed again, and his laugh was so impudent that it brought the warm blood tingling to Alice’s face. “Why, really, my worthy and most rubicund friend, you are either a great knave or a. groat fool. . Which am I to think?” •' . - 1 % 7 “Which you please, my impudent and most conceited . friend,” replied Harry, imitating the. other’s tone. “Why, what the d— do you mean, my-good fellow?”

cried the officer, starting to his feet with a force that made the floor quiver; “who are you that' dares to speak to me in such a way?” - .: - -. “I’m Alice Riordan’s uncle, captain, if you Avant to know. Now, what’s your will — am .1 ‘to tell my niece?” v i * •” • “You her uncle!” cried Reynolds. “Oh! my dear sir, c that alters the case.’,’ , . . . V “So I thought,” said Malone, bluntly. “Well, I’m . waiting for your answer. 1 ask you again, what do you want coming after 1 my niece?—eh —tell me that now 1” ' “Why, I wanted her to make some shirts' for me, as you shrewdly guessed.” ' “Oh! you do, do you?— very' good! we’ll just take your measure.” Then taking up a large hand-bell off the table he rang it loudly) and instantly the door from the kitchen was flung, open, and a rushing 'sou was heard as of many heavy feet. Alice could no longer refrain from peeping out, and sure enough there were six or eight sturdy-looking fellows grouped behind her uncle. Reynolds stood eyeing them with a.; supercilious sneer on his handsome countenance. “Boys,” cried Harry, with a significant glance at some cord that lay on a table near; “boys, you’ll come over and take this gentleman’s measure. Do it gently and well now, for you see he’s a queen’s officer.” “Why, what do you mean, you low-bred fellow ?” said Reynolds, with a heightened color and an angry voice, at the same time laying his hand on his sword-hilt. “Have you brought me here to insult me?” - On a signal from Malone two of the strongest men sprang forward, and quick as thought laying hold of the captain’s arms tied them behind his back. 1 “Hear him now,” said Harry, with a chuckling ■ laugh. “Hear him talking of insult!him that’s following my niece for so long a time, making her offers that would ' disgrace any decent female. That was no insult, to be sure. Oh! my lad, you were in the wrong -shop that time.! You thought Alice had no friends to revenge her wrongs; but, by the good daylight, my fine fellow, we’ll teach you she has. You’re a pretty fellow to go on hunting Alice Riordan and persecuting her, though you 'wouldn’t get her for a wife, captain and all as you —no, not if you were rolling in gold and silver.” “No danger of me asking her for a wife,” returned Reynolds. “I’m not to be caught so easily as that. * But 1 say, old brandy face, you’d better order these fellows to untie my hands, or if you don’t”—and he swore an awful oath —“I’ll make you rue the day you" offered such .an outrage to a gentleman.” > “Go to the —’,” cried Harry, “and farther if you wish. Go on, boys, finish your job.”) Reynolds stamped and kicked, swore and threatened,- but all in vain; his arms and legs were securely bound, and he placed on a chair, without the power of motion. /

(To be continued.) W