Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1902-08-15
w
G..iE OPERA
CLOAK, $25O"$
BY FRANCES CROFT
Copyright, 1909. BY the
S. 8. Mcclure Company

8. 3. MCCluro Company Y
100000 10000
Miss Lillian F~airweataer's state or
mind was far from pleasant rs she sat
q one OF Schenck & schenck's stuny
little fitting rooms. Nicholas the Meek,
Nicholas the Downtrodden. had turned
The words OF his letter stood out vivid
" before her eyes:
Jacob served seven years for Rachel
and then got her sister. 1 have served
I'VE years. see no hope OF setting you IN
seven. and you have no sister. Unless
you say yes In n week to the question I
have asked you 60 often I sail on the
Mesaba for Europe. Remember. at q
signal from you 1 shall turn back at the
last moment, but my terms are uncondi-
donai surrender.
Nicholas had been the subject OF
gibes, both to his face and behind his
back. One that she had coined she
gave current issue among her friends
because she fancled 1t was clever:
"Church on Sunday, theater Monday.
flowers Tuesday, candy Wednesday,
new book Thursday, dinner Friday.
dead sick on Saturday of Nicholas
Purdy."
1t did not seem so clever to her now,
after a week during which there had
been no one to carry her prayer book
10 church. no one to take her to irst
night performances, no flowers. nc
candy. no books, no dinners, no NichO-
las Purdy, but there had been a wea-
ried feeling. Much to her wi surprise,
she found that she missed the man
more than his attentions.
This was the day Of sailing for the
Mesaba. From some feellng-curios-
fly, Of course-she knew the pier from
which II started, the car lines leading
to II and the time It took to get there.
She certainly would not give In to him,
especially after the insolent tone Of
the letter. Yet It was from a fear that
she might so far forget herself as to go
down to the dock and lose her suprem-
acy over Nicholas forever that had
brought her here. Her suit very OPP
portunely needed alteration. Miss
Macy, the head filter, had hurried off
with It, promising to send something
70 throw around her for the few min
utes till It was ready.
Then a girl had appeared with n
gorgeous pink opera cape. Such raj
ment was far beyond the slender means
Of the struggling artist but for once
she forgot to revel In its richness. She
was looking anxiously at her watch.
Three-quarters of an hour and then the
Mesaba would clear her docks.
How fast the minutes flew by! Half
an hour nowl
She pounded on the door. Miss Macy
hustled in. I'm so sorry, Miss Fair
weather. I've been delayed with some
customers. You shall have your dress
shortly"
"But 1 must have It at oncer'
"Impossiblel" And Miss Macy bus
tied of.
Lillian was now frantic.
She caught the next girl that passed.
"Give me a dress, any kind of a
dress!"
A moment later she was tearing a
price mark of a sloppy dress Of a dirty
chocolate color. She rushed into 1t
quite unmindful of the fact that 1t was
two sizes too large, long wasted and
bullying at the hips. Throwing the
opera cape around her, she stuck on her
blue hat and rushed madly from the
store.
She hailed a passing cab. give dol
lars If you get me to pier II before the
Mesaba sails!"
It seemed an eternity until she was
rushing down the long wooden shed.
Pushing aside the man who demanded
her ticket, she ran up the gangplank,
and her feet had scarcely left it when
It was withdrawn. No Nicholas was
in sight. She approached the steward
and asked him where Mr.. Purdy's
stateroom was. He replied that no
such party was booked.
Then Lillian gave a gasp. She ran TO
the end Of the steamer nearest the
dock only to find that the vessel had
begun to move. She uttered a cry
which attracted the attention OF a
youngish man sitting on the piles at
the corner Of the pier hanging his
heels over the water.
He jumped up and whistled, for he
realized the full enormity of the sltua-
ton. She was going. and he was to be
left behind. The ocean would separate
them, besides a sea Of misunderstood
ings. His bluff had worked beyond
his expectations.
He ran to the steamers starting place
and found a stout commercial looking
man in a state Of great excitement bar
gaining with the owner OF a small tug
to take him to the outgoing steamer.
Nicholas Joined forces with him. A
common ~object-tO catch the steamer
bound them together.
The thing was all arranged in a few
minutes. They quickly got alongside
and hailed the steamer.
There was already great excitement
aboard the Mesaba. A woman in a
dirty brown gown, a pink opera cloak
and a blue hat was begging hysterical-
" to be taken back to land.
The captain saw peace for him when
he perceived the tug. The steamer
stopped. and Lillian was transferred to
meet her shameless lover and the just
~ indignant costumer. She began to