Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-12-03
Short Story
Of the Day
A WOMAN AND A FoRGER.
By VIII Lexington Comfort.

A rolling sea, fiecked with sunshine
and white caps, a brilliant sky, a
swinging ship, a steamer chair, a pref
ty face, an unknown book-and a
much interested man!
The man was Iddings, a superb pen
man, and rob5er of the rich. He was
a cool, laughing chap, coed to look
upon. There was fine, intense
masculinity about his face and figure
that fascinated men, as we'll as-but
he was not a woman hunter. Ii the
boyish whiteness which characterized
his attitude toward womankind had
dominated his dealings with men Id
dings would have been righteous, if
harmless, citizen. He walked the
deck little forward of the steamer
chair and glanced respectfully now
and then at the pretty face.
IF she would only look down into
my eyes as he looks upon that book, y
he thought, I'D be-why, I'd blush
and wriggle like kid, of course
They met at dinner on the second
day after leaving Savannah, and on
the third evening his steamer chair
was drawn decently near her own. Id
dings had boarded the steamer at New
York, the woman, a few days later,
at the Georgia port.
Are you going to the Brasels?' she
asked.
NO" he said huskily, 81 stop off at
Vallodolid, Equatorial"
90"
"And may I ask where you are go
ing?"
"To Equatoria-"
20, but you mustn't" Iddings blurt-
ed quickly Excuse me, but not
alone. Why, Equatoria-that is, Val
lodolid-isn't good place for girl
to go It's beautiful, but haven't you
heard?"
81 have heard that criminals live
there in safety because red tape
makes extradition hopeless" she said
slowly.
"You have heard rightly. The Palm
house, Vallodolid, where you would
have to stay-because no other hos
telry is comparable to ito, there is
no spot in the world more beautiful
than the Palm house, and grounds;
yet it harbCrs the year around more
foreigners of temporary and question
able opulence than anywhere! If you
have another mans million and reach
Vallodolid it is possible to bring you
back, but the chances are you will
feel age stealing over you before the
fruitiop of justice, and surrender to
the desire to see your native land
once more before you die. If you had
a consort, Miss Doutney, it would be
we'll for you tc see the Palm house at
night. when activities are on, when
the gardens and rlazas about are
drenched in moon and starlight, and
sweet with magnolia and jasmine
fragrace, and the broad low hotel in
the midst OF all, lavishing music and
brilliance upon the night, But it is net
a paradise" he finished softly, "for
women are as rare at the Palm house
as virtues are
But, Mr. Iddings," she asked, why
are you going to Vallodolid?"
He had forgotten that fer few
moments, and he was numbed by the
shock of returning-as if his body had
fallen to the deck.
cat least I am a man." he said,
clearing his throat, ''and cannot be
harmed. Besides, the Palm house is
beautiful, and there is no place where
enc can study so easily the types
told you of"
Then you are. an artist?'
Men and newspapers have been
good enough to call me one" he
laughed, and there was no lie in the
words.
His answer had seemed to dispel
any suspicion she might have. har-
bored. Yet Iddings could not get
away from himself a second time, nor
away from the sense of shame which
the pres ence of a coed and guileless
girl brought to him. He might have
been man enough to avoid her for the
rest of the voyage had it net been
for her destination-the narrowing
thoughts of her unprotected in VALID
dolid
"And may | ask, Miss Doutney, why
you are stopping at Equatorial"
at seems strange" she answered,
Eve have been acquainted such lit
tie time, that l should tell you; and
vet. some way, Mr.. Iddings, you have
made me trust you"
If can't be Of service to you by
knowing, Miss Doutney," he said
softly, Il prefer not to know. If can
help you, tell me how and I'll do my
part"
81 thank you for your generosity.
have a brother in yallodolid. 1t is